Salem Capital Pride is an annual event and non-profit organization based in Salem, Oregon, in the United States. Founded in 2004, its mission is to "promote understanding and education regarding LGBTQ issues, and to foster a sense of community for these individuals and their supporters in Salem and the Mid-Willamette Valley of Oregon." [1]
Salem is the capital city of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood of West Salem is in Polk County. Salem was founded in 1842, became the capital of the Oregon Territory in 1851, and was incorporated in 1857.
Willamette University is a private liberal arts college with locations in Salem and Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest college in the Western United States. Originally named the Oregon Institute, the school was an unaffiliated outgrowth of the Methodist Mission. The name was changed to Wallamet University in 1852, followed by the current spelling in 1870. Willamette founded the first medical school and law school in the Pacific Northwest in the second half of the 19th century.
The Oregon State Capitol is the building housing the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state, and treasurer of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in the state capital, Salem. Constructed from 1936 to 1938 and expanded in 1977, the current building is the third to house the Oregon state government in Salem. The first two capitols in Salem were destroyed by fire, one in 1855 and the other in 1935.
The Capitol Theater was located at 542 State Street in Salem, Oregon, United States. Part of the Bligh Building, it was built in the 1920s for vaudeville. During its heyday, it housed a Wurlitzer pipe organ, which is now in private ownership in Washington. The theater was demolished in 2000, but the retail portion of the building, now known as the Pacific Building, still stands.
The Oregon Civic Justice Center is a three-story former library building on the campus of Willamette University in downtown Salem, Oregon, United States. Built in 1912 as a Carnegie library for the city of Salem, the building now houses several programs of Willamette University College of Law. Prior to the law school's moving into the facility in 2008, the building was used by the adjacent Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) from 1971 to 2006.
CC Slaughters is a gay bar and nightclub located in Portland, Oregon, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The Portland bar is located in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood, and the Puerto Vallarta bar is located in Zona Romántica.
LGBT culture in Portland, Oregon is an important part of Pacific Northwest culture.
Stag PDX, or simply Stag, is a gay-owned nightclub and strip club in Portland, Oregon's Pearl District, in the United States. The club opened in May 2015 as the second all-nude gay strip club on the West Coast.
Hawks PDX is a gay bathhouse located in Portland, Oregon's Hazelwood neighborhood, in the United States. Previously, the business operated in southeast Portland's Buckman neighborhood.
Robert Henry Hess was an American sculptor and art educator. He was best known for his abstract metal sculptures and wood carvings. Hess served on the faculty of Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, for 34 years. Today, his works are found in prominent public spaces and private collections throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Scandals, or sometimes Scandals PDX, is a gay bar in Portland, Oregon, in the United States.
Starky's Restaurant and Bar, or simply Starky's, was a gay bar and restaurant in Portland, Oregon's Kerns neighborhood, in the United States. Established in 1984, the venue became a fixture in Portland's gay community before closing in 2015. It hosted LGBT events and served as a gathering space for leather enthusiasts and the Oregon Bears, among other groups. Starky's received a generally positive reception and was most known for its Bloody Marys, brunch, and outdoor seating.
Capitol Beaver Family is a 1985 bronze sculpture depicting three beavers by artist Kenneth M. Scott, installed outside the Oregon State Capitol, in Salem, Oregon, United States. It was donated by the Willamette Christmas Association.
Local Lounge was a gay bar in Portland, Oregon, operating from 2010 to 2021.
Kevin Cook, known by the stage name Poison Waters, is an American drag performer. Since the 1980s, Poison Waters has been an emcee, entertainer, and community activist. She is a longtime hostess at Darcelle XV Showplace and has participated in fundraisers, LGBTQ events, public service announcements, and other community activities throughout the Pacific Northwest. Cook has also taught at Portland Community College.
Santé Bar is an LGBTQ-friendly bar in Portland, Oregon.
Flawless Shade is the stage name of Tajh Jordan, an American drag performer and make-up artist based in Portland, Oregon. A former Miss Gay Oregon, Flawless Shade has been featured in campaigns by Adidas, GLAAD, and Top Level Design.
Daniel P. Elliott, known professionally as Bolivia Carmichaels, is an American drag performer based in Portland, Oregon. Since 1995, she has performed at LGBT establishments such as CC Slaughters, Darcelle XV Showplace, and the defunct Embers Avenue, and has also participated in many community events.
The Queen's Head was an LGBTQ-friendly pub and lounge in Portland, Oregon, United States. Daniel Bund opened the restaurant in late 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Described as an inclusive drag bar and gay club, The Queen's Head hosted burlesque and talent shows, karaoke, poetry slams, trivia competitions, and other events.
Nicole Onoscopi is the stage name of Cole Cozart, an American drag performer based in Portland, Oregon. Nicole Onoscopi was first runner-up and the first Miss'd Popularity in the annual drag pageant Miss'd America in 2019, and was named Miss Gay Oregon in 2021 and Miss Portland Gay Pride in 2024. She has performed throughout Oregon, including at LGBT pride events in her native Albany as well as McMinnville, Portland, and Salem.