OurFest Philadelphia 2023

OurFest Philadelphia (formerly OutFest) 2023

OutFest Philly returns in 2023 with a new name and identity “Ourfest”.

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

The Event

• Galaei’s Pride 365 program will organize a weekend of events, called OURfest — which stands for “our uniting resilience” . Events include a series of parties, street market events and a prade.

The Ourfest Parade

• Saturday, Oct. 7 from 4-6 p.m. – The inaugural National Coming Out Parade.
• Running from 5th and Market to Broad and Locust.

The Ourfest Fair and Festival

• Sunday, Oct. 8 from 12 p.m.- 7 p.m. – The OURfest: National Coming Out Resource Fair and Festival is set for in the Gayborhood, spanning 12th and Spruce streets to 13th and Walnut streets, with other nearby roads closed off.
• Enjoy performances, speeches, resources and food from a multitude of LGBTQ+ organizations, nonprofits, artists, makers, entertainers, restaurants, bars, food trucks and vendors.
• The first annual Mx, Ms or Mr OURfest 2023 will also be awarded at the festival.
• Located at 12th and Spruce to 13th and Walnut.
• Visiting Philly for Ourfest? Stay in the heart of the city, at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco with a rooftop lounge overlooking the Liberty Bell.

The Stages

• “Bailar con amor,” a space dedicated to Afro-Latinx heritage, art, dance and expression, will have a space at the festival, as it did at Pride. “Kiki Alley” will provide a performance space to showcase the culture and history of Philly’s Ballroom scene.
• “Philadelphia Muses” stage will be rife with local performers, DJs and producers, including Sway Philly and BOS Philly.
• “OURstage” will feature a melange of producers and acts that don’t have physical brick-and-mortar spaces.

Popular Venues in Philly

• The following venues will host special theme nights and events during the Ourfest celebrations. All are located close to the parade and festival:
• Tavern on Camac – American pub grub served in gay-friendly tavern known for its piano singalongs & dance parties.
• Cockatoo – Vibrant safe space for Philly’s queer community and allies. Service cocktails, wine, beer and delicious Latin street food.
• Knock – Upscale cocktailing & New American dining in a stylish venue with a piano lounge & late-night scene.
• Level Up – Buzzing bar offering cocktails, beer, shisha & finger foods, plus DJs, private lounges & late hours.
• Tabu – Gay Sports bar downstairs meets plush lounge upstairs, drawing a diverse crowd for game & theme nights.
• U BAR – Unpretentious gay bar with an exposed-brick interior & a selection of craft & imported beers on tap.

Bos Philly Circuit Weekend

• Oct 7th  – BOS Philly, the city’s leading Circuit Party promoter presents Welcome to the Jungle, an epic Circuit Night Event together with Chicago’s legendary Circuit Mom.

Outfest History

• 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.

Where is the Festival 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