The Largest and Biggest lesbian event in the world, The Dinah Shore weekend in Palm Springs, CA, is an annual monumental 5-day weekend packed with not only non-stop activities, spectacular comedy shows, live concerts, activism and legendary pool parties, but also premier talent in music, film and television.

In less than 2 decades, Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend has positioned itself as an event entertainment industry insiders watch and jockey to book their artists’ performances.

Always ahead of her time, Mariah Hanson, founder & producer of Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, has proven to have an uncanny knack for snatching that one music talent who’s on the forefront of just exploding. 

The Dinah has built a reputation as being the catalyst propelling new young artists to the top of the Billboard charts:  Lady Gaga. Katy Perry, Pussy Cat Dolls, Dev, Ke$ha (among many others) are just a few examples of major recording artists booked to play The Dinah while still “unknown”, who (post-Dinah) have all systematically gone to become Grammy winners, #1 Billboard charters, and international superstars.

As we look at the photos of the recording artists who rocked The Dinah 2013,  today we’re inviting you to share with us your thoughts on which artist you would like to see perform at The Dinah 2014 and beyond.

Leave your suggestions in the comments!

HAVANA BROWN

 

K.ROSE
 

ANJULIE

 

 

 

As Southern California’s largest film festival, and one of the largest LGBT fests in the U.S., Outfest has been a leader in LGBT rights and cultural expression for the past 31 years, ensuring that LGBT stories are, to quote Executive Director, Kristen Schaffer,  “created, shared and protected: stories that depict the rich diversity of who we are as individuals, families and communities; stories that educate, entertain and inspire.”

After successfully premiering its inaugural “Dinah Film Series” last April in Palm Springs, California, Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend has been committed to extending its involvement in promoting the many achievements of LGBT filmmakers beyond the actual event by engaging in and supporting Film Festivals that create and enhance opportunities for our community in front of and behind the camera.

It’s about promoting positive portrayals of our diverse community through films to change minds and hearts, and ultimately change lives as well.

With that in mind, Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend is a proud sponsor of the upcoming 2013 Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival, which takes place July 11 through the 21st (www.Outfest.org)

Outfest hosted its launch party yesterday at Bloomingdale’s in West Hollywood, and of course Club Skirts was in attendance.

Here are exclusive photos of this special night of films, networking and Outfest excitement!

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Brand new at The Dinah this year is the premiere of the “Dinah Film Series” event produced by Club Skirts in association with actress Jill Bennett and Director-Producer Page Hurwitz.

From the people who brought you We Have To Stop Now, 3Way and We’re Getting Nowhere comes “Second Shot“, the new independent sitcom written by Nancylee Myatt (3way), Dara Nai (afterellen.com), and Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing). Jill Bennett stars as “Kat McDonald,” a woman who left her small hometown to seek fame and fortune as a pro soccer player. Things didn’t go as planned and now Kat’s back where she started. Turns out, you can go home again. Crap!

Bennett will debut the first two episodes of her new comedy on Friday, April 5 during “The Dinah Film Series” held at The Hilton Hotel in Palm Springs at 6:30pm.

Joining her is Page Hurwitz who will premiere as well her highly anticipated Dinah documentary entitled “Out In The Desert“.

Hurwitz’s new feature length documentary offers an exclusive insider’s look into, not only the dreamy dykes and occasional drama, but also the personal and more than often poignant stories of the women attending the largest lesbian event in the world: Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend.

The critically acclaimed electropop duo UH HUH HER is headlining Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend with a grand finale concert on Sunday, April 7 at Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs, CA.

The LA-based duo, crowned  “lesbian royalty”, featuring Leisha Hailey, better known as bisexual journalist Alice Pieszecki on Showtime’s The L Word, and ex-Mellodrone bassist and keyboardis Camila Grey, will perform for the third time at this year’s legendary Dinah Shore Weekend.

Joining the festivities in celebration of Club Skirts Dinah Shore weekend’s milestone 23rd Anniversary, Uh Huh Her will delight fans with a variety of songs from their latest album Nocturnes featuring “Same High,” written for and featured in the Golden Globe-winning and Academy Award-nominated film The Kids Are All Right, as well as their EP Black and Blue, and their seminal debut album Common Reaction including the anthemic single “Not A Love Song.”

Don’t miss this chance to see Uh Huh Her live at The Dinah – the original Dinah Shore Weekend, always and only in Palm Springs, CA – for what is sure to be a packed-house out of this world showstopper party!

For Immediate Release:

Karmin, Havana Brown, Diana King, Anjulie and Uh Huh Her Headlining!

Palm Springs, CA – As women from all over the world will descend upon the famed California desert known as Palm Springs to attend Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend April 3-7 (www.TheDinah.com), all with different expectations, schedules, and friends, there is one immutable element that continues to link them all together: the music.

This year, the 2013 Dinah Entertainment Roster delivers, as always, plenty of incredible talent, awesome bands, and groundbreaking artists ranging from pop to dance, and indie music to electronica, that make up one hell of a line up.

The world’s largest girl party/music festival will, for the 23rd year in a row, turn the city of Palm Springs into the ultimate entertainment hub, offering an epic slate of Top Ten Billboard headliners, rising pop stars, and celebrities.

KARMIN, the pop sensation duo & Rolling Stone Magazine’s “Woman who Rock” Winner, known for their infectious summer hit “Broken Hearted” headlines The Dinah 2013 during the “Monte Carlo” party held at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Saturday, April 6, 2013.

Talent line-up includes as well HAVANA BROWN (“We Own The Night” ft Pitbull), Reggae/Dancehall legend DIANA KING, the “Vampire Diaries” very own KAT GRAHAM (“Put Your Graffiti On Me”), and electropop duo UH HUH HER as the grand finale (Sunday, April 7).

Also music’s new “it” girls, ANJULIE (“Brand New Bitch”), K. ROSE (“Sleep When I’m Dead”) and KATY TIZ (“Famous”).

Plus comics FORTUNE FEIMSTER (“Chelsea Lately”), JACKIE LOEB, SUZANNE WESTENHOEFER and exclusive appearances by TV reality stars, LAUREN BEDFORD RUSSELL and KIYOMI McCLOSKEY of “The Real L Word”.

They’ll be accompanied by some of the LGBT community’s favorite lesbian celebrities as OML Media Corporation (www.onemorelesbian.com) has confirmed the return of its ever-popular “Battle Of The Lesbian Web Series”.

This year The Dinah is introducing two inaugural events, hosting for the first time ever an exclusive “Celebrity Poker Tournament” on Saturday, April 6, with all proceeds going to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Stay tuned, as the complete list of celebrity poker players will be revealed on March 1.

In addition, The Dinah is launching a Movie Premiere event in association with actress, Jill Bennett, who will world-debut the first two episodes of the new independent sitcom written by Nancylee Myatt (3way), Dara Nai (afterellen.com), and Claudia Cogan (last comic standing) entitled “Second Shot“.

Held April 3-April 7, 2013 in Palm Springs, CA, Club Skirts Dinah Shore – the original Dinah Shore Weekend – now in its milestone 23rd year is already on its way to be the biggest it’s ever been.

Please note this is a partial List. For a full talent line-up and/or to purchase tickets go to: www.TheDinah.com

Los Angeles, CA – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, is joining forces with Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, the nation’s largest lesbian event. HRC is coming onboard as a full sponsor at the upcoming 23rd Anniversary of the largest lesbian event in the world April 3-7, 2013 in Palm Springs, CA.

Embracing the “party with a purpose” philosophy, for more than two decades, Mariah Hanson, founder and promoter of Club Skirts presents The Dinah, has relentlessly travailed to support LGBT rights.

And this year will be no different.

Continuing her activist efforts to raise awareness among the LGBT community about marriage and equality rights, Hanson, who sat on the Board of Equality California for numerous years, is putting the focus on HRC to rally more lesbians around their endeavor.

As a national sponsor of the Human Rights Campaign’s Her HRC program, HRC will be hosting a special soiree during the weekend, giving Dinah goers the opportunity to meet, mingle, network and celebrate with their favorite celebrities and “celesbians”, and get involved with the HRC team in attendance.

HRC will also be present throughout the entire weekend with an information kiosk at all pool parties offering pamphlets and other literature to all attendees who wish to learn more about HRC’s efforts and/or join the movement.

In addition, Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend will be hosting for the first time ever a world-class Celebrity Poker Tournament on Saturday night (April 6, 2013) with all proceeds going to HRC. Participants will have a chance to join some of the hottest celebrity guests for a fun night of poker and charity to benefit HRC.

Club Skirts involvement with HRC extends beyond the actual Dinah Shore Weekend. Effective immediately, Club Skirts has generously donated an exclusive VIP package valued at $2500 to be raffled off at all Her HRC events around the country leading up to the Dinah.

“I am proud to name HRC as the charity we showcase at The Dinah 2013,” says Hanson, “their work in securing our civil rights is as always to be applauded. I look forward to helping them gain more visibility with our unique Dinah demographic. HRC was open to creating visibility in a fun way. HRC gift items will be thrown from the stage during the weekend and we are creating a high profile celebrity poker tournament on Saturday night, with all proceeds going to HRC.”

As the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, the Human Rights Campaign represents a force of more than 1.5 million members and supporters nationwide — all committed to making HRC’s vision a reality.

Founded in 1980, HRC advocates on behalf of LGBT Americans, mobilizes grassroots actions in diverse communities, invests strategically to elect fair-minded individuals to office and educates the public about LGBT issues.

“HRC is proud to come on board as a sponsor for the 2013 Club Skirts Dinah Shore weekend. While thousands of women gather to celebrate, it’s crucial that we remember the importance of being engaged politically as LGBT Americans fight for full equality across the United States. To this effect, HRC will have a presence aimed at engaging the Dinah audience with our organization and our goals,” says Margot Rosen, Director of Membership Outreach at HRC.

The road to Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend is always paved with good intentions! Socially responsible, The Dinah sees to it that this “consciousness” permeates everything it does year after year. Stepping up its efforts with increasing effectiveness and productivity, its commitment to “give back” and advance goodwill has successfully translated into community activism, famously partnering with a variety of activist associations and charity organizations such as GLAAD, NOH8, Love is Louder, Equality California, and The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center among others.

As the biggest All-Girl Party in the world, The Dinah also prides itself in giving back to the LGBT community remaining faithful to its “party with a purpose” theme to remind everyone that while we have made a lot of strides, we’re still fighting for our rights!

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The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

For more information about the Club Skirts go to: www.TheDinah.com
To get additional information about HRC visit their official website at: www.HRC.org

OUR GENERAL MANAGER, BRIANA STOCKTON, HAS DONE IT ALL, SEEN IT ALL AND TODAY … TELLS IT ALL!

 

 

 

Briana Stockton and Mariah Hanson

We want to hear from YOU!
Send us your own Dinah Story and be featured on our blog:
Info@TheDinah.com

BACKSTAGE AT THE DINAH: A PEAK “BEHIND THE SCENES” WITH OUR PRODUCTION MANAGER TO DISCOVER THE SECRETS BEHIND THE MAGIC!

 

Chris Lacasse, Mariah Hanson, Leilani Reynolds, Mona Elyafi & Briana Stockton

I also remember I had to get extra security for Ms. Bedingfield and her crew as she made her way to the dance floor to join the ladies – The amazing thing that unfortunately most of our guests don’t get to see, is that all our past headliners, from Lady Gaga to Katy Perry, Chaka Khan to Salt n’ Pepa, ChelyWright to Nina Sky and too many others to name, all feel the same way. They see the crowd partying it up, dancing and loving every min of it and they too want to join in! And it’s like that every year. I often think my problem isn’t getting the artists on stage; it’s trying to keep them off the dance floor!

Club Skirts The Dinah is truly becoming its own festival, where there’s nothing like it in the world, and it’s definitely humbling to not only be part of this festival but to be part of something so big that impacts women’s lives from all over the world for the better, with that “awe-ing” feeling that you are not alone.

And I think I can speak for myself and the entire Dinah crew when we say we’re all proud to be affiliated, even in the slightest, in making a difference in someone’s life through this festival… even if it just means helping you step out of your shell and put a little nitro in your cruise control… ( you’re welcome ”

 

CLUB SKIRTS’ PUBLICIST SPILLS THE BEANS ABOUT THE DINAH

Because we want you to get to know us better, we’re turning this blog over to our staff members so they can share with you their own stories about what The Dinah represents for them and how it has changed their lives.

Today, our publicist, MONA ELYAFI, breaks the news about her own Dinah experience!