Although the downstairs music can be a bit loud on weekends, the atmosphere relaxes during happy hour.
One of the oldest gay bars in the city, and the country, Tavern on Camac has been serving patrons since the 1930s in its various incarnations.
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Their weekly Frat House Friday is popular, as is their Sunday "Hangover Brunch" at a mere $10 at the next door cafe The Tuscan Tavern, which serves a full menu of burgers and other edibles. When it's warm, the rooftop deck offers a scenic view and fresh air. ICandy's dance floor hops almost nightly, with DJs spinning various music genres. 5th St.) has LGBT Saturday night dance nights, monthly drag shows, and is popular with the Latino queer community. While many are mostly popular with men, a clearly friendly and mixed crowd can be found at most bars and clubs. A few more are located in outlying areas of town. Many of the bars are on quiet side streets, and within walking distance of each other. It's all nicely situated between historic areas that lead to the major tourist attractions (Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, etc.). ( Barsīars are mostly located in the aptly-named "gayborhood," actually Washington Square West, between 7th and Broad streets and between Chestnut and South Streets. But you're welcome to stop by and see its Historic Landmark street sign at 245 South 12th St. Giovanni's Room, the historic decades-old LGBT bookstore, has closed, unfortunately. Another online resource is Philly Gay Calendar at which features recent photo albums of various LGBT events, from bike rides to their early June Pride, celebrity appearances and galas. Facebookers can friend Philly Gay Bar Scene Gayborhood at to get the latest updates on bar events and drink specials. The LGBT news weekly includes up-to-date arts and cultural events in the Philly area.
Looking for a guidebook, a local magazine or an online guide? Your first newspaper to pick up - or the web version to check out in advance- should be the Philadelphia Gay News. From fundraisers to lectures and film screenings, senior events and meditation sessions, there's even an occasional Women's Jello Wrestling night. The William Way Center, Philadelphia's longstanding LGBT center, hosts events almost nightly. Since then, LGBT events have certainly expanded. Philadelphia is also the site of the first gay rights protests, which occurred years before the Manhattan Stonewall Bar riots.īarbara Gittings, Frank Kameny and other early gay activists were among those brave citizens who organized what came to be known as the Annual Reminders quiet, simple poster-holding protests outside Independence Hall in the mid-1960s, which called for the acceptance of gays and lesbians in mainstream society.
Our bewigged history and birth as a nation, the pivotal events of which took place in Philadelphia, may seem boring to some, but it's enlivened by a queer context. With same-sex marriage bans being lifted in many states, including Pennsylvania, why not share some travel tips about our nation's historically political birthplace? Philadelphia's current scene is gay and friendly, without the occasional attitude of its larger neighbor, New York City.