Gay clubs newport ri

You come for the Cliff Walk, the beaches, and the food, then stay out late in bars that don’t make a big deal of who you are. Sometimes they are people planning a visit (or a move) who haven’t spent much time here. But rest assured, LGTBQ+ people have been here for as long as it’s been a town, and I think we can feel confident to say for just about all of human history.

Other times it’s from people who have come here many times before and fondly remember the queer establishments in the past that they could count on for some community and fun. For a while in the 80’s it switched owners and went by Club 28, before being restored to David’s in the early 90’s. A place for our local community and where visitors from Providence, New York, or wherever know that they can dance and have a great time.

The best time to visit is late May through June if you want good weather with fewer crowds and the best chance of Pride-adjacent plans. If we have missed any important or scintillating details that we should add to this blog, we’re always happy to update it. We want to hear from you. Finally, in 1999, ownership changed and it temporarily became a straight bar catering to the college crowd (Club Craz).

But that definitely has not always been the case.

But we at NewportOUT think there is something special and important about having the space in town that is dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community. Add to the conversation on our Forum, or to the comments below.

What the locals have to say: One patron who responded to a post on Facebook about the history of gay bars in Newport recalled seeing Gloria Vanderbilt with her son Anderson (Cooper) getting a drink there. September is a sweet spot too: warm water, calmer streets, and good dining without the summer crush.

At NewportOUT, part of what we do is producing events to serve as gatherings for our LGBTQ+ community - in bars, at parks, at the beach, and sometimes on boats! Castaways, too, is the site of many good memories shared by the local community to the team at NewportOUT.

Gay Nights on the Town

Fast forward nearly a decade, and throughout 2014-2015 locals in the community organized themed gay nights under the banner of Bliss at a few different establishments including Dockside, the former Rhino Bar, and Christie’s (now part of Forty One North).

We can tell you that people write us regularly asking about the LGBTQ+ nightlife in Newport. LGBT pride events, parades, festivals, GLBT community celebrations.

Rhode Island vacation? But it was a couple of lesbian women daytripping from Massachusetts who wandered up during the event delighted to have spotted a rainbow flag and to find a gay event in town.

It eventually became Raffles in the 1980’s before closing in the mid 90’s

What the locals have to say: “The Venetian Room had a great dance floor early to mid 70's.

A anecdote from last year to illustrate: In the fall of 2019, we partnered with the Top of Pelham for a NewportOUT night at the dueling piano bar.

Just let us know!