‘Sin City Classic’ offers the perfect, queer excuse for a Las Vegas trip in January
With 10,000 participants across two dozen sports, the Sin City Classic bills itself as the world's largest LGBTQ+ sporting festival.
Mark
Organizers of the annual Sin City Classic are gearing up for the event’s next gathering, which runs January 15-19, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
One of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ sporting festival, t routinely attracts around 10,000 participants — and you could be one of them!
The Sin City Classic started in 2008 as an LGBTQ+ softball tournament. However, it’s grown since then to include over a dozen other sports and games.
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For 2026, this includes:
- Basketball
- Billiards
- Bowling
- Bridge
- Cheerleading
- Cornhole
- Curling
- Darts – soft tip and steel tip
- Dodgeball,
- Flag football
- Golf
- Indoor rowing
- Kickball
- Martial arts
- Pickleball
- Rodeo university
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Ultimate frisbee
- Volleyball (Indoor) and Volleyball (Sand)
- Wrestling & grappling.
Much of the action takes place in and around the host hotel: Flamingo Las Vegas.
Solo competitors welcome
The softball aspect remains the biggest part of the festival, with organizers expecting between 200-260 teams to enter. However, registration is now open for all events, and you’d be wise to snap up a place early rather than leaving it too late. The same goes for the host hotel, which is offering special deals for Sin City Classic attendees if booked before December 31. The deal is also available at the neighboring LINQ Hotel as well as Horseshoe Las Vegas.
We asked the organizers for more details about how to participate, especially if you’re not part of a team.
Dr. Jason Peplinski, Co-Executive Director of the Sin City Classic, said the festival is structured in a way that “explicitly encourages ‘everyone’ to compete ‘in whichever way they like,’ which implies that individuals who are not part of a pre-formed team are welcome.”
Solo participants are welcome in most events, including tennis, darts, swimming, and bowling. Some sports, like bridge, will pair you with a partner, while team sports may place you in a free-agent pool. Peplinski advises registering early: “The festival is very popular—slots for high-demand sports like tennis and rowing fill rapidly.”
“The event pages don’t always list a concrete maximum number of total spots per sport (especially for singles vs doubles). That means there’s some uncertainty about how quickly they fill or whether there will be a wait-list,” he adds.
Evening parties
Although the majority of visitors come from across the US, the games are open to international entrants. And even if you don’t get a slot or don’t wish to compete, spectators are welcome. You can also join some of the evening partying.
“Everyone is welcome to attend the hosted events associated with the festival,” says Peplinski. “Please note that certain events, such as the Closing Party, require a festival wristband. Wristbands may be purchased at the official website.”
“You do not need to be an athlete to attend the Opening Registration Party or the events held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Piranha or Gypsy. However, festival wristbands may provide access to discounted entry or benefits at some venues, and these wristbands are available for purchase by all attendees, regardless of athletic participation.”
January can be a depressing month. But trading post-holiday blues for Vegas sunshine, athletic competition, and a community of 10,000 LGBTQ+ athletes? That’s one New Year’s resolution worth keeping.
Check the official Sin City Classic website for full details.
UPDATE 12.03.25
Organizers of the Sin City Classic have confirmed that LeAnn Rimes will perform at the inaugural Sin City Classic Concert to close out the sports festival. Rimes’ performance will take place on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at the Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas on the LINQ Promenade.
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