The best way to feel at home in queer Portland is to join something. Here are teams, choirs, social groups and causes that welcome new people, whether you just moved here or have been around for decades.
Queer Portland plays hard. Lace up, suit up or just show up. Most of these groups welcome beginners.
An LGBTQ+ running and walking club founded in 1982, and one of the city's oldest gay organizations. It also puts on the annual Portland Pride Run.
How to join: Show up to any regular group run or walk. You don't need to be a member. Runs happen on Tuesday evenings, Saturday mornings on the waterfront (2.5 or 4.5 miles) and Sundays in Forest Park. An annual membership pays for coached Thursday track sessions and members' events.
Founded in 2006, NetRippers is a nonprofit soccer club for LGBTQIA+ players and allies with more than 200 members. It fields recreational and competitive co-ed, women's and men's teams across indoor, outdoor and futsal leagues.
How to join: Use the club's Join a Team or Join a Competitive Team pages, or sign up for its Blossom League. A sliding-scale form is available. Players of all skill levels are welcome at weekly practices. Questions go to [email protected].
A queer- and trans-run soccer league that centers queer women, nonbinary and trans players of every ability and body size. It plays 7v7 games on Sundays across spring, summer and fall seasons.
How to join: Register for a season through the league. Pricing is tiered so cost isn't a barrier, and you can also sign up for free as a substitute.
Travel Portland calls it the city's only LGBTQ+-inclusive rugby team. Its yearly "Lumber Snatched" drag fundraiser at Darcelle XV Showplace helps pay for each season.
How to join: See the team's website for practices and recruitment. Our sources didn't give a joining process.
An LGBTQ+ bowling league that belongs to the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO).
How to join: The league bowls Fridays at 7 pm (practice at 6:45) at SuperPlay Beaverton, 9300 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy. To join, contact the league secretary at [email protected].
Queer nature walks led by drag performers and environmental scientists Thespis D. Light and Efemmera Gendera. The low-impact, accessible walks mix trail science with camp.
How to join: Walks are held about every two weeks and announced through the group's mailing list. Some walks with partners need pre-registration, such as the Wilsonville Parks & Rec walks for Pride 2026.
Sing it, stage it, screen it. Portland's queer arts groups have been making noise for decades.
One of the city's flagship queer arts groups, formed in 1980 according to Travel Portland. Members put on mainstage concerts every season.
How to join: Singers audition (a short song of your choice, range check and ear exercises). Register on the chorus's Sing With Us page. Rehearsals are Monday evenings from mid-September to mid-June. Non-singers can join as support or board members. Dues are on a sliding scale, or pay what you can.
A long-running auditioned choir that welcomes people of all gender identities and sexual orientations. It gives concerts in January and June each year.
How to join: Auditions are held in late August or early September. Rehearsals are Wednesdays, 6:45 to 9 pm, September through June, plus a Saturday retreat each term. Details are on the choir's Join page.
Founded in 1989 by Donnie Horn, Triangle Productions is one of the oldest LGBTQ+ theater companies in the country. It is currently based at Sandy Plaza.
How to join: Buy tickets or sign up through the theater's Volunteer With Us page. The box office is [email protected] or 503-239-5919.
A Portland company that aims to be the nationwide leader in trans representation onstage. Recent productions include The Queers, They Them Their and Magnetic Electric.
How to join: Go to a show or reach out to the company. Our sources didn't confirm an official site, audition details or volunteer details.
Founded in 2007, QDoc says it is the only U.S. festival devoted to queer documentaries. It's a weekend of films with filmmaker Q&As.
How to join: Buy tickets and attend at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave). Updates are posted at qdocfilmfest.org.
A yearly festival of new short films by queer and trans directors. Its closing block, Tagging Cascadia, shows Pacific Northwest work.
How to join: Buy tickets or a festival pass through the Clinton Street Theater. Filmmakers can submit work through the festival.
Give back to the community that gave us all a home. Here's where to roll up your sleeves.
The nonprofit behind Portland Pride, which in 2026 was held July 18–19 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. It also runs year-round community programs, including Pride Elder Connections and the Black Rainbow Initiative.
How to join: Register on Pride Northwest's volunteer platform (pridenw.galaxydigital.com) and pick the shifts that fit you. No experience is needed. Some roles need a short online orientation. Contact [email protected].
Oregon's statewide LGBTQ+ equality organization. It works on legislation and ballot measures and helps elect pro-equality candidates.
How to join: Sign up for events on BRO's Mobilize page or through basicrights.org/volunteer. Volunteer work includes phone and text banking, petition signature gathering, tabling, event planning and story sharing. Contact [email protected] or 503-222-6151.
Founded in 1983, this is the oldest and largest community-based provider of HIV services, housing, education and advocacy in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Its affiliates include Prism Health and Our House. Its offices are just down the street from CC's, at 520 NW Davis St.
How to join: Choose Volunteer under Get Involved on capnw.org, or join its Public Policy & Advocacy work or Ambassador Council. Contact [email protected] or 503-223-5907.
A New Avenues for Youth program, running since 1998, for LGBTQIA2S+ youth ages 13–24. It offers a safe drop-in space, food, clothing, hygiene supplies, affinity groups and counseling.
How to join: Adults can help through New Avenues for Youth's Volunteer page. Youth can drop in at 1220 SW Columbia St (lower level, side door) during the hours on SMYRC's calendar.
Oregon's oldest LGBTQIA2S+ historical society, founded in 1994 as the Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. It works with the Oregon Historical Society to keep queer history accessible to the public.
How to join: Come to a general meeting, held on Zoom at 7 pm on the first Thursday of each month. You can also become a member or share your own history.
The community center relies on volunteers for its programs, food pantry and gender-affirming Q.T. Boutique.
How to join: Sign up through pdxqcenter.org/volunteer.
Checked October 2026. Details change: if something here is out of date, please tell us through the contact page.
Social & identity groups
Find your people. These groups gather around shared identities, interests and communities.
Q Center
Portland's LGBTQIA2S+ community center at 4115 N Mississippi Ave. It hosts peer-led support groups, community gatherings, game nights, a food pantry and a gender-affirming clothing closet.
How to join: Check the events calendar and drop in to a group. Current groups include a BIPOC group and a queer and trans masc (QTM) support group. You can also volunteer through pdxqcenter.org/volunteer. Contact [email protected] or 503-234-7837.
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Greater Portland Trans Unity
A non-hierarchical collective of trans organizers that puts on the annual Portland Trans Pride March, a monthly meetup and a trans open mic.
How to join: Follow pdxtransunity.com or Instagram (@greaterportlandtransunity), or email [email protected].
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Queer Cobija
A monthly happy hour just for Portland's queer BIPOC community, billed as a safe space to gather.
How to join: Get a ticket through Tickettailor. A recent happy hour was at Kaya PDX, a Black-owned business.
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Portland Leather Alliance
A leather community organization of about 28 years that runs education events and produces KinkFest, the yearly BDSM, fetish and leather conference.
How to join: Join or volunteer through portlandleather.org. KinkFest tickets are at kinkfest.org.
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Bad Girls
A leather and BDSM community for women and gender-expansive people, with workshops, discussion groups and casual social meetups called munches.
How to join: Attend the munch on second Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, at Escape Bar & Grill (9004 NE Sandy Blvd), or the BDSM discussion group on third Fridays at McMenamins Kennedy School. Details are at pdxbadgirls.net.
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