Pride of our Footscray

Pride of our Footscray, affectionately POOFS, is one of Melbourne's most heartwarming queer venues: a community-owned, not-for-profit bar, nightclub and performance space in the multicultural inner west that's collectively owned by around 200 part-owners, each of whom has signed a declaration of diversity. Relaxed, colorful and genuinely inclusive, it's a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community and their loved ones out west, and a launchpad for local talent, giving drag artists, comedians, musicians and poets a stage to build their names. Across three spaces — a 200-capacity Main Stage for spectacular events, a warm Cocktail Lounge for hand-made drinks, and the whimsical Pride Garden with a pool table — it runs a packed calendar of the best drag shows in Melbourne every weekend, plus drag bingo, queer stand-up comedy, trivia, cabaret, camp movie nights and dance parties. With good-value drinks, alcohol-free options, gender-neutral bathrooms and famously committed security keeping the community safe, it's an award-winning, feel-good cornerstone of queer Melbourne beyond the inner-city strips.