Sip City Mixer

Philadelphia’s most active events community for queer women, nonbinary, and trans folks, Sip City Mixer has become the de facto “traveling queer bar” in a city that hasn’t had a dedicated lesbian bar since Toasted Walnut closed in 2021. Founded in 2017 by Rebecca Kenton, who took over a small 100-person lesbian Facebook group and built it into one of the region’s largest inclusive LGBT+ community organizations, Sip City runs regular happy hours, themed pop-ups, and specialty events across Philadelphia, the Main Line, and South Jersey. The group was featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Citizen, and Billy Penn as one of the most important answers to the city’s loneliness epidemic in the LGBT+ community.

Who Sip City Is For

Sip City is intentionally and explicitly inclusive of queer women, femmes, trans men and women, transmasc and transfemme, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming Philadelphians. Founder Rebecca Kenton has been deliberate about expanding beyond the original Facebook group’s predominantly white, cisgender lesbian base — she has said in interviews that she wanted the community to be “more queer than strictly lesbian” and has worked consistently to make people of color, trans folks, and gender nonconforming attendees feel genuinely welcomed rather than tolerated. Cisgender gay men and straight cisgender women allies are welcome at most events if accompanied by someone from the core community. Events are 21+ unless otherwise noted.

The “Traveling Queer Bar”

Because Philadelphia no longer has a dedicated lesbian bar, Sip City has taken on the role of a rotating, citywide queer women’s nightlife hub. Events have been hosted at Tattooed Mom on South Street, The Dolphin in South Philly, Rosy’s Taco Bar East, Blind Barber Speakeasy, Chestnut Hill Brewing Company, Liberty Point on the waterfront, and the PHS South Street pop-up garden — among dozens of other venues. This traveling format means Sip City events draw a wider geographic and demographic crowd than any single venue could, and it’s become a deliberate strategy for reaching queer Philadelphians in neighborhoods far from the Gayborhood.

Signature Events

Sip City’s annual calendar includes several marquee events that regularly sell out weeks in advance. Queer Prom, typically held during Pride Month, gives adult LGBT+ attendees the prom experience many missed in high school — with a donation component that sends queer youth to their own proms. Sapphic Sparkles is the group’s New Year’s Eve party, and Cherry Bomb at Tattooed Mom kicks off Pride season each year. The group’s speed dating events have become so popular that recent 30-something events have received over 100 four-page applications for just 20 spaces, prompting Kenton to add additional monthly dates to keep up with demand.

Community and Advocacy

Beyond events, Sip City has become a genuine community organization. Kenton — whose parents were New England educators and civil rights advocates — has spoken publicly about the broader stakes of the group’s work, citing the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory on the loneliness epidemic and the specific need for safe, nurturing queer spaces. Kenton has also publicly discussed exploring the possibility of opening a permanent lesbian bar in Philadelphia, though no specific timeline has been announced. In the meantime, Sip City subgroups offer smaller, focused communities within the larger network — including dedicated groups for outdoor enthusiasts, introverts, and people looking for quieter, lower-key gatherings.

How to Join

Sip City’s full event calendar, ticketing, and community information is at sipcitymixer.com, with regular updates posted to the Sip City Mixer Facebook page and @sipcitymixer on Instagram. Many smaller happy hours are free with no cover; special events like Queer Prom and speed dating are ticketed with tiered pricing (including pay-what-you-can donation options for community members who need them). The group’s inclusive, intentional approach has made it one of the few queer Philadelphia communities where “a safe, fun, and meaningful” space isn’t just a marketing line.