Eureka Springs’ Fall Diversity Weekend

Gay fun and fall colors, all rolled into one glorious weekend

Here it is October and Eureka Springs, Ark., is gearing up for its third Diversity Weekend of the year. Fall Diversity Weekend kicks off on Friday, November 4, and continues through Sunday, November 6. The fun-filled weekend generally coincides with the peak of Fall leaf color viewing in the Ozarks, as an added attraction for visitors.

Eureka Springs has a queer affinity not only for LGBT visitors but for all manner of colorful characters, misfits, eccentrics and rugged individualists. Which is why, in addition to boatloads of gay vacationers, their three seasonal Diversity Weekends are among the most popular for hip heteros, too. In Eureka Springs you may feel free to hold hands as you stroll down one of the town’s beautiful streets. 

But make no mistake about it: Diversity Weekends are gay weekends. They are created expressly for gay and lesbian visitors and hosted by the town's gay and gay-friendly businesses and a small army tireless volunteers. 

Year after year without fail, these Spring, Summer and Fall celebrations pack the hotels, restaurants and nightspots by offering a wide variety of entertainment, amusement and diversion: Live music (from Newgrass to mellow jazz), DJ re-mix dance-til-you-drop parties, glam drag shows, pool parties, concerts, costume contests and special events. 

Diversity in the Park (Basin Spring) takes place on the Saturday of each Diversity Weekend, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with music, snacks, water, many vendors, and at 2 p.m. you are welcome to join the PDA in the Park, where everyone kisses the person of their choice.

Eureka Springs was the first city in Arkansas to officially endorse same-sex marriage; the first and only city in the state to have a Domestic Partnership Registry; and was the first place same-sex marriages took place when they became legal.

It was the first city in Arkansas to have an LGBT specific human rights ordinance. Eureka Springs also the number one vacation destination in the Mid-South for out and proud LGBT travelers.

The antithesis of the redneck stereotype, this micro mecca in the Ozarks has been a beyond-gay-friendly getaway for decades - long before out was in. Here, one Gay Pride weekend won't do. So, Spring, Summer and Fall residents and guests celebrate a trifecta of Diversity Weekends that attract thousands of gay and lesbian gaycationers.

A microcosm of San Francisco, the town boasts a disproportionately large gay population, dozens of gay-owned and gay-friendly B&Bs, hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, art galleries, shops, turn-of-the-century Victorian homes and vintage trolleys plying steep and narrow village streets.

For a weekend or a week, find out for yourself how easy it is to be Out In Eureka. For more information on Eureka Springs, visit www.gayeurekasprings.com.

Copyright The Gayly - 10/15/2016 @ 7:51 a.m. CDT.