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Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation
Welcome to Gay and Lesbian Philadelphia
Philadelphia continues to come out as one of the nation’s top gay-friendly travel destinations. The region has become the place to learn about America’s past by day and to experience a little of the party life by night. Here, visitors will find all the ingredients for a fabulous visit: a hot restaurant scene, great shopping and rich cultural attractions and historic sites, as well as lively bars, clubs in a nine-block “Gayborhood,” where the street signs are marked with rainbow flags.
Planning a Meeting
The City of Brotherly Love (and Sisterly Affection) welcomes the GLBT community for conventions & meetings.
Also, Philadelphia features state-of-the-art meeting facilities, an expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center opening in 2011, and award-winning customer service from the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau.
If you are interested in having your meeting in Philadelphia, contact:
Marion Joy, CMP
National Sales Manager
E-mail: marionj@pcvb.org
Phone: 215/636-3318
Fax: 215/636-9497
Our world-class sales team is ready to help! From finding the perfect facility for your event to sending out leads to hotels to help designate your room block - we are here for you.
Click here for hotel map of Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Easy Access
Arts, Culture and History:
History buffs, art aficionados and culture mavens, be warned: The Philadelphia region is a cultural paradise. Famous for its preeminent role in the founding of the country, the city is the ultimate history classroom. Within the recently redeveloped Independence National Historical Park stands Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed and the U.S. Constitution was ratified. Independence Hall was also the site of some of the nation’s first gay rights demonstrations, held here for four years beginning in 1965. An official state historic marker––the first in the nation to mark a GLBT historical event––commemorates the landmark protests.
Just across the street is the Liberty Bell Center, which provides a more contemplative experience than ever before for this venerable symbol of freedom. Anchoring the northern end of Independence Mall is the National Constitution Center, a major museum celebrating the U.S. Constitution, including its impact on the rights of gays and lesbians.
For art lovers, there’s no better place to begin than the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where an impressive array of Renaissance, American, Impressionist and modern art lives. The museum’s recently unveiled Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building offers a stunning, new home for its costume, textile, contemporary design and photography collections. Nearby is the Rodin Museum, home to the largest collection of Rodin sculptures outside of France. The Philadelphia Art Alliance on Rittenhouse Square frequently showcases gay and contemporary artists, while the Rosenbach Museum and Library houses the original manuscripts of James Joyce’s Ulysses and Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, as well as letters between lesbian writer Mercedes de Acosta and Hollywood legend Greta Garbo.
Cultural experiences can extend well into the evening along the Avenue of the Arts, where exciting performances range from opera to world music and from Broadway to local theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Academy of Music, Wilma Theater, Prince Music Theater, Suzanne Roberts Theatre and other venues.
Restaurants:
While in town, a soft pretzel with mustard and a famous Philly cheesesteak are musts, but visitors should realize that there is a vast world of culinary options beyond Philly’s favorite comfort foods. In Washington Square West, affectionately known as Wash West, Knock features an American menu with global touches and a lively bar scene; Mixto serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner Latino-style; More Than Just Ice Cream lives up to its name with yummy burgers, salads and sandwiches; lesbian-owned, bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) establishment Lolita wows crowds with its nuevo Mexican focus; Bindhi spices the palate with a new twist on Indian; Raw presents sushi in an uber stylish setting; Valanni tempts the taste buds with creative Mediterranean fare; and its sister restaurant Mercato provides a market-driven take on Italian cuisine. For lighter fare, two wine bars, Tria and Vintage pair unusual wines by the bottle or glass with artisanal cheese plates, salads, pressed sandwiches and other snacks. The star of the city’s dining scene is restaurateur Stephen Starr, owner of 12 trendy eateries. Options among his empire include the Mexican El Vez; the comfort food of Jones; the pan Asian Buddakan; French bistro Parc; and the dramatic, Havana-inspired Alma de Cuba.
Nightlife:
Most of the city’s gay and lesbian bars and clubs are conveniently located in the “Gayborhood,” which runs from 10th to Broad Streets and from Chestnut to Pine Streets. Best known are the always-packed Woody’s, which has several bars and a pulsating dance floor; Tavern on Camac, which offers a fine-dining restaurant, piano bar and disco lounge; Pure, an after-hours club where the dancing continues well after 2:00 a.m.; Bump, a luxe-lounge and restaurant; and Sisters, a bar-restaurant-dance club mostly for women. New to the scene is Stir, which attracts an eclectic mix of gay men and women.
Shops:
Wash West fittingly offers a shopper’s paradise known as Midtown Village, featuring boutiques for men and women, handmade soaps and bath products at Open House, housewares, furniture, and mouthwatering gelato. There is plenty more shopping abound, with traditional outlets on Antique Row to a new generation of stores selling more contemporary items along the same stretch. Also in the neighborhood is the 30-year-old Giovanni’s Room, one of the nation’s oldest gay and lesbian bookstores. Best of all, there’s no sales tax on clothing in Pennsylvania.
2010 Events:
Mr. Gay Philadelphia 2010 - Saturday, April 17
Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St. James St.
215/735-5772
On Saturday, April 17th, Logo and The Big Gay Sketch Show will present the 4th Annual Mr. Gay Philadelphia contest at Voyeur Nightclub.
Philadelphia Black Gay Pride Week - Sunday, April 18 – Friday, April 24
877/497-PBGP
Philadelphia Black Gay Pride, Inc. (PBGP) was organized in August of 1999 to promote unity among African Americans and people of African decent who are sexual and gender minorities. The organization is committed to producing an annual celebration of "Black Pride," as well as organizing a variety of activities throughout the year in Philadelphia that promote and advocate for the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual health and well being of all related communities. Highlights for this year’s event include Mr. & Miss PBGP, Bowling with Pride, the 11th Annual Official Opening Reception, Educational Workshops, the Legends Awards Ball, Speed Dating and many youth-focused activities.
Equality Forum - Monday, April 26 - Sunday, May 2
215/732-3378
This is the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender summit with over 45 programs, parties and special events. Featured programs include Brian Sanders Dance Tribute on April 30 at the Merriam Theater, International Equality Dinner on May 1 at the National Constitution Center, SundayOUT! at The Piazza on May 2, and the 11th Annual Gay and Lesbian Art Exhibit throughout the week at the University of the Arts.
The Liberty Bell Classic - Saturday, May 29 – Sunday, May 30
belkotim@temple.edu
The Liberty Bell Classic, Philadelphia’s largest LGBT sporting event, hosts a weekend of softball competitions at Stauffer and Metropolitan Fields in Deptford, New Jersey, along with a block party on Camac Street (between Locust and Spruce) and a closing celebration at lesbian nightclub Sisters.
22nd Annual Philly Pride Parade & Festival - Sunday, June 13
215/875-9288
The first official Pride Parade was organized in an impromptu fashion at the end of the 1980s and was intended to coincide with rally planned by the Lesbian and Gay Task Force at Love Park. It was so successful that community members met and started an organization (Lesbian & Gay Pride of the Delaware Valley, Inc.) whose goal was to produce a parade and festival at Penn's Landing each year to continue the community outreach and visibility that was achieved with that one rally. That organization evolved into what we know today as Philly Pride Presents. And that first rally grew into the largest celebration of LGBT pride in the region, now attracting over 25,000 people each year.
PECO Pops @ The Mann: Wickedly Bewitching with Idina Menzel and The Philadelphia Orchestra - Thursday, June 24th at 8:00 PM
Visit www.manncenter.org for details.
OutFest 2010 - Sunday, October 10
215/ 875-9288
This is the largest national coming out event in the world.
United States National Mr. Gay Competition - Saturday, November 13
Voyeur Nightclub
215/735-5772
Mr. Gay United States brings together contestants representing the nation’s most prestigious cities, a wide variety of celebrity judges, performers, and hosts, as well as spectators from all around the country. The winner of this competition will go on to compete as the U.S. Delegate in the International Mr. Gay (IMG) Competition Grand Finale. This marks the first time that the United States National Mr. Gay Competition will take place on the east coast.
Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus
The Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus possesses a desire to position Philadelphia and the Countryside into a top destination by gay and lesbian travelers. Open to anyone, both gay and straight, the primary purpose of the Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus is to bring together a group of people who are willing to share resources to collaborate on promoting Philadelphia as a gay-friendly destination. Learn more about the Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus by clicking here.
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