![fun downtown portland gay bars fun downtown portland gay bars](https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/opb/FMRACC2SG5GRJJK7CEZA2B4BW4.jpg)
Stark Street in 2016 the building that housed Red Cap Garage was gutted to create Union Way The buildings that housed Red Cap and Aura, a nightclub facing Burnside Street, were gutted to create the retail alley Union Way. The nightclub closed on August 18, 2012, after operating for 25 years. We hope that all our friends will be able to make it down in the next few weeks to say goodbye to us! So, get ready – there will be a massive blow-out party on the 18th! We are working on the details right now and will be posting the event shortly. After 25 fantastic years with the best customers and staff Red Cap Garage will be closing on August 18th. The bar's plans were confirmed on Facebook in a statement which read, in part: In 2012, rumors began circulating about Red Cap's possible sale and closure. In June 2010, the bar's events manager started a project allowing bias crime victims to report incidents to a trained "ally" at Red Cap, following an attack on six gay men who were assaulted after leaving the establishment. It also hosted RuPaul's Drag Race participants and viewing parties of the reality competition television series. Red Cap held events like " Bearracuda", "Peep Show", "Portland Drag Race", "Portland Idol", and "Queerlandia", and hosted disc jockeys as well as the drag queens Joey Arias, Lady Bunny, and Sherry Vine. Good-natured, sauced-up fun reigns in this trampy labyrinth, especially during Tuesday night drink specials." In 2008, Out Traveler 's Jason Rowan described the three establishments as: "interconnected bars offer one-stop shopping: twink go-go boys in Boxxes, dirty smokers in Red Cap, and late-night clubbing at the Brig. The bar faced Stark Street and was connected to two others called Boxxes and the Brig, and the restaurant Fish Grotto. Red Cap Garage, established in 1987, occupied a building which once housed a taxicab company.