City Council Moves to Revive Go-Go Dancer Appreciation Day

On April 7, 2025, the West Hollywood City Council voted unanimously to revive Go-Go Dancer Appreciation Day as an annual event, a celebration of the city’s nightlife heritage that first launched in 2011 but faded after 2013. Initiated by Councilmember Danny Hang and Mayor Chelsea Lee Byers, the motion directs the Community Services Department to work with local businesses and community partners to craft a plan, with details on timing, programming, and partnerships due at a future meeting.

The decision, incorporated into a broader Rainbow District enhancement discussion, reflects a renewed push to honor go-go dancers’ contributions to West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ culture. The original event, conceived by then-Councilmembers John D’Amico and John Duran, ran for three years, featuring festivals and contests backed by local bars. It lapsed in 2014 when the city declined to sponsor a fourth iteration, citing a lack of business unity in the Boystown area—now rebranded as the Rainbow District.

Back in 2014, D’Amico had hoped businesses benefiting from the event would form a Business Improvement District (BID) to sustain it. Despite the city spending $65,000 over eight years to organize a BID along Santa Monica Boulevard from Holloway Drive to Doheny Drive, the effort faltered. State law required support from businesses representing 51% of the proposed budget, but competition among bar owners and economic pressures stymied consensus. That year, shifts like the sale of Eleven Bar and Rage nightclub further complicated planning, leading D’Amico to note, “It didn’t seem like it was going to come together very easily.”

The 2025 revival shifts the approach. Vice Mayor John Heilman’s amendment encourages businesses to lead the effort, with the city as co-sponsor, drawing on models like Mardi Gras. “It would help them take ownership,” he said during the meeting. Councilmember John Erickson envisioned a long-term social media strategy, while Lauren Meister tied the event’s success to addressing vacancies and safety in the Rainbow District. No budget was set, but staff will return with funding proposals, potentially including permit waivers.

During the meeting, staff from the Economic Development Department outlined the historical context, with Laura Byrie, Director of Economic Development, introducing the Rainbow District item, which included the go-go dancer proposal. The staff report, prepared by the Community Services Department under Director Yvonne Quarker, noted, “The reintroduction of this celebration can help support local businesses in the Rainbow District, uplift LGBTQ+ cultural history, and stimulate economic activity.” The department plans to engage with the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Visit West Hollywood, and nightlife stakeholders to shape the event’s logistics.

Public support was evident. Tod Hallman, representing The Wild nightclub, praised dancers’ role in energizing crowds, drawing from his past as a dancer. Paul Nicholls, a 25-year resident, shared how dancers uplift patrons, recounting stories of their small gestures brightening tough days.

Historically, Go-Go Dancer Appreciation Day drew crowds—its final 2013 iteration even paired with a Tom of Finland exhibit. Don Zuidema, an LASC co-owner involved in the 2014 BID push, saw it as “a lot of fun,” though he acknowledged the economic downturn’s toll then. Now, with stakeholder meetings planned, the event aims to reclaim that spirit, reinforcing the Rainbow District’s draw.