Grindr marks the return of queer clubbing with a series of fabulous Pride parties and events

Akbar
Akbar

After 15 months of lockdowns and restrictions, things are slowly beginning to ease back to something resembling pre-pandemic life.

This includes LGBTQ clubbing and nightlife. Across most states, bars and clubs are being allowed to throw open their doors again. This fact is being celebrated by the dating app Grindr.

After providing an essential service in helping people to remain digitally connected with others over the past 15 months, Grindr is reaffirming its commitment to supporting queer nightlife in the real world and helping people to connect in real life.

Pride: The Comeback is Grindr’s celebration of iconic queer spaces and performers impacted by the pandemic.

For one night, in ten different cities, Grindr will be hosting ten safely executed parties to mark the return of LGBTQ spaces during Pride month. Grindr covering performer fees so bars can hire their local talent, and be showering people with plenty of Grindr giveaways and merch.

Admission will be free, with Grindr users in respective cities being notified. With free admission and drinks flowing, we’re safely predicting that these events are going to be busy.

The cities with events are listed below and can also be found here: www.grindr.com/pride

  • Atlanta at Joe’s on Juniper
  • Austin at Oilcan Harry’s
  • Chicago at Sidetrack
  • Denver at Denver Sweet
  • Los Angeles at Akbar
  • Fort Lauderdale / Miami at LeBoy
  • New York at Metropolitan
  • Philadelphia at Tavern on Camac
  • Portland at Stag
  • San Francisco at Powerhouse
Photo by Fred Rowe; Powerhouse bar SF
Photo by Fred Rowe; Powerhouse bar SF

This is not the first time Grindr has stepped up to support LGBTQ nightlife. Earlier this year it teamed up with GoFundMe and GayCities for the ‘Save Our Spaces’ campaign. This raised money for 50 different LGBTQ bars facing challenges because of Covid-19, including iconic venues like Julius in NYC and This Is It in Milwaukee, to women’s spaces like Wild Rose in Seattle and Wild Side West in San Francisco. That fund now stands close to its $50,000 target – you can donate here)

Grindr Pride: The Comeback is a continuation of those efforts. And there’s more.

For those not quite ready to get back to in-person events, Grindr will also again be hosting a virtual Global Black Gay Pride in collaboration with Global Black Pride, GBGMC, and Black LGBTQI. This event will take place on Friday, June 18, and will be accessible on Grindr’s YouTube channel and via the Grindr app.

Grindr helped to host the first-ever digital, Global Black Pride in 2020, and this will be its second year supporting the event, which aims to bring together “Black LGBTQI communities across all continents to celebrate their culture, diversity and provide a space for activists and community-based organizations across the globe to engage and reflect.”

This year’s event will build on the success of last year’s. Just last week, organizers confirmed that President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will be among the speakers to look out for.

“Queer nightlife spaces have always played such an important role in our community, and we want to help them come back from the pandemic stronger than ever,” said Alex Black, Grindr’s director of marketing. “Being able to celebrate and help preserve these spaces while also treating our users to a night out after a difficult year is something we’re really excited about.”

We’ll drink to that!

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