Gay club riverside
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At the height of the AIDS crisis, The Menagerie was more than just a bar—it was a sanctuary. With little more than mismatched sofas, a pool table, and a small beer-and-wine bar, it quickly became a cornerstone of Riverside’s LGBTQ+ community. Instagram
LGBTQ Book Club @ Cellar Door Bookstore, every 4th Thursday of the month at 6pm.
Raven would go on to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season 2) and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (Season 1) and is now an Emmy Award–winning makeup artist as RuPaul’s personal MUA.
Since opening its doors in 1983, The Menagerie has proudly served the LGBTQ+ community of Riverside, the Inland Empire, and beyond. Instagram | Website
New LGBTQ+ community group in Riverside, CA for those who are interested in outdoor activities like kickball.
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**ON HIATUS** JOIN US AT IE Flows (Below) on Fridays.
Here for the community 🤝🏼
Join us every other Sunday @ 5pm @Fairmount Park, Riverside.
Karaoke, meanwhile, has held its place as a Monday-night staple for more than twenty years.
In 2003, Philip Bailey launched a Thursday drag show called All That Glitters, originally hosted by Cassi Phillips of Fant-a-Shes fame.
Meetup | Back to The Grind
IE Flows is a community spreading good vibes through flow and movement!
But Madeline was undeterred. Bringing passion and vision, he remodeled the space with a circular bar, a modernized dance floor, and bold artwork by local painter David Randers. After two failed attempts to get the sign made correctly, the third arrived with a glaring misspelling. Beginner friendly•All ages•All levels•All wheels
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Queer Hike I.E.
is a group that promotes unity and healing for the LGBTQIA+ community in nature.
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Art, Music, Books & Games ^
Get those creative juices flowing:
Chess night at Back to the Grind Coffee: Every Thursday night 6pm. Cassi eventually handed the spotlight to Raven, whose award-winning show Snatch! made The Menagerie a must-see destination.
Check their social media for when to meet. Whether you call yourself gal, homosexual, leather, boi, drag queen, guy, girl, bear, male, man, questioning, boy, lesbian, gay, butch, gurl, alternative, transgender, bisexual, fem, female, cross dresser, transsexual, daddy, drag king, curious, woman, or simply human - where to find a fun place to meet or scene to free your life.
Travel from midtown, downtown, city, east, north, uptown, central, country, south, or west - driving directions from your address to the location of the new Riverside, California gay watering hole.
Madeline, martini in hand, shrugged and declared, “F*ck it, we’re keeping it!” That bold decision turned the sign into an iconic piece of Menagerie history, perfectly capturing its playful, resilient spirit.
In June 1999, Madeline passed the torch to longtime patron and friend David St. Pierre. All runners & walkers of any abilities & levels are welcome!
It was a place to grieve, to heal, to celebrate, and to remind each other that love, friendship, and authenticity mattered. Depending on your device, get turn by turn driving directions from Google, Apple, Waze.
WE’RE BACK!
We’re open Wednesday through Sunday for drinking and dining — be sure and check out our new menu!
About The Menagerie
In the early 1980s, Madeline Lee lived at the Mission Inn in Riverside, surrounded by a close-knit group of gay and lesbian neighbors. Meets every other at 7pm at Sycamore Highlands Park, Riverside.
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Social & More ^
Just get together and chat:
LGBTQ+ Coffee Meetup by Out!
Riverside – every third Saturday of each month from 9:30-11am at Back to the Grind. We are not affiliated with any of these groups or activities – they are all organized by other community members – but we know it's important to be able to find your tribe and list them here for your information. Located just across from the Mission Inn, its run was short-lived—shut down by Riverside PD Vice for missing permits.
Within a few years, the restaurant gave way to a pulsing dance club, home to karaoke nights and signature events like Prom Night and the Easter Bonnet Contest.