Gay bars in ithaca ny

Western-Themed Drag Queens

Key Points:
  • The Range is a permanent residence to the Property of Merlot, a drag show in Ithaca New York
  • After the 2016 presidential election, members of The House of Merlot found it difficult to detect bars that would hold drag shows in Ithaca.
  • There are no official gay bars in Ithaca, NY. Nor are there any exclusive spaces for drag shows in Ithaca.

“The Range has come to mean a range of activities and people” -Cass Medcalf

The Range in downtown Ithaca does not seem prefer an ordinary place to hold a drag show. With deer heads mounted on the walls, wagon-wheel chandeliers and cowboy portraits decorating the bar, at first glance, it might not appear “drag-friendly.” However, on a recent Thursday night, the Range welcomed The House of Merlot and debuted its first drag show.

The House of Merlot, Ithaca’s drag art house, was founded by former Ithaca College students who saw a demand to create a safe space for the queer people in Ithaca. Kat Von Riesling, one of the founders of The House of Merlot, says that Ithaca is very welcoming. However, with the recent presidential election, people started to become more cautious when hosting LG

LGTBQ-Friendly Neighborhoods to Attend in New York State

As the birthplace of the modern-day LGBTQ civil rights movement, New York State is a hub for LGBTQ culture and experiences, with inclusive and diverse communities that welcome people of all identities to be their real selves.From the vast cities of Albany, Rochester and Buffalo to the compact towns of Hudson, Kingston and Corning, discover some of New York State’s LGBTQ-friendly neighborhoods where you can shop LGBTQ-owned businesses, call on historically significant sites, show your Celebration at festivals and events year curved, and more. Photo Credit: @gmandle1 on Instagram.

Greenwich Village

As the birthplace of the new LGBTQ rights movement, Greenwich Village, or simply The Village, is one of the New York City’s most prominent LGBTQ communities and one of the world’s most iconic Pride destinations. Today, you can attend the site where history was made at the Stonewall National Monument, the first national park dedicated to LGBTQ history. The site includes the Stonewall Inn, the Gay Liberation Monument in Christopher Park, and the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, which hon

Ithaca LGBTQ

Ithaca is Inclusive. Recognizable for being one of the most progressive and open-minded areas in Upstate New York, Ithaca offers an enlightened demographic of folks who pride themselves on being one of ‘The Advocate’ Magazine’s first “10 Best Cities for Gays and Lesbians to Live”. 

Ithaca Community Welcomes LGBTQA+ Visitors

Visitors will find Ithaca is Inclusive window decals adorning the windows of many of the community's eateries, shops and businesses. Inclusive Space Decals are there to welcome LGBTQ people and families into their place of business. The decals were created to help businesses convey and display a commitment to inclusiveness and to welcoming lesbian, male lover, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people and families. Learn more about this community-wide initiative and what this means to the businesses that choose to be involved. Tompkins County businesses can request window clings here upon examining the program mission and committing their business to follow inclusive and welcoming practices for Queer people and families. Look for this decal at participa

Common Ground Dance Club first location, 1978 - 1988, 132-134 W. State Avenue

Common Ground was founded in 1978 by Doug Miller and Kris Marshall. By chance, they came upon the original Mention Street location while on their way to the laundromat. Their vision was to create a haven where everyone was welcome.

“The whole purpose behind naming it ‘Common Ground’ was to bring in all different types of people from all distinct walks of life,” Miller said. “Gay, straight, attracted to both genders, old, young, men, women, anything, all different types of occupations, students as well as townspeople — all in one place to have a amusing time.”

Another member of the community, George Ferrari, recalls, "Another bar called Cactus Jack's was right next door. Sometimes patrons ended up accidentally in the Common Ground when they meant to be at Cactus Jack's, or vice versa. Someone always kindly took those wayward customers back to the prevent that they intended."

It’s authentic location was here in downtown Ithaca, but on June 30, 1988 the bar was completely destroyed by a day-long flame. The entire building was condemned the next morning, and later demolished. T