Gay bar roanoke

By Contributor Bonnie Chavez – CEO, Building Beloved Communities

I’ve create Roanoke to be a welcoming group, and the folks are lovely here.

-Bonnie Chavez

As a transplant from Albuquerque, NM, I had concerns about moving to “The South”. I am a Mexican-American, an out woman loving woman, and a feminist. Since moving here, I’ve found Roanoke to be a welcoming community, and the folks are lovely here. I’ve compiled a list of great spaces for our LGBTQIA fam. We romance to hear your feedback, so if you have your own safe spaces or recommendations, please let us recognize, and we can add it to the list! If you ever need to chat about what life is like for Gay community members or just as someone looking to move, I’m happy to chat anytime.

Coffee Shops

Big Gay Brunch Spots

• Well Hung Vineyard – I mean, it’s in the name! Plus, they host regular drag shows. Acknowledged for their frose (aka wine slushies).
• Breadcraft – Insta-worthy brunch, only downside: no mimosas – but the food is divine.
• Scrambled – Easy breakf
  
  03-14-2015, 09:53 PM

  1 posts, read 6,291 times Reputation: 10

  Anyone have a suggestion for bars/restaurants/districts with a strong LGBT scene? Not looking for anything kinky, just somewhere where I can be myself and meet like-minded individuals.

  03-15-2015, 09:53 AM

  Location: Roanoke, VA 363 posts, scan 575,426 times Reputation: 209

  Not sure abut Lynchburg, but if you are willing to drive you can check out the park on Salem Ave in downtown roanoke. Also each year there is a pride in the park festival in roanoke that is entering it's 26th year in 2015. Good luck!

  03-15-2015, 04:10 PM

  Location: TN/NC 36,060 posts, read 33,285,241 times Reputation: 49128

  Lynchburg is the seat of Falwell's Liberty University. The area is very conservative. I can't imagine them existence very welcome of the LGBT community.

  03-15-2015, 05:46 PM

  Location On a Friday night in September 2000, a former Marine who had drifted into Roanoke walked down Salem Avenue and into a gay bar, where he ordered a beer and then proceeded to open fire. He killed Danny Overstreet, 43, and injured six others. Ronald Gay later claimed he targeted the bar after a lifetime spent creature jeered for his surname. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and is now serving four animation sentences. The shooting galvanized Roanoke and triggered an outpouring of support that in retrospect looks fancy a pivotal moment in changing attitudes toward LGBTQ individuals. The Backstreet Cafe reopened its doors just a week after the shooting, and then remained open for another 17 years. It finally closed at the end of 2016, only to reopen a few weeks later as the Front Row, a sports bar with punk and metal shows at night. In reality, Backstreet had long since ceased to be a gay bar. A variety of factors, from social media and hookup apps to a rapid change in societal attitudes to become more accepting to the LGBTQ community, has caused a sharp decline in gay bars across the country, and Backstreet was no exception. Another long-running gay nightspot located three b LGBTQ+ Visitor Information - Roanoke, VA Roanoke in Virginia’s Blue Ridge is a vibrant and welcoming collective to visitors from all backgrounds, including the LGBTQ+ community. We encourage you to plan your next metro mountain adventure and explore the incredible variety of outdoor trails & recreation opportunities, diverse arts & cultural scene, one-of-a-kind local flavors, and exciting special events that take place throughout the year. There are also one-of-a-kind experiences and opportunities to connect with Roanoke’s local Homosexual community and comprehend more about the city's history. "Roanoke is a magical place. When I moved here in 2001, a stranger in a new metropolis, I experienced the gift of hospitality from so many people, who welcomed me in my truthfulness and wholeness. I am glad to be part of our City Council who celebrates our rich diverse, multi-cultural and inclusive citizens and landscape. Welcome to Roanoke!"  — Joe Cobb, Vice Mayor and Member of Roanoke City Council The Municipality of Roanoke earned the highest achievable score of 100 points on the Human Rights Campaign's HRC (2023) Municipal Equity I