Gay bars fresno california
Looking at LGBTQ+ history in Central California
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The 1969 "Stonewall Riots" are seen as the starting of the new LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Stonewall Inn customers in New York Metropolis stood up against police raids sparking activism and knowledge. But the propel for equality began long before that.
"In the 60s, all this in Fresno was mostly agriculture," said El Daña. "Being raised out on the farm, I thought I was the only one that was gay....I felt caring of alone."
El Daña is one of Central Valley's first male impersonators, finer known today as "drag kings." She'd lip-sync to Tom Jones, Ritchie Valens, Glen Campbell at gay bars in the Central Valley, drawing crowds from San Francisco and Los Angeles. But her shows began years after she discovered gay bars even existed.
"When I first went to the Orange Ogre, I thought I had died and gone to heaven," she said. "My face was in awe, my eyes got big, because I'm like, I'm not the only one!"
The Orange Ogre and other queer bars in Fresno were safe spaces for LGBTQ+ members.
"You could be yourself. You can create friends, make
80s Dance Clubs in Fresno
Postby cabeef » Sun Feb 27, 2011 11:38 am
Here are rare dance clubs I have fond memories hanging out in the early 80s in Fresno:
THE PLAYPEN - Located on Blackstone south of Shields on the west side - it was down the block from "Nichola's" restaurant I recall - it was round-shaped and used to play the coolest 80s electro-funk-hip-hop music, i.e. Freeez, Debbie Deb, Trinere, Fonda Rae, etc.
ZACK'S - This was actually located in Clovis, but was a great teen/high school dance club that used to play all the new wave/dance club hits - favorites were Madonna's "Burning Up," Dominatrix's "Dominatriax Sleeps Tonight," The Cure's "Let's Go to Bed," Tin Tin's "Kiss Me," and many more. Kinda had a 'barn" atmosphere, lots of wood beams and the DJ upstairs.
KNOCK THREE TIMES (at Picadilly Inn) on Shaw - the sound track was a mix of 80s new wave hits and 80s R&B/soul/electro - won the dance contest a few times here!
EXPRESS - downtown Fresno on Blackstone close Belmont - not just a gay dance club, very mixed depending on the night - gay, bi, str8, guys, girls, everyone came to dance here - I believe it closed in the 90s and moved to a larger
The first song I ever danced to in a gay bar was, quite naturally, “It’s Raining Men.”
I never said I wasn’t a stereotype, did I?
I was twenty-one the first time I ever set foot in a gay bar. (If there were gay bars anywhere near me in Kansas, I had no idea) It was in Fresno, California, of all places; where I spent the 80’s and which I often lovingly refer to as “Topeka in the Valley.” It wasn’t much of anything, really; a small building on Blackstone Avenue, I think just past Olive, and close the off-ramp for the new cross-town highway in an attempt to alleviate traffic on the main streets of the metropolis (it may have been further north). The prevent was called the Convey, and someone I worked with–the first obviously homosexual man I ever knew, and certainly the first one who was out and proud and not ashamed of it–took me one night after operate. I was nervous as hell. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I remember it was dark and crowded. There was a bigger front room with the prevent, and there was a smaller dance floor further in the back. We arrived–I didn’t recognize the song that was playing–got
Fresno Gay City Reference - Finding Your Place in the California Sun
Located in sunny central California, in the center of the San Joaquin Valley, Fresno is the fifth-largest city in the state. It is a city with a rich history, plenty of opportunity, and many things to see, carry out and enjoy. It is both a center of technology and industry, and a paradise for nature lovers, due to its proximity to natural treasures like Yosemite National Park, the Sierra National Forest, and more. Without ask, Fresno is a city with much to offer and much to relax for those who call it home.
A Look at Fresno’s History
Fresno initially got its start in 1872 as a station for the Central Pacific Railroad, and was named for the ash trees that Spanish explorers found in the area when they first discovered it. Although it initially began to grow as a result of the railroad, it later became an significant center for agriculture and remains so to this morning. The city produced over 250 crops worth approximately $3 billion each year, including grapes, cotton, tomatoes, cattle, and turkeys, among others. It's also established as a distribution and manufacturing center, with many diverse industries and employmen