Bringing diversity to Luxembourg’s party scene

Are LGBTQIA+ parties a thing in Luxembourg? At first glance, it may seem difficult to find places, but they exist. Delano talked to Thibault Milan, co-founder of the Bear Dukes Luxembourg association and originator of the Banana Gay Party, about their inclusive party and the difficulties of setting up a bar.

For those who can remember, the days of gay bars and clubs in the grand duchy’s capital seem long gone. With Monkeys and more recently Bar Rouge shutting down, there aren’t really any dedicated bars and clubs for LGBTQIA+ people to hang out in Luxembourg City. To the dismay of both residents and new arrivals who have turned to online platforms like Reddit to find out if gay bars were actually a thing in the capital, only to be told “yeah, not really.”

Low-key and inclusive

But, the landscape isn’t completely void. There are some events in the form of mobile parties, like the , an LGBTQIA+ event launched in 2018. “The idea is that people once a month have a place to meet up with the community or friends and that it doesn’t have to be taken too seriously because it’s more low-key,” Milan explains. With a capacity of 150-200 attendees, the ‘Banana’ as he calls it, is much smaller and more accessible to the wider public than other PG-18 and niche parties organised by the Bear Dukes association.

“The original idea was to have a gay party as straight people imagine it: with lots of colours, very pop, drag queens, decoration, etc,” Milan reminisces. Surrounded by fun themes--such as Loveboats, Pool Party or Steampunk--guests can meet up, chat and dance while performers present their craft to the crowd. The theme can be influenced by the looks of the location at which the party is held--the last one took place at the Ground.

The party itself is held once a month--unless there are other community events occurring, like the . Even when it comes to other organisers, like LGBTQIA+ club event group FairyTails, with whom Banana has a collaborative relationship. Otherwise, “you’re cannibalising one another and that’s not interesting for us.” The next Banana party could therefore take place at the start of next year at the earliest.

The obstacles on the road to a more diverse nightlife

Could Bananas turn into its own bar one day? While Milan and his husband--the other co-founder of the NGO--contemplated it, it seems unlikely for now. Although on a political and legislative level, Luxembourg is relatively openminded and LGBTQIA+ friendly, the issue is applying the political will to real life…and, as often, the cost of renting a location in town.

It would be especially difficult to gather sufficient revenue from a space only open a few days a week and only advertised for a small part of the citizens, Milan explains. “You’d have to find something outside Luxembourg City, and I’m not sure the clientele would follow.”

Instead, Banana finds bars to collaborate with. “At first, many businesses--but not all--who were struggling financially would offer up their space to us to attract customers,” Milan says. In the years since its launch, the Banana’s organisers have learned to refine the selection process and have sometimes refused collaborations that didn’t align with their values.