Super queer Providence punches way above its weight

After traveling to Providence, Rhode Island’s lovely capital city, for the third time, I have a hard time understanding why it isn’t more well-known as a queer destination. The city has so much going for it, from a wonderful art scene to gastronomic excellence. And as the home to Brown University (as well as a handful of other universities), there’s a constant influx of youthful energy. Plus, the city and state are incredibly progressive and welcoming. I’d venture to say that few cities have ever made me feel as welcome as a member of the community. The amount of rainbow flags here was almost overkill at times!

Pride — and then some
My husband and I came for Pride Weekend this year, which also coincided with Juneteenth, giving us a long weekend to experience the whole vibe here. We stayed at the Aloft by Marriott Providence Downtown, which was a perfect location, right next to the 195 District Park, where Rhode Island PrideFest is held. PrideFest has the largest vendor mart in the Northeast, with an impressive 275 businesses represented this year.

We also got out to meet some locals with Frontrunners Rhode Island, a local chapter of a national runners’ group that meets Monday and Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. We chatted with Tim, the current head of the group, and Brian, one of the guys who founded the club back in 1996. We ran about 3 miles through a lovely park, and there were all activity levels represented: some people ran fast or slow, while others walked the route. They generally do a casual dinner or coffee afterward, and it’s a great way to interact with the local queer community and burn off a few calories.

This year marked the 50th anniversary of Rhode Island Pride and the 25^th anniversary of the Illuminated nighttime Pride march, the only evening parade in New England. It’s one of the most enjoyable parades I’ve been to, with so much creativity in lighting up the marchers, the signs, and the floats. This year’s parade ran about 100 minutes, and the crowd’s energy was fantastic.

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Several of the city’s many gay bars host huge block parties on Pride weekend, including Ego, Dark Lady, Alley Cat, and the Providence Eagle. These events are like huge extensions of the clubs out onto the surrounding streets, and I’ve rarely witnessed anything like it. The Dark Lady + Alley Cat combined event trended much younger and featured drag queens and plenty of hot dancers. We also had a blast at the Eagle’s “Neon Carwash” block party, which featured a more well-rounded (age-wise) crowd, including a lot of leather daddies. The queer scene in Providence also felt much more gender-diverse overall, which was a nice change compared to some other cities where gay men seem to dominate every crowd.

Beyond Pride
The city has a very artsy side, with numerous murals throughout downtown. We took the easy-to-follow self-guided tour of the Avenue Concept Murals and logged our steps while checking out about a dozen of the huge art pieces. Make sure to check out the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum, which offers a self-guided tour that allows visitors to explore the voices and perspectives of queer artists featured in the galleries.

WaterFire has existed in several forms since 1994, and today the warm-weather festival lights bonfires along the city’s canals from May to November, with music, vendors, and food trucks. The event is quite unique and a lovely way to spend an evening, either wandering along either side of the water or aboard one of the tour boats that slowly ply past the fragrant wood fires.

Food is big here, starting with the region’s famed oysters and seafood, but expanding into many cuisines from across the globe. Check out the beautiful new Track 15 Food Hall, built in the lovingly restored formed train station, where there are great options from burgers to Mexican/Oaxacan, as well as Turkish, Asian, Indian, seafood, and pizza.

You can’t miss breakfast or lunch with a trip to Ellie’s (located on a quaint street with lots of quirky shops!), whether you get baked goods, the amazing French Brie sandwich with fig jam and toasted Marcona almonds, or their to-die-for French macarons.

Other favorite stops included local chain Seven Stars Bakery for great coffee drinks and baked goods, Palo Tapas Bar for their hummus with seasoned ground beef (who would have thought of beef on hummus, but we are addicted!) and calamari, and Bayberry Garden for its fun tropical interior vibe, great seafood selections, and an incredible chocolate cheesecake.

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