A Celebration of LGBTQIA+ Creativity and Community.
We are back for 2025, with a new home at Village Gate, RQAF will be bigger and better. Most exciting of all, we are now a FREE event for the community.
Now, more than ever, it is important that we show up and support our LGBTQIA+ artists, and our allies.
By partnering with Village Gate Square, we are able to expand our offerings this year to include even more opportunities to experience local artists, performers, and culinary options from the LGBTQIA+ Community and our allies.
Vendors and Artists
A showcase of local artisans, hand-crafters, and professional artists. With an expanded footprint this year, we are able to offer vendors in the upper and lower atrium, as well as the main entrance corridor! Plenty of Food and Beverage options as well! Enjoy the Village Gate Restaurants, Food Trucks, Food Carts, and a Full Atrium Bar and spend the whole day with us!
Live Performances
This year we are thrilled to bring you fabulous live entertainment on three stages!
Atrium Stage – drag performances and headliner acts (prime entertainment).
Festival Tent Stage – bands and ensembles performing in the courtyard.
Courtyard/Busker Stage
Workshops and Demos
The complete workshop and demo schedule is now live! Free demos, and ticketed hands-on workshops are available all day! Check out the schedule and reserve your spot today!
Beyond Labels: Fashion Without Gender storms the Rochester Queer Arts Festival, where Queer and Ally Designers present boundary-breaking looks that shred the binary and celebrate every body. Presented by Luci and Dona.
Student Gallery
A curated Student Art Gallery will display works by talented high school and college artists from Upstate NY, giving young creators a platform to shine, and sell their work!
Drag Tag Sale
Now YOU can take home a piece of the closets of some of the most popular drag performers in our area. Costumes, wigs, jewelry, shoes! They will have it all for sale!