For many decades, Denver has been one of the centers of lesbian and gay culture, activism, feminism, and nightlife in the country. It is the largest and most dynamic center of LGBTQ culture in the Rocky Mountains, and a great starting point for exploring Colorado’s many natural wonders and recreational destinations, from Aspen and Boulder to Telluride and Rocky Mountain National Park.
The modern, progressive city of roughly 600,000 abounds with museums, trendy nightclubs, glitzy parks, and an increasingly sophisticated range of shops, hotels, and restaurants.
Denver and the Rocky Mountains
Most people think Denver is in the Rocky Mountains, but it’s actually just east of them. Although it is a mile above sea level, it is fairly flat terrain.
The foothills of the Rocky Mountains begin their magnificent, sharp ascent immediately west of the city and serve as a fixture of the Denver skyline, while the grassy plains stretch for many hundreds of miles east toward Kansas. This Colorado capital city is located at the junction of two major interstate highways, I-70 (east-west) and I-25 (north-south). It is also connected to I-80 via I-76, which leads northeast to Nebraska.
Annual LGBT Events in Denver
- June: Denver Gay Pride
- July: Colorado Springs Gay Pride
- Mid-July: Rocky Mountain Regional Rodeo (an event of the Colorado Gay Rodeo Association)
- August: AIDS Walk Colorado / AIDS Walk Denver.
LGBTQ-Friendly Neighborhoods in Denver
The LGBTQ community in Denver is fairly well integrated, although generally speaking, the Capitol Hill and Cheesman Park area has the highest concentration of gay and lesbian homes and businesses. To the west of downtown, the historic Highlands have an artsy vibe and plenty of trendy and trendy shops and restaurants, and to the south you’ll find a host of gay bars and restaurants along Broadway and South Broadway.
High-end shopping is the lure of Cherry Creek, and just north of downtown, posh Central Platte Valley and Commons Park are packed with modern condos. It’s close to Denver’s loveliest neighborhood, LoDo.
LGBTQ Resources in Denver
A handful of resources provide information about the city in general, and some about the local LGBT scene. For general visitor information, contact the Metro Denver Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Colorado GLBT Center has an excellent website and is a top resource for queer visitors or those planning to relocate here.
The city produces one of the oldest LGBT newspapers in the country, the excellent OutFront Colorado. And Westword is the city’s great free weekly alternative, with plenty of entertainment, art, nightlife, and food coverage.
LGBTQ history in Denver
Colorado has come a long way as an LGBTQ friendly destination. Although it was a bastion of nascent gay activism in the 1950s and 1960s, Denver and the rest of the state were the subject of a controversial gay and lesbian boycott in the early 1990s, due to the passage of Amendment 2. . This legislation required the prohibition of state and local laws that protect citizens against discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation on the basis of sexual orientation.
The United States Supreme Court struck down Amendment 2 in May 1996 by a 6-3 vote, ruling that the legislation denied gays and lesbians equal protection under the law. The court’s opinion curtailed similar anti-LGBT initiatives elsewhere in the United States, and Colorado has continued to prosper as a favorite place for LGBT people to live.
Denver has a lively gay scene and great energy. Gays and lesbians, who played a pivotal role in transforming Lower Downtown (aka LoDo) into a thriving arts and entertainment district, are helping to revitalize other exciting neighborhoods, including South Broadway and the Highlands.
