LGBTQ+ Louisville: Discover Quirky Queer History, Culture, and Cuisine

How warm a welcome does Louisville, Kentucky extend to its queer visitors?

Girl, Oscar Wilde slayed there!

In February of 1882, the 28-year-old English dandy captivated Kentucky's cultural cognoscenti with a lecture on "The Decorative Arts" at the city's Masonic Temple Theatre.

According to the Courier-Journal, the crowd he attracted was "a beautiful audience, being composed in a great degree of the fashion and culture of Louisville, which had assembled... out of respect for himself and sympathy with his artistic views."

Wilde's influence continues to be felt: His play "The Importance of Being Earnest" will be presented in Louisville by the Kentucky Shakespeare company this January.

Today, Louisville remains one of the great gay cities of the American south, with a vibrant LGBTQ+ community and endless cultural and culinary attractions. There's even a dedicated web resource to help queer travelers plan a great gay getaway.

Horseplay

Louisville's most famous annual event is the Kentucky Derby, and The Kentucky Derby Museum. Featuring one of the world's only 360° movie theaters, the museum presents an invigorating 18-minute film on the Derby's history in addition to gallery exhibits on topics from thoroughbred training, to historic Derby winners, to the race's cultural impact.

Whether racing fans or not, LGBTQ+ visitors will get a kick out of the "See & Be Seen: 150 Years of Derby Fashion," a showcase of Southern style with enough fantastic hats to rival a royal wedding.

And queer visitors will be proud to learn that last year the official artist of the Derby was a gay man: Wylie Caudil, a 27-year-old Kentuckian, was commissioned to paint murals on the race grounds and to create designs for official apparel and memorabilia, which are available in the museum shop.

From the Derby to the Dance Floor

The night before the 1973 Kentucky Derby saw the grand opening of Louisville's first gay disco, The Badlands, which surely boasted one of the mirrored orbs that led to the city's decades-long recognition as The Disco Ball Capital of the World.

Louisville's own Omega Mirror Products manufactured over 90% of the world's glittering reflective globes in the 1970s, and in 2016 produced the largest disco ball ever, measuring in at 11 feet wide and 2,330 pounds. A sculptural assemblage of Omega Mirror Balls is a show stopping element of the decor in RuPaul's Los Angeles home.

Today, LGBTQ nightcrawlers can get their groove on in Louisville's wide variety of queer bars and dance clubs, including the spacious Play, gay neighborhood favorite Chill Bar, and Big Bar, which features a monthly lesbian tea dance.

If you prefer to enjoy dance as a spectator rather than a participant, The Louisville Ballet has an impressive new season just getting underway, including the annual Brown-Forman Nutcracker in December and a stirring Holocaust memorial program in conjunction with the Kentucky Opera in February.

Diversity on Stage

Another nationally recognized local arts organization, Actors Theatre of Louisville, is presenting a terrific pair of shows in the coming months.

First up is the musical adaptation of "The Color Purple," one of the most important works of American literature of the late 20th Century. With a queer Black woman at its center, the story of growth and healing has lost none of its power over the years and is enriched by a soulful, jazz-inflected Tony-nominated score.

Then, for the holiday season, there's an unusual alternative to "A Christmas Carol": "Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins" is a quirky musical with puppetry and pageantry celebrating the Jewish festival of light.

Queer Cuisine

While many American cities offer walking tours themed around LGBTQ+ history or created to introduce local culinary specialties, Louisville is the only place we know of that combines the two!

"Pride Plates: A Taste of Kentucky's Queer History" is a unique amble through the Highlands and adjacent gay neighborhoods with an expert guide who will introduce you to the stories of a Black Prohibition-era drag queen and other local authors, artists and activists who have paved the way forward for LGBTQ+ rights in the city.

Along the way, stops at queer-owned eateries and watering holes include tastings of spoonbread, fried chicken, the famous Louisville Hot Brown open-faced sandwich, and a local bourbon cocktail or two.

Be sure to ask your guide about Louisville's Urban Bourbon Trail and some of the city's great queer hotspots: Gay-owned Le Moo has been voted the state's best steakhouse and features a one-of-a-kind Louis Vuitton upholstered booth; and Birdie and Vi's, which is a shaggy dog hybrid of bar, clubhouse, and antique shop.

Stay the Night

LGBTQ+ visitors will find plenty of unique places to stay in town, from the elegant to the eclectic.

Among our favorites is the 21c Museum Hotel, complete with its own collection of modern art, including a double-sized golden replica of Michelangelo's David standing guard out front.

The Louisville Bourbon Inn is a gay-owned bed-and-breakfast in the Old Louisville neighborhood, near some of the city's LGBTQ+ landmarks, including the location where the first local queer rights organization was established.

And the Myriad Hotel, in the Highlands gayborhood, is the completely refurbished former location of the Omega mirrorball factory.

For more great places to stay and ideas for your next great gay getaway in Louisville, visit www.gotolouisville.com/lgbtq