No one knew the glories of California better than Rex Brandt, the itinerant painter deeply understood the land and light.

The line was founded in the mid-1980s. The first few characters — among them a frog, a pig and a whale — were introduced in 1993.

Here are our picks for the top things to do in the desert Monday, Aug. 18 through Sunday, Aug. 24. (And if you’d like to submit an upcoming event of your own for a future roundup, see the bottom of ...