D’Arcy Drollinger, the Owner and Artistic Director of Oasis Nightclub, on July 19 announced that the popular club will be closing on January 1, 2026, after more than a decade of community-driven entertainment. The venue has been a cultural hub for drag, cabaret, live theater, and queer expression. With rising operational costs and declining post-pandemic attendance, however, Oasis has operated at a financial loss for some time. Drollinger and the club’s leadership, as a result, made the difficult decision to close the brick-and-mortar location.
“Life is about transformation,” said Drollinger. “We transformed a historic building into a safe, joyful, and groundbreaking space for queer art and nightlife. Now, it’s time to transform again. This has been the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, but also one filled with hope for what comes next.”
“The hardest part of all of this is losing a physical space that means so much to so many people,” said Snaxx, Director of Programs and Staff. “From our staff, to our performers, casts, crews, and patrons, Oasis has created a culture unlike any other venue. This is all very painful and sad, but I can’t help but smile through the tears for getting to be a part of something so important, so transformative, so ‘only-in-San Francisco.’ And it couldn’t have existed without every person who’s come through our doors to tip, to take the stage, to hug, to sing, to be in community.”
Oasis has been home to some of San Francisco’s most irreverent shows, parties, and events, such as Princess, Sex and the City Live, Baloney, and numerous others. San Francisco Bay Times columnist David Landis, aka The Gay Gourmet, was among those who enjoyed and relied upon the unforgettable pandemic-era delivery service Meals on Heels during the pandemic time that also included Oasis TV and Hot Trash. Oasis has hosted drag royalty, nurtured emerging talent, and become a touchstone for LGBTQ+ storytelling in the Bay Area and beyond. Oasis has employed hundreds of artists, producers, and staff, without whom Oasis could never have existed.
“We have always said that Oasis is more than a nightclub—it’s a movement,” added Drollinger. “And movements don’t need four walls to keep going. Oasis Arts, our nonprofit, is where the heart of our mission will live as we move forward in 2026.”
Oasis Arts
Established to support queer performers and producers, Oasis Arts will carry the legacy forward. With a renewed focus on presenting works in other venues across the Bay Area, Oasis will continue to celebrate and elevate queer artistry without the limitations of a single location.
“By closing the doors of the club, we’re opening up a world of new possibilities,” Drollinger said. “We’re pivoting like we always have—boldly, creatively, and with community at our core. Necessity is the mother of invention, and we’re already imagining what’s next.”
Prior Closure of AsiaSF and Oakland’s Port Bar
Another groundbreaking LGBTQ+ venue that had developed a large community and following, AsiaSF, closed on April 28, 2024, citing similar concerns: the changing nighttime environment post COVID and financial challenges. Open for over 24 years, the former SoMa restaurant, bar, and cabaret, was famous for its dinner shows featuring transgender performers. The Ladies of AsiaSF were even featured in the 2015 reality documentary series Transcendent.
Larry Hashbarger, Lord Martine, and others on the AsiaSF team, as for Oasis later, said, “While our brick-and-mortar location may be closed, our journey continues.” They too have been exploring pop-ups and related projects that retain the spirit of AsiaSF without the fixed location.
While some have pointed to a “doom loop” in San Francisco, the problems in recent years have been impacting LGBTQ+ venues throughout the Bay Area. Yet another landmark spot with a large following, The Port Bar, closed on February 25, 2024. A lively destination that was open every day of the week, The Port Bar hosted drag shows that spilled out into the street in front of the iconic Art Deco Paramount Theatre and became a gathering place for the East Bay’s transgender community.
In addition to the previously mentioned challenges, The Port Bar owners Richard Fuentes and Sean Sullivan faced mounting problems with their landlord, Phil Leong. He alleged that the establishment was not adhering to the lease in terms of the entertainment they were featuring.
Saved From the Brink
Given the overwhelming number of challenges that venues continue to face, many are making significant changes to stay open. One of San Francisco’s oldest queer bars and the only existing bar of its kind on Polk Street, The Cinch Saloon, was saved from the brink just before Pride this year by a new owner, Scott Taylor. Open since 1974, the bar was once the epicenter of the entire city’s LGBTQ+ community and particularly for men. This was before many gravitated to the Castro, such that the first Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco marched down Polk Street with participants heading into The Cinch.
As Juanita MORE! said, “The Cinch is where I felt comfortable and began making many new friends (sometimes at the urinal). Years later, as Empress of the Imperial Council of San Francisco, I attended many events with my crown on my head. It is one of the very few queer bars left in my neighborhood. I am so proud of Scott Taylor for standing up and securing the bar’s future.”
A shift happening right now is the transformation of Trax at 1437 Haight Street to Mary’s. This also involved a change of ownership, with four new individuals taking the helm. One, Aindréas O’Donnell, was instrumental in the name change, as Mary was his mother’s first name.
Perhaps the most dramatic saved-from-the-brink example is The Stud, where the late great Heklina started the legendary Trannyshack and other popular series took place. After being open since 1966, The Stud shuttered its doors in May 2020 due to financial troubles stemming from the shutdown forced by the COVID pandemic. An extensive series of meetings, fundraisers, and other efforts then took place, leading to the formation of The Stud Collective that includes San Francisco Bay Times columnist and Director of the San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives, Honey Mahogany.
The Collective took ownership of The Stud on December 30, 2016, making it, according to member Nate Albee, “the very first co-op nightclub in the United States.” The Stud reopened on April 20, 2024, at 1123 Folsom Street.
New Venues and Events
In the midst of the closures and resurrections, there have been some prominent new openings. Bar 49 at 2295 Market Street has brought back to life the former location of Bagdad Cafe. (Remarkably, after Bagdad’s closure, at least five other businesses tried to succeed in that space: Criolla Kitchen, Sliderbar, Ovok, Castro Republic, and Los Amigos Diner.) Hi Tops co-manager Colm O’Brien is giving Bar 49 both his business savvy and a distinctive Irish flair. Many of the dishes reflect that, such as Shepherd’s Pie, Bangers & Mash, and Corned Beef & Cabbage. Along with numerous drink selections, all can be enjoyed in a convivial atmosphere with large screens showing music videos, sports, and more.
Rikki’s, which opened during June 2025, is San Francisco’s first women’s sports bar. It is packed nearly every day and night, with lines snaking out the front, evidencing how women have been hungry, not only for women’s sports, but also for a destination gathering spot in the Castro. Co-owners Danielle Thoe and Sara Yergovich have been involving the local community from the very beginning, such as with their fundraising. They successfully raised $425,000 on Wefunder alone.
Still more success has been seen with the Queen Out queer raves held at The Cafe in the Castro and Public Works in the Mission, which serves as both a nightclub and community space. Queen Out was founded by Jimmy Hadden, a bisexual Black man, and Abby Landis, who is Taiwanese. They have been striving for diversity and to change some of the stereotypes about the local queer nightlife scene.
Many of the Queen Out attendees are younger Millennials and Gen Zers, who tend to drink less alcohol than previous generations and are leading to more beverage options that are low to no-alcohol. That alone is driving big shifts in the bar scene, along with trends of utilizing more technology and curated aesthetics. “Soft clubbing,” which involves dressing up and going out, but without the pressure of late nights or hangovers, favors cozy cafes, lounges, and other spots with chill beats and early-to-bed routines.
The Castro Night Market and related events throughout the city are additionally growing in popularity. The Castro Night Market, held on the third Friday of every month, features local food vendors, merchants, and live entertainment. The scope of the events inherently builds a network of supportive small businesses, and many brick-and-mortar clubs, restaurants, and other establishments in and around the Night Markets experience an uptick in revenue on the evenings of the events.
Remaining Hopeful, and a Call for Help
Hopes are high that places like Bar 49 and Rikki’s remain successful and also help uplift other nearby businesses and maybe inspire additional new ones. As The Stud Collective has stated: “One of the best things about nightlife is that the more bars and venues in a neighborhood, the better we all do. If there is one thing The Stud has learned in our 70 years is, it’s not over til it’s over.”
With that in mind, Oasis has put a call out for the community to help by doing two things:
Go to the club.
The public is asked to enjoy one (or many!) of the dazzling events lined up through December 31, 2025, culminating in a spectacular New Year’s Eve farewell celebration.
Donate to Oasis Arts.
Individuals are asked to help support the artists, collaborators, and community that have made Oasis so magical. Donations can be made at https://www.oasisartsinc.org/donate
And if you want queer nightlife to thrive, please do what you can to support your own local favorite destinations. Many of us shared the sentiment of State Senator Scott Wiener when he said, in part, upon learning of Oasis’ upcoming closure, “Queer nightlife is a precious thing and we must support it and never take it for granted. It can go away in a heartbeat.”
San Francisco’s Changing Queer Nightlife
Published on July 31, 2025
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