Jasmine Sullivan-Waits, who spent 20 years organizing city events including VillageFest — and helped move Pride downtown in 2014 — will start her new role on Sept. 1.

In today's Daily Briefing: How you could, and should, protect native species, what's next as VillageFest gets a marketing makeover, and how Prescott Preserve is bouncing back after a devastating fire.

"Jasmine Sullivan-Waits, who spent 20 years organizing city events including VillageFest — and helped move Pride downtown in 2014 — will start her new role on Sept. 1. When Jasmine Sullivan-Waits started her long career with the city of Palm Springs as the VillageFest Coordinator in 2005, Palm Springs largely shut down in the peak summer months. In the 20 years since, the city has become a nearly year-round destination, and VillageFest’s original purpose of drawing visitors to add Thursday night to their weekend trips to the desert nearly seems quaint, now that throngs of tourists are visible on Palm Canyon Drive on weekends and weekdays alike..."

The new marketing strategy includes a revamped website with ADA compliance, interactive vendor maps, expanded social media presence featuring vendor spotlights, and seasonal campaigns throughout the y...

Council approved an amendment that increases the city’s in‑kind sponsorship for Palm Springs Pride to $350,000 annually; VillageFest board presented a branding and incubator concept and asked for city endorsement to develop a plan.

The VillageFest board approved a slate of vendor applications for the upcoming VillageFest, voting to admit Marley's Lemonade (a parent-led youth enterprise), Carousel Bakery and several food and art vendors. The meeting also flagged marketing and website work for follow-up after a consultant contract ended.