A queer room for the West
The diversity and spirit of Footscray reflect the inclusiveness within Pride, where all members of the queer community and supportive friends are welcome.
Our story · Footscray
About Pride
A community-owned queer bar and live performance space, in the heart of Footscray, established in 2018 because the West deserved a friendly, colourful and inclusive venue of its own.
The Story
Pride of our Footscray — P.O.O.F. for short, but lovingly known as Pride — opened in 2018 to bring the West a different kind of venue: one that put art over alcohol and embraced radical inclusion. The crowd has been a beautiful, chaotic mix of the whole rainbow community and friendly allies ever since.
Pride was a community effort from the get-go — around 200 part-owners chipped in to get the venue off the ground, mostly locals, plus others from further away who loved what Pride stood for and wanted to help. Pride is still built by the people who work here, perform here, produce here, gather here, dance here and keep showing up.
Nearly a decade on, Pride is a bar, stage and gathering place for Melbourne's queer community, hosting everything from drag and comedy to film nights, workshops, fundraisers, private celebrations, dancefloor nights and first visits that turn into regular ones — people fall in love with a place with more than enough heart to cover its minor imperfections. Yes, the floor can be sticky!
Despite its humble origins, a long way from Melbourne's famous nightlife strips, Pride was named one of the world's greatest queer venues by Time Out in 2026. Every day, Pride tries to live up to that — in how it operates and how it treats staff, performers, guests and the community around it. So come and share a night of Pride!
The West deserved its own queer room. So we built one, with the help of 200+ people.
What we're here for
Pride is not one thing for one kind of night. The venue shifts with the people, the show, the party and the purpose.
Purpose
A stage for queer culture
Pride is never just open for the alcohol — it's about performance. The stage hosts drag, burlesque, cabaret, comedy, music, theatre, film, trivia, workshops, sapphic nights and community events.
A community-owned venue
Around 200 people chipped in to establish Pride, becoming part-owners of a venue, a philosophy and an adventure. Pride has needed every one of them — two years after opening, Melbourne went into the world's longest COVID lockdown, and a brutal cost-of-living squeeze followed. Pride has only survived because of the village around it.
A place to gather
Birthdays, special celebrations, fundraisers, watch parties, work events, community events and private takeovers all belong at Pride — and we look forward to making it personal and memorable. We have even hosted a celebration of life led by a drag king dressed as Darth Vader. Literally, whatever you need.
Community in practice
Community means more than saying the right thing. It shows up in how Pride is run, how people are treated, and how clearly we communicate.
Practice
Welcome means behaviour
Everyone is welcome here except people who make others less welcome. Respect the room, listen to staff, look after your people and let others have their night.
Fairness matters
Pride is committed to fair pay and respectful treatment for staff, performers, producers and contractors. For staff, that includes award wages and super.
Performance matters
The stage is part of Pride's purpose: a place for queer performers, producers and community-led ideas to meet an audience.
Local matters
Pride is Footscray-rooted on purpose: loud, mixed, creative, warm, funny and impossible to flatten into one tidy version.
COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING
Pride in the community
Pride is part of the West's queer arts and community life because people keep bringing nights, ideas and audiences through the door. Pride is never just open for alcohol — you'll always see something memorable.
Pride's programming is really broad as it tries to include as many different arts and performers as possible. Pride's had Drag Kings do a PowerPoint Night, Punk bands hosted by a Drag Queen, Queer Comedy Galas, Musical Theatre and everything in-between. The programme aims to include different artistic expression and endlessly entertain.
Programming Highlights
Pride's general programming is split between shows it creates itself and shows put on by independent producers who hire the venue.
Producers are welcome to pitch ideas (and Pride might adopt the show) or they are welcome to enquire about venue hire. Everything from Poetry to Burlesque is possible!
Pride also participates in many of the major festivals as it endeavours to bring art and entertainment out West, including Midsumma Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Fringe Festival. Again, Pride self-produces some of these festival shows but is also available to hire for festival producers, so check out our Eventotron listing.
Pride's wide programming and entertainment saw us voted Melbourne's Favourite Queer Venue at the 2026 MEDEAs — as well as Melbourne's Favourite Burlesque Venue, the first venue to take both in the same year. So pitch an idea or come see what we do.
- Festivals
- Drag + theatre
- Burlesque + cabaret
- Comedy + film
- Art & workshops
- Fundraisers
FIRST VISIT
What to expect
First visit, new event or access question? Here are the practical things to know before you arrive.
Where
Level 1, 86–88 Hopkins Street, Footscray VIC 3011
Getting here
Close to public transport, including Footscray Station and the Route 82 tram nearby on Hopkins Street.
Access
All three venue spaces are upstairs on Level 1. Stairs only. No lift at this time.
Inside
Events can be loud, bright and busy. Gender-neutral bathrooms are on the same level as the bar, dancefloor and performance spaces.
The people
The people behind Pride
Pride is carried by the people behind the bar, on the floor, at the door, on stage, in the office and behind the scenes.
Mat O'Keefe
CEO
Q&A with Mat O'Keefe
- When did you join Pride?
- I officially joined Pride when I came up with the name on 10 January 2017! But my friends and I had been talking about doing a venue for years, so Pride was in me for a while!
- Favourite item/s from the Pride menu?
- Cocktail wise, it's very clear, Spicy Margarita (burn me version) or a calming Negroni. Otherwise I switch between the King Valley Prosecco or the Heaps Normal Non-Alc beer (if on shift).
- Favourite show/s at Pride?
- All of the shows are my favourite but I particularly love the Taylor Swift Drag Tributes or the Drag Tribute of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode, which has been running for years and is a great joy.
- Where are you from?
- I'm from Melbourne (interrupted by a four-year stint in Darwin as a kid which I absolutely loved).
- Favourite thing/s about Footscray?
- I love the cultural diversity of Footscray, I still feel like I am on holiday every day and I've been West since 2013. It's a great example of good people just being able to live together in harmony, despite having over 150 nationalities represented.
- How do you identify?
- I identify as a DOGG (Distinguished Older Gay Gent), and also as a Swiftie.
Find your way into Pride
Coming for a night out, planning something bigger, pitching a show, asking an access question or looking to work with us? Start with the path that fits.