Show Your Pride in Center City

1. Enjoy Dinner at a Local Restaurant

Center City’s food scene is the best it’s ever been with a diverse selection of eateries offering everything from brunch and burgers to fine dining and home-cooked classics. That vibrancy is thanks in part to trailblazing LGBTQ+ restaurateurs, like Safran Turney Hospitality and many more. Highlights include:

Barbuzzo, 110 South 13th Street
Cockatoo, 208 S. 13th Street
Knock Restaurant & Bar, 225 South 12th Street
Little Nonna’s, 1234 Locust Street
Mission Taqueria, 1516 Sansom Street, 2nd floor
Oyster House, 1516 Sansom Street
Winkel, 1119 Locust Street

2. Attend a Drag Show

Join some of Philly’s most fabulous queens for drag events across Center City! Upcoming shows include:

Saturdays, June 1-June 29: Drag Brunch at Cockatoo, 208 S. 13th Street
Wednesdays, June 5-June 26: Andrew Lamour’s Drag Bingo at Level Up Bar & Lounge, 1330 Walnut Street
Friday, June 7: “It’s Not Personal, It’s Drag” at the Red Rum Theater, 601 Walnut Street
Saturday, June 29: A Lana Del Rey Drag Brunch at Top Tomato Bar & Pizza, 116 S. 11th Street

Photo provided by Aversa PR.

4. Toast to Good Cheer

Philadelphia's Midtown Village — also known as the Gayborhood — and surrounding areas are home to some of the most recognizable LBGTQ+ bars and clubs in the city. These landmarks are regular stops for both community members and allies, creating an inclusive and exciting atmosphere for all. Highlights include:

Bike Stop, 206 Quince Street
Franky Bradley’s, 1320 Chancellor Street
Stir Lounge, 1705 Chancellor Street
Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar, 254 South 12th Street
UBar, 1220 Locust Street
Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St James Street
Woody’s, 202 South 13th Street

Photo Credit: ©VISIT PHILADELPHIA®.

5. Support a Local Artist

Artist, director and performer John Jarboe’s (she/her) latest exhibition, The Rose Garden, allows visitors to “weave their way through a multi-room domestic environment reimagining [her] gender journey.” Devoted to and inspired by her “consumed twin,” the fully immersive space features video sculptures, short films and a maze that culminates into a space “made by and for trans and queer communities.” Guests can visit the exhibition through September 29, 2024 at the Fabric Workshop and Museum.

Dates: Daily, though September 29, 2024
Location: The Fabric Workshop & Museum, 1214 Arch Street

Photo Credit: Christopher Ash / The Fabric Workshop and Museum

6. Attend the Philadelphia Pride March and Festival

On Sunday, June 2, the 2024 Pride March and Festival will “celebrate joy, community spaces and how far we’ve come with this year’s theme: ‘Be You’”. The event will commence with a morning march and unfurling of a 400-foot-long rainbow flag. Immediately following the march, the Pride Festival will begin in Midtown Village with a celebration including local artists, entertainers, food trucks, vendors and more.

Date: Sunday, June 2, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Location: Beginning at 6th and Walnut streets and ending in Midtown Village

Photo Credit: Cody Aldrich Photography

7. Mix Up Some Magic

Midtown Village’s most mesmerizing bar, The Cauldron, has debuted a truly enchanting lineup of specialty cocktails in celebration of Pride Month. Their “Mixed with Pride” collection features craft cocktails submitted by queer members of their sister bars across the globe. Additionally, a brand-new interactive experience will allow guests to brew their own “potions,” featuring fairy dust, elixirs and a bit of magic.

Dates: Daily, through June 30
Locations: The Cauldron, 1305 Locust Street

8. Donate to a Worthy Cause

The Attic Youth Center, originally known as The Attic Youth Group, was founded in 1993 as an after-school support group for LGBTQ youth. In 1999, The Attic became incorporated as an independent nonprofit organization, and today is one of the largest community centers in the country “committed exclusively to serving LGBTQ youth and allies.” This June, in honor of Pride Month, consider donating directly to The Attic to assist with crucial services, resources and programming at atticyouthcenter.org.

Location: The Attic Youth Center, 255 South 16th Street.

Photo provided by The Attic Youth Center.

10. Shop Small, Shop Local

Saturday, June 22 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., the Hyatt Centric Philadelphia in Rittenhouse will host its third annual Pride Month Maker’s Market, a local artisan market designed to highlight a mix of the city’s talented queer-owned and operated small businesses and artists.  In addition to craft vendors, attendees can book sessions with sought-after photographers Inner Light Aura, and enjoy PAYG bites and cocktails from the adjacent Patchwork Restaurant & Bar. To learn more, visit @hyattcentricphiladelphia on Instagram.

Date: Saturday, June 22, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Location: Hyatt Centric Philadelphia, 1620 Chancellor Street

Show Your Pride in Center City

Our top picks for LGBTQ+ restaurants, retailers and special events throughout the Center City District