ANNUAL MANUAL '07: Rochester Gay Guide

by Susie Hume

With a gay index 60 percent higher than the national average, Rochester
is a surprising hotbed of gay culture. From a wide variety of bars and
nightclubs, to community groups and special events, to stores specializing in
pride merchandise, Rochester offers
a little bit of something for everyone.

If you’re the
type that likes to go out and mingle with the young and fabulous, Rochester
has several gay-oriented nightclubs worth checking out. With various theme
nights — including Porno Pictionary, totally ’80s
dance parties, and the infamous Big Gay Disco — Tilt (444 Central Avenue,
232-8440, www.tiltnightclub.com) is regularly packed with beat-seekers. If
you’re in the mood for a show, Muther’s (40 South Union, 325-6216,
www.clubmuthers.com) is the place to turn. With outrageously fun drag queen and
king performances featuring the likes of Darienne
Lake, Aggie Dune, Ambrosia Salad, and more, Muther’s
is a club that every Rochesterian — gay or straight
— should visit at least once. Speaking of straight, Vertex (169 Chestnut Street,
232-5498, www.vertexclub.com) caters to both gay and straight crowds, with a
heavy dash of Goth thrown in the mix, too. Pump (www.pumprochester.com) is a New York City-style traveling party meant to draw
the gay and gay-friendly community.

If grinding your
way through the sweaty masses isn’t your thing, try the more subdued atmosphere
of The Avenue Pub (522
Monroe Avenue, 244-4960), a sports bar-type of
hangout with pool and darts. Nasty D’s (140
Alexander Street, 256-1000, www.nasty-ds.com)
offers the best of both worlds, with a bar, restaurant, and game room on the
first floor and a dance club upstairs. For a different crowd, The Bachelor Forum (670
University Avenue, 271-6930, www.bachelor4m.com)
is the local leather/Levi bar.

Not a drinker?
Grab a cup of Joe at one of Rochester’s
gay-owned coffeehouses, including Equal
Grounds (750 South Avenue,
242-7840, www.equalgrounds.com), which is attached to the Pride Connection Gift
Shoppe.

For those
looking for a good…workout, Rochester
has its own spa/bathhouse: the Rochester
Spa and Body Club (109 Liberty Pole Way,
454-1074, www.rochesterspa.com), with a sauna, steam rooms, showers and private
rooms.

Celebrating Pride

When it comes to an all-out celebration of pride, the Streets of Pride (www.streetsofpride.com) festival is just that. Held annually the second
weekend of July, the Rochester
festival is a weekend-long event that includes a parade, a picnic, and other
events meant to foster pride and strength in Rochester’s
gay community. This year’s event takes place July 14-15. Our neighbors to the
north in Toronto also have a
fantastic weeklong celebration of pride and diversity (www.pridetoronto.com).
Those willing to make the three-hour trek June 15-24 won’t be disappointed.

The annual ImageOut Film Festival (www.imageout.org) celebrates diversity through a variety of films and videos.
The festival has been a hit since its inception in 1993 and has grown in leaps
and bounds since, enriching both Rochester’s
gay community and preserving Rochester’s
historical ties to the film industry. The 2007 festival will take place October
5-14.

The Rainbow Theater Festival (www.breadandwatertheatre.org)
also has the dual purpose of entertainment and education. Run by the Bread and
Water Theater Company, each year the festival takes on a theme from one of the
colors in the Rainbow Pride Flag. This year the festival’s theme will be
orange, which represents healing. Productions include Safe Sex, The Lamda Project: Every Step May Be Fruitful, and more,
and this year’s festival takes place May 25-June 10.

For more Nightlife articles, and for a list of gay-oriented
networking and support groups, check out www.rochestercitynewspaper.com.

This article appears in Mar 21-27, 2007.