OutFest Philadelphia 2023

OutFest Philadelphia 2023

Outfest was previously one of the largest gay events in Philly. The past two “official” events have had issues with organising groups unable to pull together an event of such scale. Local bars and businesses have stepped-in and organised their own events.

• Visiting for Outfest? Stay close to Rittenhouse Square and Midtown Village, home to the city’s busy gay nightlife district.

Parties and Events

• Friday
• Indoor events at Tavern on Camac include piano bar appearances by members of the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus .
• Cockatoo hosts a a theme night and  Knock will feature live piano bar performances at 10:00 p.m.
• Level Up host their monthly Climaxxx and Tabu host their monthly Madhouse multimedia cabaret show.
• Saturday
• Tavern on Camac and U BAR, will host outdoor events including a Celebration on Camac at 11:00 a.m. Saturday followed by an outdoor DJ set at 3:00 p.m.
• Sunday
• Tavern on Camac festivities include a vendor marketplace on Camac at 1:00 p.m., followed by a DJ set at 3:00 p.m.

Bos Philly Circuit Weekend

• To be confirmed – BOS Philly, the city’s leading Circuit Party promoter presents OUT WKD, a weekend of parties and events including a gear part on Friday and a massive circuit event on Saturday night.

Outfest Philly

• May return in 2023, awaiting confirmation.
• Philadelphia plays host to the largest National Coming Out Day (NCOD) event, known as OutFest. The first NCOD event was observed in Washington D.C. in 1987, and inspired other cities to create similar block party-style celebrations of their own LGBT communities.
• OutFest was launched in 1990 and grew to be one of the most popular LGBT events in the Northeast. It’s in a gay-friendly neighborhood, is free, and local businesses and performers participate. It’s usually held in October, on the Sunday before Columbus Day, and attracts crowds of 40,000 people.

The Outfest Block Party

• Taking over the Gayborhood neighborhood of Philadelphia in Midtown Village, OutFest celebrates Philadelphia’s LGBT history and LGBTQ community.
• The block party — spanning a dozen full blocks of the philly gaybourhood — consists of drag shows, games, bar crawls, music and shopping.
• The main stage hosts live entertainment of all sorts all day long, bringing entertainment that in the past has spanned from high-heel races to belly dance shows to award ceremonies.
• Throughout the festival grounds, a number of outdoor bars and dance parties continue the spirit of the event all throughout the Gayborhood.

Where is the block party held?

• Most of the happenings go down along 12th and 13th streets between Walnut and Spruce streets. The main stage is located at 13th and Locust streets.
• The free block party (with pay-as-you-go drinks and food) typically starts at noon and closes at 6 p.m. but the fun continues as outdoor bars and dance parties carry on the spirit of the event all throughout the Gayborhood.

Where to stay during Philly Outfest

Here are the Hotels we recommend that keep you close to all the action,

The Ritz-Carlton,    The Bellevue Hotel,    Cambria Hotel,    Alexander Inn