Gay venues
14
Country
United States
LGBTQ+ status
Welcoming
In this guide · 3 sections

Evansville is down in the southwest corner of Indiana, right on the Ohio River, across from Kentucky. It's a regional spot for the tri-state area and has an LGBTQ+ scene that's small but pretty active—more than you'd guess for a city this size in southern Indiana.

Gay Bars

    • The Someplace Else — This is Evansville's oldest gay bar. They do drag shows, have pool tables, and keep a solid local crowd. It's the main place for the city's LGBTQ+ nightlife.
    • Bar Twenty-Two — Another gay bar. They have regular events and it feels pretty welcoming. It's your other choice if Someplace Else isn't hitting right.
    • Krave Nightclub — This one's an LGBTQ+-friendly dance club. Expect themed nights and drag.
Shorty's Bar 🍺🍻🎤🎶🎸🍷🍸🫗🍽️🍹
Someplace Else Nightclub
★ 4.2 (20)

Community

Evansville Pride happens in June. It's a community event that pulls people from Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. PFLAG Evansville has a local chapter. Both the University of Southern Indiana and the University of Evansville have LGBTQ+ student groups.

Regional Context

Indianapolis is 2.5 hours north and its gay scene is much bigger. Louisville, KY, is two hours east; it also has more options. Evansville really acts as the local hub for smaller towns in Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. The Ohio River waterfront got a facelift recently, with new restaurants and the Ford Center arena.

⚠ Indiana context: Indiana passed that controversial RFRA law back in 2015 (they amended it later), and the state itself leans pretty conservative. Evansville's a bit more mixed; the gay bars operate out in the open, and the community's been around a while. Just use your normal judgment outside of specific LGBTQ+ venues.