Rainy-day ideas for LGBTQ+ visitors

The Irish Sea weather can turn quickly, but a wet day in Blackpool is a good excuse to go indoors where the town's LGBTQ+ culture lives. These are the best options that are actually about, or genuinely welcoming to, LGBTQ+ people.

Daytime drag

• Garlands, Talbot Road. Drag on stage every day from mid-afternoon, free to get in. On a grey afternoon it's the warmest room in town.
• The Flying Handbag, Queen Street. Open from midday with food, a long bar and daytime events such as a midweek quiz.
• Kaos, Queen Street. Open from midday on most days since its 2026 refit, all glitterballs and neon.
• Rendezvous and Mardi Gras, Lord Street. Small bars with afternoon entertainment, especially from Thursday to Sunday.
• Funny Girls daytime specials. The venue has hosted afternoon events, such as a storytelling and music session about LGBTQ+ love and loss in October 2026. Look for matinées and one-offs.
• Drag brunches. Town-centre show venues run drag-hosted bottomless brunches several times a year.

Queer heritage

• Showtown. The museum of fun and entertainment near the Tower has made queer stories part of its programme, from the variety era's gender-bending stars to the story of Funny Girls. It has run Pride Beside the Seaside tours, and its history clubs share photos and memories of Blackpool's queer nightlife.
• The Grundy Art Gallery, Queen Street. It has hosted LGBTQ+ heritage exhibitions and talks, and the council's plan for the quarter includes an LGBTQ+ exhibition here.
• Twenty years of Pride, 2027. From February to June 2027, Showtown and the Grundy are due to host two exhibitions drawing on the community's own archive of photos, flyers and memories of Blackpool Pride. If you have something to contribute, the project welcomes submissions.
• Central Library, Queen Street. It hosted fringe events during Pride 2026 and runs a monthly drop-in for trans and gender-diverse people.
• Aunty Social, Topping Street. A creative space that has hosted LGBTQ+ history evenings.

Theatre and shows

• The Grand Theatre and Winter Gardens, ten minutes' walk from the quarter, regularly stage shows with a big LGBTQ+ following. Recent and upcoming bookings include a new musical of The Picture of Dorian Gray in November 2026 and the comedy drag diva Myra DuBois in May 2027.
• Central Pier's show bar has hosted long-running drag shows from Blackpool favourites, including Betty Legs Diamond, who also performed at the 2026 Pride.
• Tribute nights. Town-centre show venues stage tribute nights with a strong LGBTQ+ following, such as a Jimmy Somerville and Bronski Beat tribute in February 2027.

Cosy bars for a wet afternoon

• Gin & Bear It, Springfield Road. A gin lounge with a couple of hundred gins (weekend evenings).
• DeLovely, Lord Street. Teapot cocktails and food in a gay-owned guesthouse bar.
• Neon, Yates Street. A small cocktail bar with premium spirits.
• Churchills, Topping Street. A traditional pub with cask ales and karaoke, open from mid-morning.

Wellbeing

• The saunas (men only, 18+): Acqua on Springfield Road is open seven days a week, and W3 on Charles Street runs weekly theme nights.
• A guesthouse spa. One LGBTQ+ guesthouse by the station has a sauna, sunbed and gym for its guests.

Indoor community activities

If you're staying longer or live locally:

• Electric Pink Voices, the LGBTQ+ choir, rehearses on Tuesday evenings and welcomes new members.
• A monthly LGBTQ+ swim with sole use of the pool and a coach.
• Social evenings and peer groups at Horizon on Dickson Road.