Photo by jacob Licht on Unsplash
Massachusetts offers great sports, nightlife, and LGBTQ+ Pride events.
January 23 2023 12:00 PM EST
September 07 2023 3:34 PM EST
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Out Traveler chose Massachusetts as one of our top places in the U.S. to visit in 2023 so we know there's a long list of recreational and relaxing activities that LGBTQ+ travelers can enjoy during a vacation to the state from the Berkshires to Northampton to Boston and Provincetown. Although there are numerous options, experiences around three key interests draw many LGBTQ+ travelers to the state: vibrant Pride events, the booming queer nightlife, and (mainstream) sporting events.
Here is a quick guide to top nightclubs, sports, and Pride in The Bay State.
Nightclubs & Bars
Courtesy Club Cafe
One of the best nightclubs to check out in Beantown is the Club Café, which celebrates its 40-year anniversary of establishment this year. The Club Café is open seven days a week, and offers a wide variety of different events year-round. This includes bingo nights, trivia nights, comedian performances, live DJs, weekend brunch specials, and much more.
blend, located in the south of downtown Bostonneighborhood Dorchester, is another popular nightclub that offers a plethora of exciting events, including dances, disco-themed parties, and a long list of different brunch specials throughout the month.
The MB Lounge in Worcester is another venue you may wish to check out if you're around the area (its about a 40 mile drive from Boston or Provincetown). The MB Lounge is the oldest operating gay bar in Worcester and has laid-back and relaxed atmosphere with pool tables, darts, trivia nights, and dancing.
Sporting Events
Photo by Forest Simon on UnsplashMassachusetts is home to some of the world’s most passionate sports fans. Boston is home to the Red Sox (baseball), the Celtics (basketball), the Bruins (ice hockey)., and the New England Patriots (football), and it has garnered the nickname “The City of Champions,” as the city's professional sports franchises have won a combined 12 world championships.
Many sports clubs including the professional sports franchises in Massachusetts have gone great lengths to include and welcome members of the LGBTQ+ Community.
Brad Marchand, a star on the NHL’s Boston Bruins, has happily fulfilled the team’s ambassador role for the “Hockey is for Everyone” campaign. The league’s goal through the campaign is “to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities.”
An added element to the state's sporting world will be the launch of in-person and mobile/online sports betting in Massachusetts sometime in Spring 2023. Now legal in Massachusetts, once sports betting goes live in the state, customers will be able to place bets through companies like Barstool Sportsbook Massachusetts (watch for early financial incentives as the companies compete for new customers).
Provincetown Pride & Boston Pride Parades
This year, the Provincetown Pride celebration will be held from June 2-4. 2023. The LGBTQ+ vacation hotspot is queer year-round and so the Pride here is still young, just in its sixth year. In addition to the Provincetown Pride Parade there will be a variety of different events, entertainers and parties.
The annual Boston Pride will be held this year from June 9-11. The Boston Pride Parade is one of the largest in the United States, attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators per year. The traditional parade event didn’t take place in 2020, 2021 or 2022 so expect it to go all out this year.
The 2019 event attracted more than 750,000 spectators, according to officials, which was a record-setting number. With the Boston Pride Parade set to return in 2023, we’ll see if this year’s crowd will break that record!
