Beatnik Lounge

WHAT IS THIS PLACE ANYWAY?
It's a meeting place for the 'rest of us' in this gateway to Joshua Tree National Park. The Beatnik, as it has been known for most of the 21st Century, formerly Red Arrow Gallery, Radio Free Joshua Tree Listening Lounge - aka the Love Lounge - the space is many things in one. Onetime headquarters for the now defunct, locally programmed online radio station Radio Free Joshua Tree (www.rfjt.org & www.radiofreejoshuatree.com); The Beatnik - and it's non profit org Joshua Tree Cultural Preservation Center is always open to new possibilities for expanding it’s mission, having served as host to concerts, active community groups, movement workshops, meditation, worship service, lectures, dances and much more.
Major monthly events are Second Saturday Art Opening; Beatitude; Songwriters In the Round; Food not Bombs Dinner; Marijuana Anti Prohibition Project meetings and more. The Lounge has been home to Music and Art lessons; Ike and Lula’s Dance Party for Kids; sustainable gardening events; tarot card and psychic readings, and much more.
Originally named Jeremy's Cyber Cafe, the space was the first place within 50 miles to provide internet access - indeed, it was the home to the original T-1 line in the Joshua Tree area, popular with international tourists, mostly climbers, largely for it's selection of imported beers, espresso drinks, homemade sandwiches, milkshakes and cheesecake. In the early 21st century it was renamed the Beatnik Cafe, which became world renown for the musicians who passed through - and in particular, for its Open Mic nights. As Red Arrow Gallery, it was home to local and international artists work until closing in 2012, when it became Radio Free Joshua Tree Listening Lounge, which continued the tradition of a casual, friendly creative center to downtown Joshua Tree. The familiar name, the Beatnik, took hold again in 2014, with various associated artists abbreviating even that, to the Beat.
Feel free to bring your ideas and your events to us.
Please support the space by visiting www.jtcpc.org.
Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy Joshua Tree.
Ted Quinn