No matter your age, interests or budget, you’ll find something fun to do in St. Louis this weekend.
The Gateway City has a vibrant LGBTQIA+ community, which encourages people to live their authentic lives.
Colorful, trendy, diverse and inclusive, The Grove neighborhood should be your first stop if you want to connect with the local LGBTQIA+ community. Queer-friendly establishments with exuberant crowds include HandleBar, Just John, Prism and Rehab Bar & Grill, where there’s no pressure to be anyone but yourself.
Tropical Liqueurs is also a wonderful place to gather in The Grove. Featuring tropical décor, exposed brick and natural light, the bar serves frozen cocktails and street tacos until 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Billy Thompson, owner of Tropical Liqueurs, prides himself on having an inclusive space. “At Tropical Liqueurs, members of different communities can come together and have a good time,” he says. “There’s always a diverse group of people enjoying drinks and playing games throughout the space.”
On South Broadway, Bar:PM is a popular spot, and a lot of people in the LGBTQIA+ community live near South Grand Boulevard, which boasts the most diverse collection of restaurants in St. Louis – and that’s not an overstatement.
At City Foundry STL, you’ll find Golden Gems, a St. Louis-based lifestyle brand for girls, gays and theys, which inspires customers to live unapologetically. Sisters Amanda Helman and Susan Logsdon believe that there’s a badass inside of everyone, and they say as much with mantras that decorate everything from keychains to notebooks and banners to mugs.
“The phrases on our products are messages that we need to hear,” Logsdon explains. “They might be messages that we didn’t hear as girls, or they might be messages that we recite as women. Our products remind you to take up space and live life on your own terms.”
Helman and Logsdon also own and operate Hidden Gems, a disco dive bar on Locust Street. In a pretty pink booth, under 300 disco balls, guests can sip craft cocktails and enjoy over-the-top events – think karaoke, themed trivia, drag bingo, dance parties and DJ nights. The sisters draw a lot of inspiration from traditional tattoos, so they’ve even brought tattoo artists to events where they were surprised to see so many guests get their first ink.
“It might be your first tattoo or your first drag show – it doesn’t matter,” Logsdon says. “Golden Gems and Hidden Gems make these experiences accessible and inclusive. You’re never going to feel out of place here.”
Looking for a real party? Plan your trip around PrideFest, one of St. Louis’ signature events.
Spotlighting the diverse and dynamic LGBTQIA+ community and bringing awareness and support to the historically marginalized group, PrideFest takes place at the end of June to coincide with the Stonewall Riots, which occurred in New York City on June 28, 1969, in response to a police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village. The historic uprising served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the U.S.
The spirited celebrations surrounding PrideFest culminate in the Grand Pride Parade, which features hundreds of floats and draws thousands of revelers.
“Everyone is welcome at PrideFest,” Jordan Braxton, an educator and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights and the parade director, says. “The queer community is very inclusive, so we welcome people in the community as well as allies. PrideFest is an opportunity for everyone to get together to celebrate our uniqueness; it’s a time when we can celebrate, support and uplift each other.”
PrideFest has been spreading love, joy and pops of color across St. Louis since 1980. It continues to grow, reinforcing its mission to foster an understanding and a tolerance of the LGBTQIA+ community by raising awareness through educational programs and events leading up to the annual PrideFest in St. Louis.
The fun doesn’t stop there! The one-of-a-kind Tower Grove Park also holds a community-powered independent Pride festival every year. Featuring people and pets, entertainers and vendors – plus, a parade that promises to be a euphoric experience – Tower Grove Pride supports and promotes social justice for every disadvantaged, undervalued and oppressed community.
For more information about the LGBTQIA+ community in St. Louis, visit the Pride St. Louis website.
