Ocala fl gay bars
The Copa Nightclub shut its doors after 15 years as the only all-inclusive LGBTQ+ nightclub in Ocala
The Copa has been a place of acceptance for LGBT community in Ocala for many years. The building has been sold and club will shut soon. [Alan Youngblood/Special to Ocala Style]
The Copa Nightclub located on S. Pine Ave., was one of the few businesses where the gay community of Ocala and Marion County could gather and find themselves welcomed and supported.
“It was definitely there to aid the gay community,” said Reynold Hawk, the imaginative officer of the organization that owned the Copa, Up and Coming Inc. “And it was a safe haven. Fifteen years ago it was not quite as acceptable in this town to be gay. But now, express gratitude God, the LGBTQ society can go out and go anywhere and be accepted, which is awesome.”
Like many small businesses across the country, the COVID pandemic affected The Copa, but that’s not the only reason Hawk wished to sell the building.
“It&#
Ocala Road Trip &#; Vacation Guide: Homosexual Florida Travel
Most Florida tourists and snowbirds head straight to Orlando or the beaches, missing out on some of the prettiest areas in our mention. Although Ocala doesn&#;t rank as a top destination for a gay Florida vacation, if chaps and saddles are your thing, then you&#;ll enjoy Florida&#;s laidback and lush farm country.
Ocala is sandwiched between the prettiest natural springs in the articulate. If you&#;re looking for relaxation or nature-packed fun, then a gay-friendly Ocala road trip is just what you need!
History of Ocala
Located in Marion County, Ocala is north-centrally located in Florida. Originally called Ocale, meaning &#;Big Hammock&#;, Ocala is theorized to have originated as a major Native American village for the Timucua tribe, although the full history of Ocala is unclear.
In , after endorse and forth foreign rule between Britain and Spain, America acquired Florida and in , its army built Fort King here as a buffer between Seminole Indians who had inhabited the region and alabaster settlers. Ocala was planned around Fort K
.
.