Gay bars in twin cities
In the Twin Cities and around the country, gay bars are dying.
But—and notice us out here—maybe that’s not entirely a bad thing?
In his new novel Long Live Homosexual Nightlife: How the Closing of Lgbtq+ Bars Sparked a Revolution, sociologist Amin Ghaziani argues that the decline of the gay block has been the start of a renaissance, ushering in an era of pop-up parties and dance nights that offer an encounter that’s more steady, more inclusive, and more interesting than the brick-and-mortar bars that predated them. Greggor Mattson, in his 2023 novel Who Needs Same-sex attracted Bars?, makes a similar case, asking for whom these bars exist and exploring whether they’re actually disappearing so much as evolving.
In many communities, and the Twin Cities is certainly one of them, you can get a sense for what that evolution looks like. Minneapolis and St. Paul are home to an ever-changing underground network of queer identity and events; ad hoc dance parties and alternative club nights like The Klituation, GRRRL Scout, Daddy Issues, and Cyber City Disco are as reliably fun and, in many circles, as popular as the cities’ gay bars. You might not have a queer bar on your street, but pursue a few Instag
The Pride Behind Pride
It’s the year 2020. Pride is cancelled. This is very hard to tell out loud. It feels love saying we’re cancelling joy and progress. Of course, the cancelling of Pride—the festival, the procession, the week when tens of thousands of far-flung LGBTQ peeps come streaming home—represents an do of love to keep people healthy.
But its absence presents us with an opportunity to consider all the profound and important local LGBTQ landmarks that built Pride—and often disappeared. Living in a city is complicated. Each of us lives in a different Twin Cities: We share the Foshay Tower and the Mississippi, but we go home to different bars and bedrooms.
LGBTQ cultures have, historically, needed to cover their bars and bedrooms for fear of eviction, firing, imprisonment, or worse. As Ricardo J. Brown put it in his St. Paul memoir, The Evening Crowd at Kirmser’s—one of the best mid-20th century looks at American gay experience—the LGBTQ experience was “a ruse that kept all of us safe,” conducted in “a fort in the midst of a savage and hostile population.”
Hiding in forts was useful, important, necessary. But what was long veiled is easy to
A rainbow phoenix risen from the ashes: The historic 19 Bar is help for Twin Cities Pride
A portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II hangs on a help wall of the historic 19 Lock in Minneapolis’ Loring Park neighborhood. It’s one of the signature items that survived a flame in March of last year that left the lock shuttered for 11 months.
In the days following the blaze, longtime patrons of the dive block at W 15th and Oak Grove St. were relieved to learn the queen survived, owner Craig Wilson joked. She hangs in the bar as a marker of time. Elizabeth II was crowned a year after the bar opened — 1953 — sixteen years before the June 28, 1969, Stonewall riots, a turning point for the gay rights movement in the U.S. and the reason Pride month is June.
It’s key to remember history and how far things have approach, Wilson told MinnPost while offering a tour of the reopened space the week before the Twin Cities Lgbtq+ fest Festival opens in Loring Park from June 28 to June 29. Walking through the bar’s patio, he pointed to two Self-acceptance flags hung side-by-side, one old, ragged and straight-striped rainbow throughout, the other an updated Self-acceptance flag, crisp and new.
Lex's Guide to Queer Minneapolis Nightlife | LGBTQ+ Bars
Explore queer nightlife in Minneapolis with this city guide! We’re compiling lists of queer bars and parties in major cities so you don’t have to 💅
Minneapolis has developed into a queer hub in the midwest, featuring pleasurable LGBTQ+ clubs like Stonewall Sports and more. The LGBTQ+ nightlife scene is small but mighty, featuring friendly bars and joy dance parties so you can mix and mingle with local queer friends, whether you’re a local or just visiting. Let’s get into our list!
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1. The Saloon
One of the largest LGBTQ+ bars in the Midwest, The Saloon proposals multiple levels of amusement, from dance floors and drag shows to pool tables and patio seating. With its vibrant atmosphere and diverse crowd, The Saloon is a must-visit for anyone exploring Minneapolis' LGBTQ+ nightlife or looking for a fun darkness out during Pride.
The Saloon
830 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55403
2. LUSH
Known for its packed events schedule, LUSH proposals drag shows, dance nights, drag brunch, and themed parties throughout the week. Enjoy some classic block fare or a pleasant cocktail whi