This weekend marks the arrival of Palm Springs Modernism Week’s Fall Preview, a smaller version of February’s 10-day Palm Springs Modernism Week architecture and design marathon. Organizers are expecting the event to draw around 7,000 people.

According to this article from The Desert Sun, the schedule includes some of Modernism Week’s perennial events, like double-decker bus tours and visits to Sunnylands, alongside glitzy fundraisers like a Rat Pack-themed party for the Palm Springs Art Museum A+D Center and a Thunderbird Heights reception for the Aluminare House.  However, most of those events come with price tags, some topping $100. If you prefer to get your Modernism fix without spending a dime, plan for these four free events instead:

1. A bike tour of top Modernist houses sponsored by Hot Purple Energy. Bring your bike to Appetito Restaurant at East Palm Canyon Drive and South Camino Real at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and join fellow riders in gawking at homes in Deepwell Estates, Twin Palms and Indian Canyons. To sign up, email rsvp@hotpurpleenergy.com and include your t-shirt size — the first 75 participants get a “midcentury Italian-inspired t-shirt” at check-in.

2. A vintage car show outside the Palm Springs Air Museum. Wander around a lot containing more than 40 classic cars, representing the 1920s through the 1980s, while chatting with their owners and snapping photos. The event runs from noon until 3 p.m. on Saturday. No RSVP is required.

3. The Modernism Yard Sale. This is more than a flea market; it’s a carefully curated selection of vendors, from Palm Springs and elsewhere, who specialize in midcentury wares. Browsing their displays of furniture, clothing, dishware, jewelry and knick-knacks is free, but keep some money in your pocket in case something catches your eye. The sale runs from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sunday. It’s moving to a new location this year — LOT 58, an auction house and midcentury shop that opened on South Indian Canyon Drive in September.

4. The Lost, Saved & Endangered lecture. Every year, Gary Johns of the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation presents this slideshow and lecture to update visitors on the status of Palm Springs’ historical Modernist sites. Brush up on your local knowledge and get connected to the Preservation Foundation, if you’re interested. Advance reservations are required for the lecture, which takes place Sunday from 10 a.m. until noon. Claim your spot at http://www.modernismweek.com/event/details/lse-oct/.  Sorry...but at the current time, it looks like this event is sold out.

To read the article, courtesy of The Desert Sun, please use the following link: http://www.desertsun.com/story/life/entertainment/events/modernism/2015/10/06/four-free-events-modernism-week-fall-preview/73485716/