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Show Your Pride in Center City

Article last updated on May 20, 2024

Our top picks for LGBTQ+ restaurants, retailers and special events throughout the Center City District

The month of June is filled with opportunities to show your Pride in Center City! Below, find queer-owned businesses and special events, plus art exhibits, charities and more. 

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1. Enjoy Dinner at a Local Restaurant

Center City’s food scene is the best it’s ever been with a diverse selection of eateries offering everything from brunch and burgers to fine dining and home-cooked classics. That vibrancy is thanks in part to trailblazing LGBTQ+ restaurateurs, like Safran Turney Hospitality and many more. Highlights include:


2. Attend a Drag Show

Join some of Philly’s most fabulous queens for drag events across Center City! Upcoming shows include:  


Photo provided by Aversa PR.

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3. Roller Skate at Dilworth Park 

Lace up your skates and get ready to roll during Pride Skate presented by Hornitos® Tequila! On Saturday, June 1 from 6 - 8 p.m., Dilworth Park’s Rothman Orthopaedics Roller Rink will feature interactive performances, themed décor and special menu items.  

Date: Saturday, June 1, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Location: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th Street (West side of City Hall) 


4. Toast to Good Cheer

Philadelphia's Midtown Village — also known as the Gayborhood — and surrounding areas are home to some of the most recognizable LBGTQ+ bars and clubs in the city. These landmarks are regular stops for both community members and allies, creating an inclusive and exciting atmosphere for all. Highlights include: 

Photo Credit: ©VISIT PHILADELPHIA®.

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5. Support a Local Artist  

Artist, director and performer John Jarboe’s (she/her) latest exhibition, The Rose Garden, allows visitors to “weave their way through a multi-room domestic environment reimagining [her] gender journey.” Devoted to and inspired by her “consumed twin,” the fully immersive space features video sculptures, short films and a maze that culminates into a space “made by and for trans and queer communities.” Guests can visit the exhibition through September 29, 2024 at the Fabric Workshop and Museum.  

Dates: Daily, through September 29, 2024  
Location:The Fabric Workshop & Museum, 1214 Arch Street 

Photo Credit: Christopher Ash / The Fabric Workshop and Museum


6. Attend the Philadelphia Pride March and Festival  

On Sunday, June 2, the 2024 Pride March and Festival will “celebrate joy, community spaces and how far we’ve come with this year’s theme: ‘Be You’”. The event will commence with a morning march and unfurling of a 400-foot-long rainbow flag. Immediately following the march, the Pride Festival will begin in Midtown Village with a celebration including local artists, entertainers, food trucks, vendors and more.  

Date: Sunday, June 2, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.  
Location: Beginning at 6th and Walnut streets and ending in Midtown Village 

Photo Credit: Cody Aldrich Photography

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7. Mix Up Some Magic  

Midtown Village’s most mesmerizing bar, The Cauldron, has debuted a truly enchanting lineup of specialty cocktails in celebration of Pride Month. Their “Mixed with Pride” collection features craft cocktails submitted by queer members of their sister bars across the globe. Additionally, a brand-new interactive experience will allow guests to brew their own “potions,” featuring fairy dust, elixirs and a bit of magic.   

Dates: Daily, through June 30 
Locations: The Cauldron, 1305 Locust Street  


8. Donate to a Worthy Cause

The Attic Youth Center, originally known as The Attic Youth Group, was founded in 1993 as an after-school support group for LGBTQ youth. In 1999, The Attic became incorporated as an independent nonprofit organization, and today  is one of the largest community centers in the country “committed exclusively to serving LGBTQ youth and allies.” This June, in honor of Pride Month, consider donating directly to The Attic to assist with crucial services, resources and programming at atticyouthcenter.org.

Location: The Attic Youth Center, 255 South 16th Street.

Photo provided by The Attic Youth Center.

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9. Family Pride Day at the Franklin Institute

On Saturday, June 1, the Franklin Institute celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and their families with whimsical shows and demonstrations that combine science and drag. To purchase Family Pride Day tickets, visit fi.edu

Date: Saturday, June 1 
Location: The Franklin Institute, 222 North 20th Street


Photo Credit: K. Ciappa for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®


10. Shop Small, Shop Local

Saturday, June 22 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., the Hyatt Centric Philadelphia in Rittenhouse will host its third annual Pride Month Maker’s Market, a local artisan market designed to highlight a mix of the city’s talented queer-owned and operated small businesses and artists.  In addition to craft vendors, attendees can book sessions with sought-after photographers Inner Light Aura, and enjoy PAYG bites and cocktails from the adjacent Patchwork Restaurant & Bar. To learn more, visit @hyattcentricphiladelphia on Instagram. 

Date: Saturday, June 22, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 
Location: Hyatt Centric Philadelphia, 1620 Chancellor Street 

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Stay Connected 

To stay up to date with what's happening when you’re out and about in Center City, be sure to follow @centercitydistrict on Instagram and subscribe to our twice-monthly Center City Happenings newsletter!