Countdown To The World Games - Birmingham 2022
Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau - Birmingham, AL
  • Visit
    • Where To Stay
    • Things To Do
      • Experiences & Itineraries
      • Shopping
      • Attractions
      • Sports
      • Outdoors
      • Live Music & Nightlife
      • Family Friendly
      • Historical
    • Food & Drink
    • Request A Guide
    • Neighborhoods
    • Events
      • 01/01/2022 - 2022 Birmingham Festivals
      • 03/13/2022 - Birmingham Legion FC
      • 07/15/2022 - Youth NFL Flag Regional
      • See All
    Travel Update Current Weather Hurrican Evacuation Info Request A Guide Experiences Neighborhoods
  • Plan
    • Plan An Event
      • Meetings & Conventions
      • Travel
        • Group Tours
        • Student / Youth
        • International
      • Sports
      • Reunions
      • Weddings
    • Where To Stay
    • Submit An RFP
    • Request A Guide
    • Food & Drink
    • Events
      • 01/01/2022 - 2022 Birmingham Festivals
      • 03/13/2022 - Birmingham Legion FC
      • 07/15/2022 - Youth NFL Flag Regional
      • See All
    Travel Update Current Weather Hurrican Evacuation Info Request A Guide Submit An RFP Facilities
  • Festivals & Events
  • About
  • News
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

LGBTQ in Birmingham

Welcome to Our Community

The greater Birmingham community is, indeed, a part of the Deep South, but feel free to leave your preconceived notions about tolerance and inclusivity at the door. This is a welcoming and accepting city that celebrates and enjoys a broad spectrum of ideas and lifestyles. We simply can’t be pigeonholed as intolerant in this day and age. We welcome visitors of every stripe to share our wealth of entertainment and hospitality. With our rich civil rights history, we are, after all, the city that changed the world.


Perfect Score on Equality Assessment

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation gave Birmingham a 100% score in its Municipal Equality Index in assessing LGBTQ quality in 506 cities across the nation. The foundation is the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer civil rights organization. Birmingham is proud to have achieved this perfect score and considers it a reflection of our commitment to take the lead in supporting all LGBTQ people.

LGBTQ Events and Entertainment

For 22 years, Birmingham has hosted the Sidewalk Film Festival, premiering and screening independent and arthouse films and documentaries in August in the city’s historic Theatre District. Since 2006, a major component of the event has been the SHOUT Film Festival. SHOUT showcases features, documentaries, and short films that explore issues and situations involving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities. The festival is Alabama’s first queer film showcase and is proud to support the Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ community by advocating for awareness, acceptance, and appreciation of diversity.

Birmingham hosts Alabama’s oldest LGBTQ pride festival and parade sponsored by Central Alabama Pride. The 42-year-old organization held its first public pride festival in 1980 with about 250 people attending. Now, thousands of people across the Southeast come to Birmingham for the annual events in June.

The Mystic Krewe of Apollo-Birmingham was founded in 1976. The first Bal Masque was held during the 1977 carnival season and continues annually each February with splendor and creativity.

In 1982, the New South Softball League founded the Southern Shootout Tournament with the goal of creating the best LGBT softball tournament in the South. Over the years, it has grown to be the longest consecutively running LGBT softball tournament in North America. Dozens of teams from around the Southeast come to compete at Birmingham’s George Ward Park and to enjoy the city’s hospitality.

Hundreds of pieces of art, many from local artists, go up for auction at the annual Arty Party presented by Birmingham AIDS Outreach. Hundreds of party-goers gather for silent and live auctions of everything from handmade jewelry to traditional and abstract art. Proceeds go to fund Birmingham AIDS Outreach, the Magic City Wellness Center, and the Magic City Acceptance Center. It’s a grand evening of food, drink, and entertainment for an important cause.

For nights out on the town, Birmingham has a selection of LGBTQ bars and nightclubs. And while these waterholes are popular, you’ll also find that the LGBTQ crowd likes to mingle and party at many of the city’s other fun and hip nightspots. Nights in Birmingham are inclusive and entertaining.

Resources

City of Birmingham + LGBTQ Affairs
Birmingham AIDS Outreach
Magic City Wellness Center
Magic City Acceptance Center
Southern Pride- A Guide to Birmingham, Alabama’s LGBTQ Scene

 

© Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau   ·   Partners
Developed by Kinetic | Designed by Cayenne Creative

We use technologies, such as cookies, to customize content and advertising and to analyze traffic to the site. We also share information about your use of our site with our trusted web partners. By clicking the "I agree" button, you consent to all cookies. If you do not agree, please click the "Deny All Cookies" button to prohibit the use of cookies in this browser session. Read More

Accept Reject
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT