Studio 13

Studio 13 is the dedicated LGBTQ+ bar in Ames, Iowa, occupying a downtown storefront at 405 Main Street. It opened in August 2026 under the operators of Iowa City's well-known Studio 13, and is currently the only dedicated gay bar in Ames — a notable addition for a college town that had been without one since the previous drag bar, Big Wigs, closed in 2023. The club leans into nightlife: resident and guest DJs, karaoke, themed nights, and regular drag performances draw a mix of Iowa State students, young professionals, and travelers. It runs an evening-into-late schedule (roughly Tuesday through Sunday nights, 21+), and positions itself as a welcoming, explicitly queer space rather than a gay-friendly bar. If you're passing through Ames or visiting Iowa State, this is the anchor of the local LGBTQ+ nightlife scene; for a larger scene, Des Moines is about 35 miles south.