The Copa (Fort Lauderdale Gay Club/1974-2005) cartwheel inn new hope more privacy

more privacy

Circle J captured an era when queer connection lived in shadows but thrived anyway

Hitch Hiker existed in a time when LGBTQ nightlife lived in many forms — bars

it was equal parts dance floor and dive — pool tables

Introduced in the mid-1990s

The Copa (Fort Lauderdale Gay Club/1974-2005) cartwheel inn new hope more privacyThe Copa Fort Lauderdale, Florida (19742005) Big, bold, and built for the dance floor, The Copa was one of Fort Lauderdales most important gay nightclubsa place that helped define the citys rise as a major LGBTQ destination. Emerging in the early to mid 1970s, it quickly became a centerpiece of the growing South Florida scene. By the 1980s and 1990s, The Copa was in full stridea large scale disco and dance club where music, lights, and crowd energy