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Writer's picture15-Minute Friendships

York LGBTQIA+ Social Groups and Activities

Updated: Oct 18, 2023

Hey there friends, we were recently asked if we could recommend any LGBTQIA+ social groups or activities in York. While we didn't have an answer at the time, we did a little research to see what we could come up with. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but if you live, work, or are just regularly in the city of York, one of these events might be the thing for you!


York LGBT Forum - Coffee Social

Wednesday evening, 6.30pm - 8.30pm

The York LGBT forum was established in 2006 to act as a strong and unified voice for the LGBT+ community. The charity currently runs a regular coffee social event open to all members of the LGBT+ community every Wednesday at York Travellers Trust (20 Falsgrave Cres, Clifton, York, YO30 7AZ).

Come along to meet new people and make new friends at a safe and relaxing space. The York LGBT forum also host a Northallerton social on the second Monday of each month. For more info on the Northallerton social, please get in touch with jake.furby@yorklgbtforum.org.


Queer Yoga

Every other Sunday, 5.00pm - 6.30pm

We might be a little biased because our host, Bridie, has so much fun attending the Queer Yoga sessions in Leeds, but we cannot recommend Queer Yoga North enough! Running every other Sunday at the Tang Hall Community Centre (Fifth Ave, Tang Hall, York YO31 0UG), Queer Yoga offers a combination of gentle movement, meditation, relaxation, and breath work with chair options offered.


If you're not sure whether or not Queer Yoga is for you, check out our write up of Queer Yoga North's Leeds class for an idea of what to expect. Visit the Queer Yoga North website to find out when your local class takes place (the next York one is on October 8th!).


Colours of the Rainbow LGBTQ+ Community Choir

Thursdays, 7.00pm - 9.00pm

If you like to sing and want to meet new people, York's first LGBTQ+ community choir might be the perfect weekly activity for you. Meeting every Thursday at York St John University Creative Arts Centre (Lord Mayors Walk, York YO31 7EX), Colours of the Rainbow is an inclusive choir that encourages singers of all ability levels. No rehearsal or musical knowledge necessary. Colours of the Rainbow also recently hosted their very first LGBTQ+ ceilidh in collaboration with QueerArts, and it looks like they'll have more events like this in the future.


Ageing Without Children

Second Wednesday of the month, 2.00pm - 4.00pm Did you know, it's estimated that 90% of LGBTQIA+ people are ageing without children? Ageing Without Children York meets on the second Wednesday of the month at Spark York (17-21 Piccadilly, York, YO1 9NX) for a peer-support group that offers support for variety of issues affecting the older LGBTQIA+ community.


Portal Book Shop & Over the Rainbow Café

Get in touch! We have heard that the Portal Book Shop (5 Patrick Pool, York YO1 8BB) hosts regular craft evenings and the Over the Rainbow Café (situated above the bookshop) facilitates regular social drop-ins, poetry nights, and open-mic nights, but we couldn't find any information on times and dates for these activities. Having visited the Portal Book Shop recently, our host can speak to the friendliness of the staff, and we recommend getting in touch with the Portal Book Shop (portalbookshop@gmail.com) or the Over the Rainbow Café (otrcafeyork@gmail.com) directly for more information.


This is all we could find in terms York LGBTQIA+ social groups and activities, but if you know of any that we've missed, please get in touch and let us know! On a less upbeat note, our research did lead us to a few online articles voicing York residents' disappointment about the lack of LGBTQIA+ spaces and regular activities in an otherwise LGBTQIA+ friendly city, and we hope to see more events cropping up in the future.


We're also going to look into the possibility of hosting a 15-Minute Friendships pop-up in York if we can find an appropriate venue!

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