The East Coast city of Philadelphia is one of America’s most LGBTQ-friendly cities and in 1965, four years before the Stonewall Riots in New York ignited the worldwide modern gay rights movement, a group of protesters marched in front of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall to hold America’s first major LGBTQ rights demonstration. Now, the city proudly welcomes travellers to its aptly-named Gayborhood in Center City’s hip Washington Square District, where rainbow-clad crosswalks and street signs have adorned the streets since 2007.
Philadelphia’s Outfest will this year celebrate the city’s LGBTQ history and community with a free street party stretching across approximately 10 square blocks of the Gayborhood. The vibrant festival will consist of energetic drag shows, games, music and bar crawls, and include over 120 vendors plus a food court at the intersection of 12th and Spruce Streets. The festival’s main stage will host live entertainment throughout the day, including high heel races and DJ sets.
After joining the celebrations at Outfest, LGBTQ travellers can visit historic and significant sites in Philadelphia, including Philly AIDS Thrift at Giovanni’s Room, which donates its proceeds to local organisations involved in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The city is also home to Barbara Gittings Gay & Lesbian Collection, which is the largest dedicated LGBTQ public library collection east of the San Francisco Library.
Outfest is free to attend and will take place from 12 midday until 6pm on 7th October 2018.
