LGBTQIA+ in GR

The Advocate magazine named Grand Rapids one of the Gayest Cities in America more than a decade ago, in a feature exploring the “peer capita queerness of some less expected locales.”

Grand Rapids has become even gayer in the years since. The city has been recognized as one of the safest in the U.S for LGBTQ singles and we earned a perfect score in the 2023 Municipal Equality Index, which examines how inclusive cities are of LGBTQ+ people.

New community gathering spaces like LGBTQIA+ bar General Wood Shop and sober-minded Lotus Brew Coffee/Dry Bar have joined such iconic destinations as the Apartment Lounge, Michigan’s oldest LGBTQ bar, and Rumors Night Club, serving a diverse clientele since 2003. Other locally owned and operated LGBTQ+ businesses have also flourished.

World-class art, food, beer and craft beverage scenes are attracting discerning LGBTQIA+ travelers to the region, while abundant outdoor recreation opportunities appeal to an active crowd. Visits often start in downtown Grand Rapids, where 200+ restaurants, breweries, museums and entertainment venues are located within a 10-minute walk (or free bus ride) of a dozen or so excellent hotels.

LGBTQIA+ on the Lake

Grand Rapids is just 30-40 minutes away from 20+ gorgeous Lake Michigan beaches and the cities of Saugatuck/Douglas, sometimes referred to as the “Provincetown of the Midwest.” In addition to a plethora of LGBTQIA+-friendly art galleries, shops and restaurants, this charming lakeshore community is home to two of the USA’s top LGBTQ+ resorts, Campit and The Dunes Resort.

Grand Rapids is a perfect home base for exploring Saugatuck/Douglas and other Lake Michigan beach towns.

LGBTQIA+ Itineraries

Check out these ideas for an LGBTQ+ weekend in Grand Rapids and this video of 10 gay things to do in GR:

Community Organization

• The Grand Rapids Pride Center has worked to create positive change for the 2-SLGBTQ+ community since 1988.
• The Grand Rapids LGBTQ+ Healthcare Consortium works to eliminate the healthcare disparities for LGBTQ+ individuals and populations.
• The Grand Rapids Trans Foundation is dedicated to helping the Grand Rapids Trans community transcend barriers and build equity.
• GIFT (Gays in Faith Together) provides support groups, social events, education, and consultation for LGBTQIA+ adults and allies throughout the area.
• The Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center at Grand Valley State University, the area’s largest college (22,000+ students), advances GVSU’s commitment to a campus climate that celebrates and engages people of all gender identities, gender presentations, and sexual orientations.

Annual Events

• Since debuting in 1988, the Grand Rapids Pride Festival (June) has become one of the city’s largest single-day events each year.
• Nearby cities Holland, Grand Haven, Lowell, Middleville, Muskegon and Saugatuck/Douglas also hold Pride Festivals in June.
• The Apartment Lounge throws a Pride Block street party in downtown Grand Rapids each June.
• The West Michigan Whitecaps baseball team, a Detroit Tigers affiliate, hosts a Pride Night at LMCU Ballpark every year in June.
• ArtPrize, the world’s most attended art event, introduced a Prism Award for Contemporary Queer Artists as part of its $500,000 prize money in 2023. Hundreds of artists from around the world compete in ArtPrize every September. 
• World of Winter, America’s largest winter festival, traditionally includes a drag performance as part of its two month-long schedule of outdoor entertainment, activities and art installations.

Points of Interest

• Rainbow Road is a permanent street mural painted outside the Apartment Lounge in 2019 to celebrate local LGBTQIA+ residents and commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots. It’s included in this self-guided mural tour of the downtown city center.
• Three crosswalks at the Lake Dr./Genessee St. intersection near the Grand Rapids Pride Center in the city’s hip and funky Eastown neighborhood are permanently painted with colors from different LGBTQ+ flags. You’ll see them on a self-guided mural tour of our Uptown neighborhood.
• House Rules Board Game Lounge hosts Gaymer Monday the 2^nd and 4^th Monday of every month, complete with free gaming and discounts on drinks and snacks.
• The West Michigan Gay Men’s Chorus – which include male, female, nonbinary, gay and straight voices – performs at a variety of events through the year, including a summer and winter concert. 
• Fans of female sports can check out the Grand Rapids Rise volleyball team, the city’s first major-league women’s sports team; the women’s Grand Raggidy Roller Derby team; and the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, which brings 140+ of the world’s top female golfers to GR for tournament play.
• The People’s History of the LGBTQ Community in Grand Rapids is a free, full-length documentary detailing the history of the local LGBTQ movement.