With gay-owned bars stretching from the base of Capitol Hill to Broadway, E Olive Way’s nightlife community is banding together to bring a new spirit to this year’s Pride: a free spirit. Five bars along “Capitol Hill’s newest LGBT corridor” have pledged a no-cover Pride weekend to encourage more people to choose to party on E Olive Way.

“Essentially the bars on Olive have collectively agreed to waive any cover charges over Gay Pride Weekend in order to encourage those with pinched pockets (and a love of indoor plumbing) to wander our way,” Tommy Gun’s Erin Nestor told us via e-mail.

Nestor said another aspect Pride revelers might appreciate are honest to goodness bathrooms. “All participating bars feature indoor plumbing,” the announcement notes.

This Gay Pride pull on your walking boots and take a leisurely stroll up Capitol Hill’s newest LGBT corridor:  East Olive Way!  We’ve got five gay-owned bars situated within 1600 feet of each other, catering to all aspects of our community but featuring one very cool thing in common:  not one bar will charge a cover during gay pride weekend.    

So…..cram into The Crescent (1413 E. Olive Way) for Drag Queens, Karaoke and an ice cold Bud Light. Then look both ways and wander across the street to The Elite (1520 E. Olive Way) for video poker, pool or darts and plenty of cute guys in tight Ts.  After you’ve had your fill, take a deep breath and wander up to the new home of CC Attle’s (1701 E. Olive Way) and hug a bear – for free.  If you’re looking for that perfectly crafted cocktail or a regional microbrew on draft, dart into the uber-sexy Tommy Gun (1703 E. Olive Way) – located just 85 feet from CC’s front door – and grab a stool at the giant bar top.  Complete your cruise (or heck, start here and stroll downhill) at East Olive Way’s newest edition, The Bleu Bistro’s Grotto (1801 E. Olive Way), which has amazing windows that open right onto the sidewalk – perfect for crowd watching.  At whichever bar you start or end, spend your cash on the booze and the beer because the cover will cost you…..nothing!  Hungry?!  Grab a bite to eat at CC Attle’s, Tommy Gun, or The Bleu Bistro’s Grotto – all feature full menus.

For those of you interested in charting your course, The East Olive Way Gay Pride Hill Climb spans just a quarter mile from The Crescent to The Bleu Bistro’s Grotto – that’s approximately 1584 feet or a six minute walk from start to finish.  In addition to foregoing the cover charge, all participating bars feature indoor plumbing, plenty of comfortable seating, and specials on Absolut cocktails.  For more information on events and/or hours at each bar, please check their individual websites.

For an earlier start on Pride fun, Friday night, E Olive Way hosts a benefit for the Dyke March at Tommy Gun. Meanwhile, Sunday is the Pride Picnic in Volunteer Park. Details on both and more things to do this weekend in the latest CHS On the List.