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August 14 – 16
Toledo Pride 2026 celebrates its 17th year with a weekend of events, showcasing the LGBTQ+ community with live entertainment, drag performances, vendors, family-friendly activities and events throughout downtown Toledo.
- Ten Years of Pride
- Family Pride Night at the Sanger Branch Library
- The After Pride Street Party at Georgjz419
- Queer Care Club
- Gay Night In
Ten Years of Pride
Georgjz419 owner George Thompson reflects on a decade as Toledo’s best gay bar
By Jason Webber
As a young gay Toledo native, George Thompson spent countless nights hanging out at bygone LGBTQ+ watering holes and meeting places, like Blue Jeans, R House or The Ripcord. But that was then and this is now, and Thompson is now celebrating 10 years of operating the Uptown gay bar Georgjz419, located at 1205 Adams St.
It’s been a long, strange trip, Thompson has turned Georgjz419 into one of Toledo’s most happening joints with one of the region’s best karaoke nights on Wednesdays, great music DJs and drag performers strutting their stuff. And all orientations can have a great time at Georgjz419.
A road to the future
“Where did the time go,” asked Thompson with a philosophical edge to his voice. “It’s hard to believe it’s been a decade, but here we are.”
Thompson became the owner of Toledo’s best gay bar after spending years designing fine jewelry. Remnants of his former occupation can be found on his fingers and wrists, decorated with shiny gold rings and bracelets. He still designs and manufactures jewelry on a freelance basis. He also worked in healthcare as a hospice director, operated a carry-out, and previously operated a bar called George De Carlo.
Uptown influences
In 2015, Thompson found himself at a career crossroads. The healthcare industry had changed over the years, leaving Thompson a bit disillusioned. He knew he needed to make a change. One day he was talking to Uptown restaurant owner Manos Paschalis about life, and Paschalis had an idea.
“Manos told me there was a space that was going to open up, and he asked me ‘Would you be interested in opening another bar?’” explains Thompson. “And I did entertain it and it worked out and I said to myself ‘You know what? I’m going to do this.’”
And thus, Georgjz419 Fun, Food, and Spirits was born in 2016. Word quickly spread about the nighttime Mecca that catered to all genders and orientations.
“The LGTBQ community needed a bar that would be open to everyone,” said Thompson. “If you wanted to bring in a co-worker or a family member, the bar should represent that. Here, everyone is welcome, without prejudice.”
As Toledo prepares to celebrate its annual Pride Festival, Thompson remains optimistic about the future of both his establishment and the LGTBQ+ community.
“I want people to just be proud of who they are,” said Thompson, “Whether it’s your orientation or your religion, just be proud to be who you are.”
Family Pride Night at the Sanger Branch Library
Come play free family-friendly games and activities celebrating Toledo Pride!
Wednesday August 12, 6-8pm,
3030 Central Ave.
The After Pride Street Party at Georgjz419
Come and eat food, drink spirits and have fun after the pride festival!
Saturday August 15, 5pm, 1205 Adams St.
Queer Care Club
Mental Wellness for All
By Ava Thoman
Harbor’s Queer Care Club elevates mental wellness skills while also helping to form connections with other 18-to 26-year-olds in the LGBTQ+ community.
The Club hosts a plethora of wellness workshops, on the second Thursday of every month, from 6:30 to 8pm at Harbor at 4334 Secor Rd.
“We’ve done workshops discussing neurodivergency in the queer community. We’ve done workshops on different therapy methods and coping skills,” said Cassie Tenorio, the LGBTQ+ wellness and connection coordinator. “We hope to be doing a sustainability workshop soon and we’re also planning some yoga workshops as well.”
If you can’t make the Thursday meetings, Harbor also does monthly outings you can attend. “If Thursday nights don’t work for you, or you don’t want to do something as mental health-focused as Queer Care Club, we also do other activities in the community and everything is free,” Tenorio said.
Harbor is hosting DIY for Pride, a bracelet-making event at HandmadeToledo from 2 to 4pm on Aug. 8. On Aug. 23 from 11:30am to 1pm, they host a Gays Sip and Spill event at Brew Coffee where guests are encouraged to talk about and celebrate their wins.
For more information on Queer Care Club and Harbor’s other LGBTQ+ events, go to https://www.harbor.org/lgbtq-wellness-connection.
Gay Night In
Creating Space for LGBTQ+ Young Adults
By Ava Thoman
For a casual hangout space with other LGBTQ+ young adults, Harbor’s monthly Gay Night In is the perfect spot to relax with friends. This alcohol-free option for 18-to 26-year-olds provides a safe space for young queer people.
“We started to focus on creating sober spaces and outlets for them to meet other queer people outside of the bar scene,” explains Cassie Tenorio, the LGBTQ+ wellness and connection coordinator. “So we wanted to
make sure that we had some of those safe spaces set up that also help connect them with other resources in the community. So that’s where we got Gay Night In, which is a monthly low-key hangout space.”
Guests are invited to bring small crafts, like sewing, sketching or journaling, while an LGBTQ+ movie plays in the background. For August, Gay Night In has a more structured theme. “We are still building it, but that’s going to be our speed friending event. I’m not quite sure where it’s going to be yet… but we’re planning to get together everybody who’s signed up at all of the Pride events,” Tenorio said.
The speed friending event takes place on Aug. 20 from 6:30 to 8pm. harbor.org/lgbtq-wellness-and-connection-gay-night-in.
