With Pride celebrations down to a trickle, it’s time to scout around for other reasons and places to party. Whether you’re looking for bears, sexual adventurers, leather daddies, porn stars, drag queens, athletes or just, you know, hot guys, there has to be something happening over the next three months that will pique your interest.
Here are our suggestions for the eight best fall gay parties.
Southern Decadence
August 31–September 5
New Orleans, Louisiana
Always held over the U.S. Labour Day weekend, Southern Decadence is one of the largest gay events in the U.S. south and one of the largest events of any kind in the famously party-obsessed town known as New Orleans. With origins dating back to a house party in 1972, it has a uniquely creative—eccentric even—character that sets it apart from Prides and circuit parties. Though there are street, bar and club events for all tastes starting on the Thursday, the big day is Sunday when there’ll be a marching parade through the French Quarter. This year’s theme is “Wicked, Wild & Wet,” and the official colours are black, royal blue and kelly green. If you follow the assignment, you’re sure to be rewarded with more attention.
Sitges Bear Week
September 1–11
Sitges, Spain
Each year as many as 10,000 big men and their admirers take over this beachside Spanish resort town outside of Barcelona for 11 days of parties. The Bear Village, where many of the official events are held, is right on the beach, at the bottom of Calle Bonaire (which we like to pronounce as “boner”). But many burly buddies might also be hanging out in Sitges’ bar zone, on Carrere de Joan Tarrida between Calle Jesus and Placa de la Industria. The climax—if there has to be just one—is the awarding of Mr. Bear Sitges on the beach the night of Saturday, September 8. Activities are at multiple venues so you can pay as you go, but if you buy the Bear Sitges Week Pack for 70 euros, you could save as much as 54 euros in drinks—and get a T-shirt to boot.
Broken Heels Festival
September 7–11
Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia
Oh no, our northern hemisphere bias is showing. For those Down Under, this Priscilla Queen of the Desert–inspired drag festival is actually a spring event. Though it doesn’t draw the numbers of the other festivals on this list (this is the Australian outback, after all), the passion and imagination of the performers and attendees at this celebration of drag is something to see. And they’ve got you covered on the logistics. Catch the Silver City Stiletto train from Sydney Central Station for the 13-hour journey, hosted by Bebe Gunn and Foxxe Faux, or jump on a charter flight with drag host Dame Liz Taylor; flight perks include a bus transfer and feather boa.
Folsom Street Fair
September 24
San Francisco, California
Though it has spawned spinoffs in Europe and, just this year, Australia, nothing quite touches the shameless outrageousness of the original San Francisco event, which attracts hundreds of thousands of people who participate in or gawk at public nudity, sexual activity and a multitude of kinky goings-on. Oh, and there’s dancing. The SOMA area has a long queer history and Folsom has been an LGBTQ2S+ “entertainment” zone since at least the 1970s, getting more and more leather-y over the years. Although one of the key pleasures of Folsom is the attendees themselves, and what’s turning them on, remember that there are multiple performance stages, workshops and screenings all weekend long.
Parada do Orgulho LGBTI Rio/Rio Pride Parade
September 24
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Not quite as over the top as the Marvelous City’s carnival (which in 2024 runs February 9 to 14), Rio’s celebration of Pride attracts as many as 800,000 people for a march along Copacabana Beach. It’s quite political—last year the parade demanded the preservation of the Amazon rainforest and honoured those lost to COVID-19. But this is Brazil so it’s also a blast. As many as 10 “trios elétricos”—essentially performance stages on flatbed trucks—will be set up along the waterfront pedestrian zone, making it easy to roam around to find the music that makes you want to samba.
HustlaBall
October 19–22
Berlin, Germany
Build a series of parties around porn stars and they will come. Though there are HustlaBall stops in New York, Las Vegas, Tel Aviv and London, the Berlin edition is the raunchiest, probably because so many Berlin gay guys consider themselves to be porn stars—and there are play areas where you can see them prove it. Remember, this is not a circuit party but “sex-positive inclusive dance party.” The Friday night main event is at the legendary Kit Kat Club (Köpenicker Straße 76, Brückenstraße 1, Berlin). DJs and performers weren’t announced at press time. You’ll be racking up your OnlyFans bill after attending.
Taiwan Pride
October 22–29
Taipei, Taiwan
Probably the biggest Pride celebration in east Asia, with as many as 120,000 attendees, this week-long festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Taiwan’s legalizing same-sex marriage in 2019 has given recent celebrations a particular bounce. Following the parade, the crowds head to the bars in the “official” gay village near city hall to check out the entertainment on the outdoor stage. Meanwhile, the more circuit-y X-Formosa party series, founded in 2015, hosts three night parties and a tea dance that feature hot DJs from around the globe and hot go-go dancers and influencers from Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand.
Gay Games
November 3–11
Guadalajara, Mexico
Though sports are the obvious reasons for attending the Gay Games, the organizers of this edition are also hosting cultural and nightlife activities throughout this week of friendly international competition. So you don’t have to be an athlete to have a good time—athletic supporters are always welcome. From the opening ceremonies to the closing, the gaybourhood of this culturally rich Mexican city will host a series of parties that will tempt competitors to stay out later than they should. If this hemisphere seems too far from you, you can also have a good time at Hong Kong’s Gay Games, which happen the same week.
