Weekly Regulars: LGBTQ+ Blackpool Day by Day

Whatever night you're in town, something is happening in the Rainbow Quarter. This page lists the regular weekly and monthly fixtures we know about, from free drag at mid-afternoon to choir practice and peer support. Line-ups rotate and seasons change, especially outside summer, so treat this as a guide and check with venues on the day.

Every day

• Garlands, Talbot Road: free-entry drag every day, with resident queens on stage from about 3pm, rotating guest cabaret, live vocals and DJs. Open from midday until 2am, or 3am Thursday to Saturday.
• The Flying Handbag, Queen Street: open from midday seven days a week until 3am (4am on Fridays and Saturdays), with food through the day and entertainment most nights.
• Peek-a-Booze, Dickson Road: cabaret bar open from 9am, with food until 7pm and entertainment most evenings.
• Trades Bar, Lord Street: a men-only bar open daily from 11am until late.

Monday

• Monday Mayhem at the Flying Handbag, from 8pm, with karaoke.
• Shazza and Bonnie at Garlands: drag and cabaret, free entry.
• Bingo and Blankety Blank with Wayne at Peek-a-Booze, from 7pm.
• Christmas Sleigh Queens at Funny Girls plays Mondays during the Christmas season (12 November to 3 January). Funny Girls is otherwise closed on Mondays.

Tuesday

Tuesday is community night in the quarter.

• Shazza's Singalong and Bonnie la Blue's Big Camp Gameshow at Garlands, free entry.
• Karaoke with DJ Keiron at Peek-a-Booze, from 9pm.
• Free fast-track sexual health clinic at the LGBTQ+ health centre, 102 Dickson Road, 5pm to 8pm: rapid HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C tests, STI kits, PrEP advice, free condoms.
• Electric Pink Voices, the LGBTQ+ choir, rehearses from 6.30pm at The Old Electric, Springfield Road. No auditions and free to join.
• Blackpool Allies social, first and third Tuesdays, 6pm to 8pm, at 102 Dickson Road.
• Lancashire Lads, the trans men's group, second Tuesday, 6pm to 8pm, at 102 Dickson Road.
• Blackpool's long-running trans support group, second and fourth Tuesdays, at a North Shore guesthouse on Dickson Road.
• TransInclusion, for trans women and feminine gender-diverse people, once a month on a Tuesday; contact for details.

Wednesday

• QuizMania with Amber at the Flying Handbag, 4pm to 8pm, followed by karaoke.
• Guest cabaret with Bunny Hopps and Missie Jay at Garlands, free entry.
• Free bingo from 7pm, then Bingo and Play Your Cards Right with Wayne from 9pm, at Peek-a-Booze.
• Funny Girls show season runs Wednesday to Sunday, with the Oscars after-show bar upstairs from 11pm.
• Food for Thought at Liberty Church, North Shore: free meal from 6.30pm, then discussion from about 7.15pm. All welcome.
• Lytham Let Live, a daytime friendship group, first Wednesday of the month, 10am to 12 noon, in St Annes.
• Phoenix Clinic, sexual health for trans and gender-diverse people, second Wednesday evening of the month at Whitegate Health Centre (book on 0300 1234 154).
• Wyre LGBT Youth Group, 4.30pm to 6.30pm in Fleetwood, with sessions for ages 11 to 17 and over-18s.

Thursday

• Thirsty Thursday with Miss Amber and Take It or Leave It at the Flying Handbag, plus karaoke.
• Aariella Galore and Dragalicious at Garlands, free entry.
• Karaoke Thursday with Wayne at Peek-a-Booze, 9pm to 11.30pm.
• Funny Girls show, with the Oscars after-show until 2am.
• Rendezvous Bar, Lord Street: opens from 5pm with entertainment.
• Naked Thursdays at W3, the men's sauna on Charles Street. Men only, 18+.
• LGBTQ+ swimming group, last Thursday of the month, 8.30pm to 9.30pm, Moor Park Leisure Centre, Bispham. Free; register first.
• Gender outreach drop-in, monthly on a Thursday, 12pm to 2pm, Blackpool Central Library. Check the county LGBTQ+ charity's calendar for dates.

Friday

• TFI Friday with Miss Amber and DJ Pudsley at the Flying Handbag, open until 4am.
• Dragalicious and Campy Galore at Garlands, free entry.
• Funny Girls show, with the Oscars bar from 9pm.
• Sherlock's, Queen Street: DJs and visiting performers from 7pm to 2.30am.
• Kaos, Queen Street: late weekend club session until 4am.
• Growlr Club upstairs at Man Bar, Dickson Road: men-only cruise club, about 9pm to 2am. Man Bar and its gin lounge, Gin & Bear It, open from 8pm Friday to Sunday.
• Underwear Fridays at W3. Men only, 18+.
• Mardi Gras, Lord Street: open until 3am with cabaret and a late bar.
• Rendezvous Bar: afternoon and early evening entertainment from 2pm.

Saturday

• Bunny Hopps, Andi Martine and Campy Galore at Garlands, free entry.
• The Flying Handbag, Kaos and Sherlock's run late, until about 4am.
• Funny Girls' busiest night: book ahead.
• Growlr Club at Man Bar, about 9pm to 2am.
• Late Saturdays at W3. Men only, 18+.
• Rendezvous Bar from 2pm, and many quarter bars open from midday for daytime drinks.

Sunday

• Sunday lunch at the Flying Handbag, 12pm to 5pm.
• Rainbow Quarter Sunday roasts: several venues serve roasts, including 31 Queen Street, DeLovely on Lord Street (book ahead), the Flying Handbag and Mardi Gras (from 1.30pm).
• Guest cabaret with Campy Galore and Bernie de Bra, plus the Lucy Fur Comedy Drag Show, at Garlands, free entry.
• Lady and the Camp at the Flying Handbag on selected Sunday afternoons.
• Funny Girls Sunday show, a little cheaper than Fridays and Saturdays.
• Liberty Church Sunday worship, 6.30pm, St Paul's Worship Centre, Egerton Road.
• Sherlock's from 6pm until late.

Weekends at the cabaret lounges

Smaller cabaret bars on Dickson Road have long run music and cabaret acts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from about 7pm. Check with them for current line-ups.

Times, prices and line-ups can change, so check before you go.