Tuscon gay bars

It's 1 p.m. on a weekday afternoon, and Tom Novakowski is doing what he's done almost every day for the past 40 years—tending bar. More specifically, he's tending a gay exclude.

Away from the glare of the summer sun, IBT's on Fourth Street offers a shadowy, cool respite. Novakowski stands behind the club's bar with a cup of coffee in one hand, occasionally putting it down to pour a beverage for a daytime patron, or to fold bar towels in preparation for the evening rush.

At the height of Tucson's gay-bar era—the late-1970s into the mid-'80s—there were about a dozen bars, and Novakowski recalls most of their names: the Graduate, the Venture, Sir James, Hair Tiz, the Joshua Tree/Backdoor, the Stonewall Eagle, Michael's, the Fineline, Rita's, Colette's, Project, Lucky Pierre's and IBT's.

Today's gay-bar scene includes about a half-dozen places: IBT's, as well as Woody's, New Celestial, Brodie's Tavern, Venture-N, and Colors.

June Thomas, author of The Gay Bar: Its Riotous Past and Uncertain Future, wrote a six-part series on the history and the future of the lgbtq+ bar for Slate.com last year.

"In 2007, Entrepreneur Magazine place gay bars on its list of businesses facing exti

Where are all the gay bars in Tucson?

Tucson has always has been very accepting of all people, especially gays. One of the great benefits of acceptance is less segregation. There are some bars that are considered actual gay bars in Tucson, and the most popular is IBT's. Awesomely, is that a word? Well, I'm going to employ it. Awesomely, you will discover gay, lesbian, trans and linear people all hanging out together in whatever bars or venue in Tucson. The community here is so evolved and aware, that everyone simply hangs out with each other anywhere and everywhere. No matter gender, sexuality, ethnicity or class -- Tucsonans embrace and celebrate diversity to reinforce the values of romance and abolish hate and negativity.

One of the most active areas for gay, lesbian, LGBT, LGBTQ and straight people to socialize is downtown all throughout the light rail district.

The glow rail travels to all the downtown hot spots. It goes from the Mercado through downtown on Congress St. And then from downtown, it goes up through 4th Ave and on to the U of A main gate square area. There are currently over 30 bars and clubs to explore and more and more keep popping it everywhere. It's an excit

IBT’s Bar & Food

IBT’s Bar & Food has been entertaining locals and tourists since 1985. Our homosexual bar is one of the leading dance clubs in the Southwest. We are the city’s premier drag demonstrate locale, complete with a patio for relaxing, a full-service bar with superb drink specials, and a live DJ Tuesday through Sunday. We also film a second DJ Wednesday through Saturday so you can enjoy upbeat, entertaining music out on the patio as well, where smokers are welcome. The patio also bids dancing the entire night, with songs by our second DJ.

Inside, you’ll also find a big dance floor that operates seven days a week. As if that wasn’t enough, we film fantastic entertainment every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 9 p.m.–stop in to see one of our beloved flamboyant shows. Every Thursday and Friday at 11 pm, observe the GoGo Boys dance the late hours away. We also have a 2nd full service prevent on the patio where you can mingle with friends. Contact us to learn more, or come by our bar in Tucson to discover the fun for yourself.

Best Gay Bar

It's About Period (IBT's)
616 N. Fourth Ave.

READERS' PICK: Nobody ever complains the scene's a drag at IBT's. Sometimes in drag, but never a drag, this long-standing readers' favorite is a great place to gyrate , converse or just terminate in for a cool one. Inside the atmosphere is always festive, the music always hip (these guys were doing the Macarena long before it conquered the mainstream bars); and outside is one of the best exclude patios in Tucson, with heat lamps in winter that one patron says "ensure you're always nearby a hot flame." Unlike many bars around town, you don't have to have the inside footpath to have a nice time at IBT's. Foremost of all, there's never a cover charge.

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: The Plug (formerly Club 2520), 2520 N. Oracle Road.

STAFF PICK: If you're fatigued of wimpy gay bars full of clean-cut posers and homo-wannabe's, head to The Graduate, 37 W. University Blvd., where a pre-stonewall atmosphere and a foaming mug o' beer await. The drag queens here are wearing sequins and lace because they like to, not because it looks good on them, and the butch guys could out-smoke the Marlboro Man, out-dr