Marriage equality since Obergefell v. Hodges (26 June 2015). The Respect for Marriage Act (December 2022) provides a congressional floor, requiring federal recognition of all valid same-sex and interracial marriages regardless of future Supreme Court rulings. Bostock v. Clayton County (2020) held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. No comprehensive federal anti-discrimination law in housing or public…
Stroudsburg is the county seat of Monroe County and the walkable downtown heart of the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. Together with its twin borough of East Stroudsburg, just across Brodhead Creek, it forms the commercial and cultural centre of the Poconos. Stroudsburg itself is a small borough of roughly 6,000 residents built around a historic Main Street of independent shops, cafes, taverns and the Monroe County Courthouse — and it is best known to LGBTQ+ visitors as the home of the annual Pocono Pride Festival.
Is there a gay scene in Stroudsburg?
Stroudsburg does not have a dedicated gay bar, club or sauna within the borough. It is a friendly, welcoming small town rather than a nightlife destination, and its Main Street venues — gastropubs, a meadery, live-music bars and cafes — are mainstream but relaxed and open to everyone. The region's dedicated LGBTQ+ nightlife is concentrated a few miles east, across the creek in and around East Stroudsburg (see below). If you are looking for a night out at a gay venue, that is where to head; downtown Stroudsburg is where you will find the daytime cafes, restaurants and the Pride festival itself.
Pocono Pride Festival
The Pocono Pride Festival is the anchor LGBTQ+ event of the region and takes place in the heart of downtown Stroudsburg at Courthouse Square, along Main Street, each June during Pride Month. Organized by the Pocono Pride Coalition, it is a free, family-friendly street festival with multiple stages of live entertainment, drag performances, more than a hundred vendors and community organizations, food and a beer garden. It has grown steadily since its founding and now draws several thousand attendees from across northeastern Pennsylvania, making it the largest Pride gathering in the Poconos. The 2026 edition is scheduled for early June; the festival returns to Courthouse Square each year.
Nearby: dedicated LGBTQ+ venues in East Stroudsburg
The Poconos' dedicated gay venues sit just outside the borough on the East Stroudsburg side, a short drive from downtown along Mount Nebo Road:
Rainbow Mountain Resort — one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ resorts in the northeastern United States, open since 1981, with a public gay nightclub (drag, cabaret and Latin nights), a bar and bistro, and gay-owned lodging.
Camp Out Poconos — an LGBTQ+ adult campground and events venue with a lounge, drag brunches, DJ parties and a pool.
You will also find the ESU Gender and Sexuality Center on the East Stroudsburg University campus. These are catalogued under our East Stroudsburg guide.
Gay saunas and cruising
There are no gay saunas or bathhouses in Stroudsburg or anywhere in the Pocono Mountains. The nearest gay saunas are in Philadelphia (about two hours south). We do not list any cruising areas in Stroudsburg; there are no well-documented, publicly known cruising grounds in the borough.
Where to stay
Downtown Stroudsburg has the most convenient accommodation for Pride weekend, led by the historic Penn Stroud hotel on Main Street, a short walk from Courthouse Square. Other options in and around the borough include the Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express, the budget-friendly Red Roof Inn, and the scenic hilltop Stroudsmoor Country Inn. For a gay-owned stay, Rainbow Mountain Resort in neighbouring East Stroudsburg offers lodging alongside its nightclub. See our hotels section for the full list.
Stroudsburg is compact and easily walked; you will want a car to reach the East Stroudsburg venues on Mount Nebo Road and to explore the wider Poconos. Pennsylvania has statewide protections and same-sex marriage has been legal nationwide since 2015. Monroe County and the Stroudsburg area are generally welcoming, and the growth of Pocono Pride reflects an active and visible local LGBTQ+ community. Standard small-town common sense applies; the downtown is safe and friendly for visitors.
Frequently asked questions
Stroudsburg borough itself does not have a dedicated gay bar or club. Its Main Street nightlife is mainstream and welcoming rather than a gay scene. The region's dedicated LGBTQ+ nightlife is a short drive away in neighbouring East Stroudsburg, at Rainbow Mountain Resort (a long-running gay resort with a public nightclub) and Camp Out Poconos.
The Pocono Pride Festival is held each June, during Pride Month, at Courthouse Square in downtown Stroudsburg along Main Street. Organized by the Pocono Pride Coalition, it is a free, family-friendly festival with live entertainment, drag, vendors and food, and is the largest LGBTQ+ event in the Pocono Mountains. The 2026 festival is scheduled for early June.
No. There are no gay saunas or bathhouses in Stroudsburg or anywhere in the Pocono Mountains. The nearest gay saunas are in Philadelphia, about a two-hour drive south.
The most convenient base is downtown Stroudsburg, especially the historic Penn Stroud hotel on Main Street, a short walk from Courthouse Square. Other options include the Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Red Roof Inn and the hilltop Stroudsmoor Country Inn. For gay-owned lodging, Rainbow Mountain Resort in East Stroudsburg offers rooms alongside its nightclub.
Yes. Stroudsburg is a welcoming small town, and the steady growth of the Pocono Pride Festival reflects an active, visible local LGBTQ+ community. Pennsylvania recognises same-sex marriage (legal nationwide since 2015) and the downtown is safe and friendly for visitors.
The Poconos' own gay venues are just across the creek in East Stroudsburg (Rainbow Mountain Resort, Camp Out Poconos). For a larger city scene with gay bars and saunas, Philadelphia is about two hours south and New York City about 90 minutes east.
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