Gay bars des moines
Director: Kristian DayRun Time: 66 min.
Starring: Brian Ohrberg, Bryan Smith, Gary Moore, Greg Chamberlin, John Schmacker, Rick Miller, Robert Eikleberry, Ryan Dennis
Join us for a sneak preview of the first three episodes of the six part series on the legendary Iowa gay bar, Blazing Saddle, and the history of the local gay people dating back to the 1960s. Full series coming soon to OUTtv.com.
Episode One
As three gay men appear of age and search their sexuality in 1960s Iowa, the United States goes to war with Vietnam. The young men enlist or are drafted, forced to live in the closet as they face their own mortality. The Stonewall Riots deliver gay rights into mainstream conversation, and the men come home to a changed nation.
Episode Two
The war is over and Stonewall has changed the homosexual community forever, but most gay Iowans are still living in the closet. Cruising and elicit hookups are the only ways LGBTQ+ people can see – and adult bookstores and gay bars are the only places they feel safe being themselves. But a gruesome murder threatens to change all that.
Episode Three
Iowa’s LGBTQ+ people experiences violence, making reliable spaces like gay bars even more im
The history of Iowa’s oldest gay bar has been made into a documentary. Here's how to watch
On a usual Friday night at the Blazing Saddle in Des Moines’ East Village, tightly packed bodies crowd around the bar’s main stage, hands poking out from the throng to propose cash tips to performersdressed in drag. It’s the Saddle Gurls & Friends show, and once the artists take their closing bow (or more commonly, dip into their most impressive split), the spotlights cut and the song bumps. Bargoers turn the stage into a technicolor dance floor, strong drinks in hand, staying real to the bar's motto: "Always a double, never a cover."
The Blazing Saddle is Iowa's oldest operating gay bar. It just celebrated its 40th anniversary. Opened in 1983 by Bob “Mongo” Eikleberry, it’s been referred to as the “Gay Cheers” and has seen Iowa — and the nation — through decades of switch for the LGBTQ population: from the beginning — and end — of Don't Ask, Don't Reveal , to the outbreak of the AIDs epidemic, to the legalization of male lover marriage and the more recent passing and signing of anti-LGBTQ laws in the state.
That history will soon be joint in the form of a six-episode do
Gay Des Moines Guide 2025
Des Moines is one of the fastest growing cities in the Midwest. There are plenty of trails around the city to explore. You'll find plenty of bars, restaurants and the gay scene in the East Village.
Des Moines was initially established as a fort. The urban area is located right by the Des Moines River, and it's in the "Corn Belt."
Gay Bars in De Moines
The Blazing Saddle
The Blazing Saddle is the longest running gay prevent in De Moines. It's been hailed as the gay “Cheers”. “Never a Cover and Always a Double” is the bar's motto. Bob “Mongo” Eikleberry opened the Saddle in October of 1983. It's a key part of the Historic East Village in Des Moines.
Weekday: Mon-Fri: 2pm-1:30am
Weekend: Sat-Sun: 2pm-1:30am
Last updated on: 8 Aug 2023
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Last updated on: 8-Aug-2023
Gay Clubs in De Moines
The Garden Nightclub
The Garden Nightclub moved to a new location in Des Moines East Village. The garden is a good place to mingle. It won three accolades in the 2021 Best of Des Moines awards:
-Best Local Nightclub
-Best Place to Host a Bachelorette Party
-Best Drag King: Jack Frost
Bars and Nightlife
Gay Bars and Clubs
Blazing Saddle (416 East 5th Ave), If you’re looking for a kind LGBTQ+ bar in Des Moines, then you’ve start it! The Saddle is open 365 days a year featuring daily Joyful Hour, Trivia Night every Tuesday, and monthly nonprofit events for non-profits. Additionally, Latin “Nites” and various types of Drag Shows every Wednesday through Sunday. See the Blazing Saddle Calendar of Events.
Buddy's Corral (418 East 5th St) is a mixed, relaxed neighborhood bar with jukebox, karaoke, located next to Blazing Saddle.
The Garden Restaurant & Show Lounge (525 E Grand Ave) is an LGBT+ owned and operated business that is home to a host of amazing talent with an outstanding legacy. The Garden offers a broad variety of entertainment and a full kitchen menu.
The Locust Tap (434 E Locust) embodies the phrase "dive bar" nearly perfectly. Between the years of graffiti on the walls, original tile floor (amongst other things) dating advocate 60+ years, cheap drinks, and no-frills atmosphere, what you see is what you get. It attracts an incredibly wide variety of clientele. It's tru
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