Desert Sun Staff

Below is The Desert Sun's live coverage for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign rally in Cathedral City. Desert Sun staff will be updating and live tweeting from the scene at Big League Dreams throughout the day.

Scroll to the bottom of this page to follow the live tweets from the scene.

1:30 p.m.: Yep, the opposition showed up

1:25 p.m. Detention time?

1:05 p.m.: And he's done

Sanders wrapped up just after 1 p.m., giving a speech that lasted roughly 50 minutes.

1 p.m.: Yes, he touched on climate change

12:55 p.m.: So where's the money coming from? Where's it going?

12:50 p.m.: Let's also discuss education

"We should not be punishing people for doing the right thing and getting an education," he said.

12:45 p.m.: And what about marijuana?

12:40 p.m.: Now let's talk about law enforcement

“We’ve got to make local police departments reflect the diversity of communities they serve," Sanders said.

12:35 p.m.: Here's who Bernie blames

"Your greed is helping to destroy this country," he said to large corporations.

Walmart and Disney are among the corporations he attacked. Furthermore:

12:30 p.m.: One guy let us know he agrees with Bernie

12:25 p.m.: He says he's the only candidate to come here

12:20 p.m.: Looks like he's going after rich people

12:15 p.m.: Sanders talks diversity

Regarding Donald Trump, Sanders says people will not vote for a candidate who insults Mexico and Latinos, Muslims, veterans and African Americans.

"Our goal is to build on that diversity," Sanders said.

12:10 p.m.: Bernie takes the stage

12 p.m.: So that's what he's doing, today

Cathedral City City Councilman Greg Pettis played a role in bring Sanders' rally to the city. Following a rally in National City Saturday night, Pettis and fellow councilman Shelley Kaplan suggested Sanders return to the Coachella Valley following his visit last week.

On Tuesday, Pettis told The Desert Sun he was unsure if he would play a role in Wednesday's rally.

It turns out he's the opening speaker and he talked about issues including healthcare reform and criminal justice reform.

Pettis added racial, economic and LGBT diversity in Cathedral City are the embodiment of Sanders' platform.

11:55 a.m.: They made it inside. Just in time, too

11:50 a.m.: Free ice cream ..... just not here

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream's co-founder, Ben Cohen, is campaigning for Bernie Sanders. Beginning at noon, he'll be scooping free ice cream.

But it's happening at the University of California - Riverside. About 45 minutes away from Cathedral City, where Sanders is holding a rally Wednesday.

If you happen to be in the area, go crazy.

11:40 a.m. These guys got the closest view

11:25 a.m.: This sort of thing never happens in Cathedral City

Steve Fabian strolled onto the baseball field wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and broad smile.

For Fabian, 62, a retired teacher, Wednesday felt like a political pipe dream that a finally come true. For more than three decades, he has lived in Cathedral City, the kind of town that politicians “fly over on the way to Los Angeles.”

And yet here he was, at a presidential candidate’s rally in his own backyard.

11:10 a.m.: Meanwhile, in Anaheim

Go here for our coverage of Donald Trump's rally in Anaheim.

11:05 a.m.: Is this really a campaign rally?

Desert Sun reporter Anna Rumer reports there's a jovial atmosphere at Big League Dreams in Cathedral City. There's plenty of music playing, and if it weren't for the Bernie Sanders shirts, you'd think you were at a rock concert.

She describes the attendees as a "very chill, peppy crowd."

People were let into the stadium at 10:20 a.m. and the speech isn't scheduled to begin until at least noon.

So far, there haven't been reports of people being turned away at the gate.

10:55 a.m.: Looks like this guy is really happy to be there

10:40 a.m.: What they want

Desert Sun staff spoke to several attendees at Sen.Bernie Sanders' rally in Cathedral City. Topics of concern include:

1: Marijuana legalization

2: Free education

3: Climate change

4: Anyone but Donald Trump

10:35 a.m.: Here's how it looks from the inside

10:25 a.m.: And they're in

Organizers opened the gates to Big League Dreams at 10:20 a.m. That's about 20 minutes later than the scheduled opening.

More than 1,000 people appear to be in attendance and the line of attendees stretched down Date Palm Drive.

Several minutes were spent corralling people in a single line. Witnesses say the final result was more of a clump.

As mentioned earlier, the first ones through the gate were Cathedral City residents Crystal McDowell, 20; Lanie Harper, 21; Ariana Gutierrez, 23. They arrived at 2:20 a.m., which means they waited eight hours to get into the facility.

10:20 a.m.: Shirts aren't the only thing on sale

10:05 a.m.: You better have walking shoes

It appears the best parking spaces are filled.

Desert Sun reporter Anna Rumer says she walked about half a mile from her car to Big League Dreams. That was at about 9:30 a.m.

At about 10 a.m., reporter Rosie Murphy said she parked about 10 minutes from the scene.

On the bright side, anyone who parked far from the venue will likely experience fewer traffic delays when the rally wraps up and it's time to head home.

And for those of you who just happen to be driving through the neighborhood, there are no reports of traffic delays surrounding the baseball stadium at Date Palm and Dinah Shore drives.

10 a.m.: Time heals all wounds

For some background:

Berniechella block party fuels a slow 'Bern'

9:55 a.m.: We're not ignoring the opposition

Donald Trump to speak in Anaheim

We're sending a Desert Sun reporter and photographer to Anaheim and will have coverage of Donald Trump's rally later in the day. Desert Sun reporter @marxjesse will have all your updates on Twitter.

9:50 a.m.: Believe us, it could be hotter

As of 9:45 a.m., it was about 70 degrees in the Coachella Valley. The National Weather Service is predicting a high of 82 degrees, which should typically occur at about 3 p.m. The normal high temperature for late May is about 95 degrees.

9:45 a.m.: Like all events, not everyone could attend

9:40 a.m.: They better not run into traffic

Another Desert Sun staffer estimates 1,000-plus people are in line as of 9:30 a.m.

9:35 a.m.: How things looked earlier

This is a video we shot just after 6 a.m. outside Big League Dreams.

9:30 a.m.: Surprised by the demographic? We tried explaining this

'The strangest election:' Trump driving registration trend?

The Desert Sun recently investigated the changing demographics of the desert and current voter registration trends.

9:20 a.m.: Everyone loves the big guy

Aside from Bernie himself, Chuck Parker may be the star of the day.

9:15 a.m.: An opportunity for an education and some mother-daughter bonding

As rally grew closers, more and more supporters gathered, forming a line that stretched beyond the Cathedral City library and out to the edge of Date Palm Drive.

One of those supporters was Mandy Hopkins, 36, a College of the Desert student who brought her 11-year-old daughter Isabella, to the rally. Isabella is homeschooled, and Hopkins said she couldn’t imagine a better lesson for the day than a real political rally.

Hopkins also said she wanted her daughter to get to know Sanders, who was her best chance for a college education. Sanders has campaigned on a promise of free college for all.

“I didn’t have a lot of opportunities, and I had to go through community college and now I’ve been in college for 10 years,” Hopkins said. “My daughter isn’t going to college unless she finds a way to pay for it herself or we get Bernie. He values her education.”

9 a.m.: Check out this crowd

This is as of 9 a.m.

8:55 a.m.: Coachella ticket sales didn't begin this early

Let's put things into perspective. The first group of attendees lined up at 2:20 a.m. at Big League Dreams and they were followed by a second group at about 4:30 a.m.

On April 13, people began lining up at 5:30 a.m. for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival's locals-only ticket sales at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

8:40 a.m.: Traffic isn't bad. Yet.

Desert Sun staff at the scene report there are still plenty of parking spaces at Big League Dreams as of 8:30 a.m., and traffic in the area appears to be unaffected.

Expect that to change throughout the morning.

8:35 a.m.: The Big Sanders has arrived!

At about 8 a.m., a Sanders supporter showed up wearing a giant paper-mache Bernie head, prompting cheers from the crowd that was waiting in line outside the rally site. A few millennials rushed up to the bobble-headed Bernie, posing for photographs, as if it was the real thing.

The man inside was Chuck Parker, 67, of Desert Hot Springs, who has been wearing his custom-made Bernie head around the desert since January. You may have seen in downtown Palm Springs or at the Date Festival, but Wednesday’s rally was its biggest event yet.

Inside the mask, it’s hot, unwieldy and hard to see, Parker said, but at least “everybody loves you.”

“Bernie is speaking to the needs of everybody,” Parker said taking a breather outside of the Bernie head. “He’s dealing with economic inequality … He’s the only candidate, I think, that really presents an alternative to the establishment politics.”

8:20 a.m.: Just in case you're not up to date

8:10 a.m.: The crowd has gotten larger.

7:25 a.m.: Do most young people get up this early?

The first wave of attendees was mostly composed of teenagers and people in their early 20s. They included a group of Cathedral City High School seniors. They were led by history teacher Walter Maciel. He said it isn't unusual for younger generations to get involved in politics nowadays.

"It's exciting to see students really want to participate in this," Maciel said.

Senior Omar Suarez, 18, said Sanders reaches out to the younger crowd more than any other candidate.

"He's basically for the people and he's here for the people," Suarez said. "We've been hoping hoping Bernie pulls off a big upset."

7:15 a.m.: Things filled up fast

At 6 a.m., there were seven people in line. By 6:30 a.m., there were more than 50 people in line, not counting people who were waiting in their parked cars or walking to the scene.

7 a.m.: Off to an early start

The first people in line were (Left to right) Cathedral City residents Crystal McDowell, 20; Lanie Harper, 21; Ariana Gutierrez, 23. They arrived at 2:20 a.m., but the next attendees didn't show up until about 4:30 a.m., they said.

Harper and Gutierrez wanted to show up at about 5 a.m., but McDowell wanted to be there earlier and they didn't want her to be alone.

They said they were too tired to explain which of Sanders' views they supported.

"I just love his speeches in general, the way he talks with so much passion," McDowell said.

6:55 a.m.: It begins

People began lining up as early as 2:30 a.m. outside Big League Dreams to see Bernie Sanders. Doors don't open until 10 a.m.

2:30 p.m. Tuesday: To recap

Here are our stories announcing Sanders' Cathedral City event and detailing how it was developed.

Bernie Sanders coming to Cathedral City on Wednesday

What you need to know about attending Bernie Sanders' rally

2:25 p.m. Tuesday: It started last week

Here is a photo of Sen. Bernie Sanders with Cathedral City City Councilman Greg Pettis. It was taken following Sanders' rally Saturday night in National City.