In this guide · 13 sections
- Where the scene is
- Bars and nightlife
- Closed or changed: gone but still Googled
- Pride and events
- Community and health
- Where to stay
- Practical tips
- At a glance
- FAQ
- Is there a gay bar in Winston-Salem?
- When is Winston-Salem Pride?
- Is Winston-Salem safe for LGBTQ+ travellers?
- Is there a gay sauna or cruising area?
The honest summary: Winston-Salem has no gay bar. The last queer nightclub, Euphoria on Trade Street, closed in January 2026. What it does have is a real community: an LGBTQ+ centre that has run since 2013, a free Pride parade and festival every June that fills the Arts District, a long-running queer film festival, and one bar, Hel's, that is openly built around queer customers. For a dedicated gay club, locals drive 30 miles east to Greensboro.
Legal in one line: Same-sex marriage is legal across the US, and Winston-Salem's own non-discrimination ordinances (adopted unanimously on 16 August 2021, in force since 1 January 2022) cover sexual orientation and gender identity in jobs and public places. North Carolina's HB 805, in force since 1 January 2026, defines sex as male or female in state law, which affects trans people's documents.
Where the scene is
There is no gay district. Queer life clusters in two parts of downtown: the Trade Street Arts District (galleries, bars, the Pride festival) and Burke Street on the west side, where the community centre and a handful of LGBTQ-friendly bars sit within a few blocks. Fourth Street, between them, is the restaurant strip and the Pride parade route. Downtown is walkable; almost everything else needs a car.
Bars and nightlife
Hel's (545 Trade St NW) opened in March 2023 and calls itself an inclusive femme dive bar. Its owners said at the opening that a space that looks out for the queer community mattered to them, and Visit Winston-Salem's 2026 Pride roundup called it one of the city's most openly inclusive nightlife spots. Expect a mixed queer and straight crowd, cheap drinks, Queeraoke and DJ nights. Google lists it open daily until 2am.
Beyond Hel's, the city's tourism office lists several LGBTQ-friendly but mainstream bars, including The Observatory (in the old Euphoria space at 701 Trade St), Fair Witness and Little Pep. Drag happens as one-off shows rather than weekly residencies: in 2026 there was Golden Girls Drag Bingo and a drag brunch at Joymongers Barrel Hall, a Southern Fried Drag Show at Dive Bar on Burke Street, and a Valentine's drag pop-up at The Chat Room. Watch Visit Winston-Salem's event calendar and the North Star calendar for the next one.
There is no gay sauna, bathhouse or sex club in Winston-Salem, and we found no documented cruising area. The nearest gay club is in Greensboro.
Closed or changed: gone but still Googled
- Euphoria, 701 Trade St NW: a queer-owned nightclub and karaoke bar that opened in March 2023. Closed in January 2026; the space is now The Observatory.
- Club Odyssey, Country Club Road: the long-running gay club with drag and dancers. It closed around 2009, reopened as CO2, and CO2 closed at the end of 2012.
- Club Snap, 1001 Burke St: opened after CO2 and is also closed. The building is now Vintage Sofa Bar, which hosts some PrideWS events.
- Bourbon Street (916 Burke St, 1980s) and The Satellite (Seventh and Trade, 1990s) are historic bars, long gone.
- Older generated guides mention a "Forsyth LGBTQ+ Center". It doesn't exist; the city's centre is North Star.
- North Star LGBTQ+ Community Center, 930 Burke St: open since 2013, with a monthly gaming afternoon, The Rainbow Room social, Rainbow AA, a Young Adult Group (18 to 25), free STI/HIV testing and a directory of supportive businesses and churches.
- Pride Winston-Salem (PrideWS): the June festival plus smaller events through the year.
- Forsyth County Public Health STD Clinic, 799 N Highland Ave: free STI and HIV testing and treatment, open to non-residents. Call 336-703-3100.
- PFLAG Winston-Salem (pflagws.org) runs a monthly support group, and Wake Forest University has an LGBTQ+ Center in the Benson University Center for students and visitors on weekdays.
- Affirming churches on North Star's list include Green Street United Methodist, which stopped performing all weddings in 2013 until same-sex couples could marry, and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Robinhood Road.
- The nearest commercial airport is Piedmont Triad International (GSO), about 25 miles east, roughly a 30-minute drive. Smith Reynolds Airport in town is general aviation only.
- You need a car for anything beyond downtown. Rideshare works, but the bus network is limited.
- For a gay club night, Greensboro is the closest option, about 30 miles east. Charlotte and Raleigh have the larger scenes, each well over an hour's drive.
- Check Hel's and North Star on Instagram or their websites before going; small venues change nights often.
Pride and events
Pride Winston-Salem is run by the nonprofit PrideWS on a Saturday in mid-June: a parade along Fourth Street at 11am and a festival on Trade Street from 10am to 5pm, free to enter. The 2025 edition was on 14 June and the 2026 edition on 13 June, with more than 200 vendors, 21 food trucks, a music stage and a drag stage (WFDD). The 2027 date had not been announced at the time of writing; see our Pride Winston-Salem page.
OUT at the Movies, founded in Winston-Salem in 2004, calls itself North Carolina's second-largest LGBTQ+ film festival. Its 13th festival ran 24 to 27 September 2026, with screenings through the year (outatthemovies.org). Greensboro Pride, about 30 miles east, was on Saturday 12 September 2026 and held its first parade that year.
Community and health
Where to stay
Stay downtown if you want to walk to Trade Street. The Kimpton Cardinal fills the 1929 Reynolds Building and is about a 5-minute walk from Hel's; Hotel Indigo on West Fourth Street and the Winston-Salem Marriott are also central. The Historic Brookstown Inn, a converted 19th-century mill, and Summit Street Inns, a Victorian B&B in the West End, are the characterful options. These are mainstream hotels; none markets itself to LGBTQ+ guests. See all Winston-Salem hotels.
Practical tips
At a glance
| Gay bars | None dedicated; Hel's is the openly queer-inclusive bar |
|---|---|
| Gay saunas | None |
| Community centre | North Star LGBTQ+ Community Center, 930 Burke St |
| Pride | Mid-June, Fourth St and Trade St (13 June 2026; 2027 TBA) |
| Film festival | OUT at the Movies, late September |
| Local protections | City non-discrimination ordinances since 1 January 2022 |
| Airport | GSO, about 25 miles east |
| Population | About 257,000 (2025 estimate), North Carolina's 5th-largest city |
FAQ
Is there a gay bar in Winston-Salem?
Not a dedicated one. Euphoria closed in January 2026. Hel's on Trade Street is the openly queer-inclusive bar, and Greensboro has dedicated gay clubs.
When is Winston-Salem Pride?
On a Saturday in mid-June: 13 June in 2026, with the parade on Fourth Street and the festival on Trade Street. The 2027 date has not been announced.
Is Winston-Salem safe for LGBTQ+ travellers?
Generally yes, especially downtown. The city has its own non-discrimination ordinances; state law (HB 805) is less protective for trans people, so carry ID that matches your bookings.
Is there a gay sauna or cruising area?
No gay sauna or bathhouse exists, and we found no documented cruising area.
Last verified: November 2026.
