Gay Ohio
2/15/2010 | Peter Chakerian
Over the past decade, Ohio quietly has become one of the most gay-friendly states in the nation. Cleveland recently was awarded the 2014 Gay Games, an international, Olympic-style sports competition for gay athletes. Columbus's refreshing mix of city living and trendy nightlife earned that burg a Top 10 spot on Out magazine's most LGBT-friendly cities, while The Advocate called it the “gay mecca of Ohio.” Even ever-conservative Cincinnati managed to repeal the controversial Article XII while simultaneously overhauling its Pride festivities, giving new meaning to the moniker Queen City.
Pride Festivals and Parades
From early June to late July, the fun known simply as “Pride” guides the LGBT social calendar. Pride season kicks off in June with the
Youngstown Pride Parade, which had its coming-out party in 2009. The three-day bash includes an LGBT film festival, Oscar Party-inspired celebrations, and the all-important parade. Hot on the 5-inch heels of Youngstown Pride is
Cleveland Pride, one of the longest running Pride events in the country at 20-plus years. Kicking off with a wild parade to Voinovich Park, the day's events include musicians, entertainers, rallies, and a raucous beer garden that fronts Lake Erie.
Columbus Pride Parade may not be the first of the season's crop, but it is most certainly the largest. This LGBT calendar anchor kicks off with a pre-parade rally on the Ohio Statehouse lawn. At the main event, entertainers perform on the festival’s “Gayzebo” stage. Rounding out the Ohio Pride season in early July is
Equinox Cincinnati. Equinox blends arts, culture and street festival flair, while presenting the Equinox Ball—a sizzling, club-styled dance party—as its marquee event. Ohio's Pride fests avoid overlap, allowing interested parties to party at them all.
Cultural AnthropoLGBT
Ohio has a diverse range of LGBT events outside of Pride. The cream of this crop may well be
Cleveland Leather Awareness Week, a.k.a. CLAW. This multi-day, multi-venue event serves as fundraiser for several charities, drawing thousands from near and far each spring. CLAW takes place annually at the Wyndham Playhouse Square and at bars across the city. Events include live concerts, a juried BDSM art show (one of the country’s few), and the largest leather vendor show in Ohio. It's all capped off with – what else? – a fabulous Sunday brunch.
Spring is the brightest time of year for the
Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus, one of the Midwest’s premier gay vocal groups. It is then that they host a trio of saucy events, including “Vox on the Red Carpet” (a Grammy-, Tony- and Academy Award-winning musical gala), and the high-rolling “A Night in Vegas” concert, featuring the Columbus Jazz Orchestra. In Cleveland, Twist Social Club’s
"Dancing in the Streets," held yearly in late August, is a great way to wind down summer. This slamming outdoor block/dance party combines good times with good deeds, namely raising funds for Cleveland’s AIDS Task Force.
Saunas and Bathhouses
As a means of gay socializing, saunas and bathhouses have been the bee’s knees since the mid-15th Century. But that doesn’t mean the pastime has been stuck in the past.
Flex Baths, located in Columbus and Cleveland, among other cities, set the gold standard for the genre. Considered the chicest and best-equipped in the state, the Cleveland location is situated in a converted art deco Greyhound station. Both Flex locations feature a lavish pool, roomy steam room, four-star fitness club, and overnight accommodations.
Not to be outdone,
The Clubs chain of bathhouses – with locales in Cleveland and Columbus – is a members-only club with all the amenities a guy could crave. Facilities include a full gym, whirlpool, steam room, sauna and outdoor swimming pool. Located in the shadow of the Goodyear clock tower, the
Akron Steam & Sauna is a bit more low-key than its big-city brethren.
I Love the Nightlife...
Yes, there is gay nightlife in pinstriped Cincinnati. A perfect example of that fact is on display at
Adonis. Crowned "Best Damn Gay Bar" by
Cincinnati magazine, this upscale club attracts crowds from all over thanks to top-notch service and entertainment. Located in the heart of Dayton’s “Fruit Loop” district,
Club Aquarius is also considered a southern Ohio gem. Hosting a full lineup of entertainment, including raucous drag shows, twice-weekly karaoke nights, and dance parties, this free-pouring establishment is a must-stop on the Dayton gay scene.
Far more flamboyant, Cleveland's
Bounce is a full-on entertainment complex boasting a café, cabaret and dance club. Visitors to this one-stop fun shop can kick off the evening with dinner, take in a campy drag show, then move on to the haze-filled club for late-night dancing. Folks who enjoy a more low-key hangout will doubtless enjoy
Havana, located in the heart of the Short North district in Columbus.
Here Comes the Gayborhood
If Columbus truly is Ohio’s “gay mecca,” then the
Short North is definitely its cultural epicenter. Sandwiched between downtown and the Ohio State University, this walkable arts, dining and entertainment district attracts an eclectic stream of fun seekers. During the neighborhood's monthly gallery hops, the area's three dozen galleries stay open late, making it easy to combine dinner, drinks and fine arts shopping. Revelers, not surprisingly, jam the streets. Add the architectural interest of 1920s-era row homes, myriad bars, lounges and saloons, and upscale boutiques, and you've got a stimulating night – or weekend – on the town.
Often referred to as the East Village of Cincinnati,
Northside is packed shoulder to shoulder with funky, eclectic shops, eateries and clubs. Contemporary American bistros, outsider art galleries, and casual, down-to-earth taverns and clubs make this neighborhood a popular destination. Equally, Cleveland’s
Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood is fast becoming that city's most talked about district. Collectively called Gordon Square, the area around W. 65th Street and Detroit Avenue bustles night and day thanks to an independent cinema, venerable public theater, and scores of new independent bars and restaurants.