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Welcome to New Orleans
Gay New Orleans
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Gay New Orleans
As you prepare for your trip to the "Big Easy," you are sure to look forward to exploring the gay and lesbian characteristics of the city. The city's past and present are based on diversity - it's a true melting pot that serves as the foundation of the unique New Orleans experience. Individuality and self expression are societal norms, which perhaps is why writers, artists, musicians and actors have flocked to the city and region.
For an in-depth look into New Orleans' gay history and community, book a Gay Heritage Tour with The Bienville Foundation, which has educated visitors about the city's role in gay history for a decade. The two-and-a-half hour tour covers the Clay Shaw trial, the New Orleans Liberation Front and gay Mardi Gras traditions, as well as Tennessee Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston and other prominent GLBT New Orleanians. Reservations are required (504-945-6789).
Traditionally, the French Quarter has been the center of gay life in New Orleans. Like America's other gay friendly cities, it offers creative and alternative-lifestyle freedom to its residents. The downriver end remains the center for high-profile nightclubs attractive to national and international GLBT visitors. At the epicenter are Bourbon and St. Ann streets, but many of the nightclubs, businesses and restaurants that cater to the GLBT community may be found from North Rampart to Decatur streets, and from St. Louis downriver towards the Marigny.
During the past decade the adjacent Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods have emerged as the residential center for gay and lesbian New Orleanians. About one-third of the businesses catering to them have relocated there. Many of the city's gay-friendly bed & breakfasts are located here, where proprietors can provide an insider's view of the community and the city.
New Orleans' Southern hospitality is only enhanced in the gay community, where living like locals is encouraged. Stop into the Lesbian and Gay Community Center of New Orleans (2114 Decatur Street in the Marigny) for information about local events and organizations. The biweekly newspaper Ambush (www.Ambushmag.com) contains entertainment and event listings to help you plan your visit.
The city's GLBT community is an important part of New Orleans history and continues to play a leading role in the city's rebirth. Some of the city's largest gay events that draw hundreds of thousands of visitors annually began as private parties within the community. The Saints and Sinners Literary Festival, Reel Identities: LGBT Film Fest, Southern Decadence (Labor Day weekend), Halloween in New Orleans, the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival/New Orleans, and Gay Pride New Orleans provide plenty of cultural and festive motivations for locals and out-of-towners alike.
While not strictly a gay event, what could be considered more gay-friendly than Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras has plenty of GLBT heritage dating back to the 1950s and some specific gay components, including celebrations by the community's Krewe of Petronius and the Krewe of Barkus Parade, a beloved canine pageant originated by the gay community. The pageantry and tradition of Mardi Gras are a living demonstration of pride for the local GLBT community.
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