Happy Pride month! One of my favorite months since the vibe around the city just becomes so upbeat and loving. The love is louder, the outfits are extravagant, and of course the Gayborhood is active. To celebrate the start of Pride, I thought I would put together a list of local queer spaces located in the city of Brotherly love! So for Pride this year, let’s put the love back into the Philly queer community instead of fueling rainbow capitalism for companies that genuinely don’t care about you. (Target…Little miss get rid of DEI but still selling Pride merch). I’ve been to a couple of these places with friends but I’ve also asked them what spaces I should include, so the list will be a mix of bars, shops, and activities to celebrate not just the queer community but to promote local shops!

activities (Outdoor)

• Stonewall Sports is a queer sports organization and a couple of my friends had recently participated in their pool league this past spring and had such a blast doing it! They have any type of sport during any season if you have a particular interest. There is a different fee for each of the sports but equipment, shirts, post-game festivities, and more are included. The sports usually last around seven weeks with a recurring weekly meeting at a specific time. The pool league operated at Lucky Strike where they have a sponsorship with them and are able to reserve several of the pool tables. During the recurring meeting time, teams would go head to head to finally compete in the playoffs near the end of the season.
• This next activity is one you’ll have to keep an eye out for, if you have favorite gay bar, sign up for their mailing lists or follow their social media accounts. My friend and I actually went to a couple of outdoor events where they had barbecuing, dancing, photo ops and discounted drinks. The two we went to was Frankie & Bradley’s (which really turned out to be busted and boring) but we did go to U-Bar where it was bustling with people and had $3 hot dogs. The weekend was a bit rainy and dreary so I won’t speak to harshly, but it was fun to have the best of both worlds at a bar and being outside.
• This last one involves more socialization and can be a mix of indoor and outdoor activity. But! The company gears towards more woman-identifying communities! Which can be kind of tough to find naturally in Philly. Sip City is a a company that creates fun events at different places all across Philly, I’ve been to a few with a friend and the people their are really nice and love to socialize so you won’t feel so lonely if you go by yourself! And I swear everyone had such fantastic outfits so it was easy to go up and start a conversation! The last one I went to had a hot and cold them at the Garage Bar in south Philly, and I’m a total sucker for themes so I was excited to go all out!

Bars

• So this bar used to be called Tabu but once it caught a lot of heat for some controversial choices, we believe they decided to go down the path of rebranding. My friends and I frequent here since they got rid of their cover and their pool tables became free, but they are now rebranded to 254. They host a lot of different events depending on the day of the week. Tuesday they hold a Bingo night, I’ve never been but it’s always on the first floor and has prizes that you can win! I know Wednesdays they do burlesque performances with some dancers I know who are super talented and have such a unique and eye catching stage presence. The same day on the first floor though, they hold trivia night which is very popular in the city so if you’re looking to support the gays, switch up your usual trivia spot. On Fridays they host a Ru Pauls Drag Race watch party where they have the show playing on the first and third floor rooftop area. It get’s really busy those nights and the crowd is very lively while watching. Of course, the best for last, they also have Drag performances running all week with local legends and up and coming queens. They are incredible talented and nice people to spend the night kiking with.
• Frankie & Bradley’s is popular amongst everyone in Philly, since they have the classic multi-floor with different types of rooms for every character in Philly. They do usually have a cash-only cover ranging from $10-$20 depending on the night and if any events are going on. I can only ever remember the first floors usually being your typical pub bar in the center of the room type of beat. But everything else upstairs is the cluby vibe, loud music and all the room for dancing.

Shops

• So this was one recommendation thrown in by a close friend who’s attend these classes. To start, Loop is a yarn shop located on 19th and South that holds knitting groups and stated by my friend, “is so queer and fun”. You can find more information about all the different classes they offer on the website that is attached. You can also find their social media do see if they have further knitting circles!
• Giovannis Room is a secondhand bookstore that has queer literature and memorabilia. I’ve written about Giovannis Room and is honestly such a go to spot for a good gift for the little avid readers in my life. They also have clothes and other secondhand knickknacks if you need something for the goblin collector in your life (I’m a goblin collector).
• Now, it’s been a long day checking out the clubs and doing sports so why don’t we sit down and eat for a bit? Knock is a popular gay restaurant in the Gayborhood and is known for their delicious fries with a homemade side of aioli. They also seem to have events such as trivia and poker if you’re looking for an activity rather than eating. It’s both a bar and restaurant so if you’re looking for a quick pit stop or an hour to rest your legs, this is you place!
• So this is more of a company, Safran Turney Hospitality which has been written about numerous times when talking about up and coming restaurants in the Gayborhood. But they are also the geniuses behind Bud & Marilyns which is one of the most iconic and loved restaurants in the area. But they have also done Little Nonna’s, Barbuzzo (which I’ve been to and definitely became a top 5 for me.), and Darling Jack’s Tavern (which I’ve also heard really great things about). The company is more than just a group of delicious restaurants but it is also run by a queer couple, Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran. The couple had originally started as a chef and waiter and the magic grew from there. Check out some of their interviews here and here!

Thank you so much for reading! Have a wonderful day!