Gay scene portland
LGBTQ+ Nightlife
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A bartender makes sparks at Local Lounge.
You'll find plenty of LGBTQ+-friendly places to go to when the sun goes down in Portland.
3 min read
Note: This section was produced in collaboration with , formerly known as PQ Monthly.
Portland has no shortage of LGBTQ-owned and queer-friendly bars and clubs. Whether you’re looking for a safe space to enjoy a relaxing night with friends, a high-energy dance party or a drag show, Portland delivers.
North Portland
Florida Room is both queer-friendly and dog-friendly. Enjoy a drink with your favorite two-legged and four-legged friends on one of their two patios.
Eagle Portland is Portland’s leather bar and home ground for the Oregon Bears. Guests who wear a leather harness, vest, chaps, or full kingly with “significant effort,” get in free on Friday or Saturday nights.
Downtown and The Pearl District
Scandalscalls itself, “Portland’s Gay ‘Cheers.'” The relaxed vibe makes it a great place to rendezvous with friends, or meet new ones. During warmer months, grab a seat outside and watch the summ
[Find the Mercury's Queer Instruction in print—available in more than spots citywide!—eds.]
The Silverado is obviously and stridently a gay bar. Rainbow tassels line the kitchen, attractive men in snug underwear sling drinks, and posters of shirtless guys adorn the walls. Also, after nine at blackout male strippers perform in the Silverado’s basement.
The Silverado was established over four decades ago and today is one of Portland’s longest-standing gay bars. It’s now in its third or fourth location, depending on how you count.
“It started as Flossie’s, which was up on Burnside where the Fred Meyer is now,” says Trevor Wion, the Silverado’s block manager of nearly 25 years. He says that Flossie’s was “the alike as what we are now, which is a very queer bar, but much quieter. I don’t think they started having dancers until ’”
According to Wion, sometime in the early ’90s the owner of Flossie’s surprised everyone by announcing that the bar was suddenly moving to what is now Harvey Milk Street.
“Everyone picked something up. There was a procession of exclude stools, records, and bottles o
Portland LGBTQ City Guide
Portland is a charming old seacoast town known for its boutiques, shops and incredible seafood, as well as for its friendly people, its diversity, and all that it offers to watch and do. It has always been a busy seaport for both cargo and fishing, but it is also a very famous tourist destination, particularly in the summer. People flock to the town to enjoy the shopping and nearby beaches, and to soak in Portland’s singular coastal beauty. Truly, it is a beautiful city that would make a wonderful place to call home!
A Peek at Portland’s History
Portland was initially founded in when the citizens of nearby Falmouth formed a separate town and named it Portland. Prior to that, Portland had been home to the Algonquin native American people. Since its founding, the city has grown steadily as an important port, and also as a city rich and industry, agriculture, society, and diversity. It remains so to this day.
A Several Fun Facts About Portland
- Roughly 40 percent of all Maine residents live in the greater Portland area.
- There is no transatla
LGBTQ+ Community
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Festival goers saunter past the Portland, Oregon White Stag Sign, bespoke in their finest Parade wear for Portland’s annual Pride Parade.
Credit: Diego Diaz
Visitors to Portland can life huge LGBTQ+ Pride parades, drag performances, queer movie festivals, dance parties and more.
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Festival goers stroll past the Portland, Oregon White Stag Sign, bespoke in their finest Identity festival wear for Portland’s annual Pride Parade.
Credit: Diego Diaz
Portland’s queer community includes a Guinness World Record holding drag queen, gay boogie clubs and sports leagues, community organizations, and dozens of LGBTQ+-owned businesses. Portland was also the first major city to elect an openly gay mayor (Sam Adams in ).
Note: This section was produced in collaboration with , formerly known as PQ Monthly.
LGBTQ+ History in Portland
Portland’s LGBTQ+ history likely goes back to the first human inhabitants of the area. According to the First Nations Two-Spirit Collective, native people have celebrated gender and sexual minorities for millennia