Gay Guide to Des Moines
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About LGBTQ+ Des Moines
Des Moines, the capital of Iowa, has a gay scene centered on the East Village, the trendy district east of the river nicknamed the Gayborhood around East Fifth and Grand. The Blazing Saddle is Iowa's oldest operating gay bar, recently past its 40th anniversary, joined by the Garden show lounge and the easygoing Buddy's Corral next door. Capital City Pride takes over the second weekend of June and draws more than 40,000 over the weekend with a parade and performances. For a Midwestern capital, the scene is compact, walkable, and friendly, with most venues a few blocks apart.
Des Moines' oldest gay bar, open since 1983 in the East Village, a laid-back country-western spot popular with bears and leathermen.
LGBT+-owned East Village show lounge and restaurant, running for nearly 40 years, with drag shows, drag brunches, and a rooftop patio bar.