[13] The Gay and Lesbian Pride Ball takes place every spring at the International Convention Centre with an average audience of 1000 plus attendees.

Following refurbishment by owner and former Mr Gay UK Richard Carr,[21] it was a karaoke and live cabaret bar open every night of the week.

Equator is also the home of the transgender social group Outskirts, providing a meeting space for people in the trans community on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month.

[29] In 1930, the main buildings, with the exception of the women's bath on Gooch Street, were demolished[27] and new facilities were built in a more modern art deco style.

[31] In September 2009, after lying empty for years, the baths were demolished by Benacre Property, the landowner, provoking a local outcry.

[32] Despite being Grade B locally listed, Birmingham City Council were unable to save the building and the site became a surface car park.

Designed by Alfred John Dunn F.R.I.B.A, a Birmingham and Gloucester Architect in 1931 with two storeys with pediments and banded piers, Originally a car showroom in the 1930s, entrepreneur Laurie Williams transformed the premises into a private members gay bar in 1996 under the name Laurie's International Club and opened it in time for the first Birmingham Pride in 1997.

[34] It closed down and was bought by Birmingham Mardi Gras Ltd, a subsidiary of the Nightingale Club in January 2010 before undergoing a four-month refurbishment at a reported cost exceeding £400,000[35] and reopening in September 2010.

[clarification needed] Now called Sidewalk, it is marketed as a bar and restaurant and has been refurbished to have a "San Francisco warehouse" decor.

[38]Previously known as Purple Bar & Lounge, it opened on 27 September 2010 and closed on 18 August 2012 after a take-over by GB Holdings, the owner of the Nightingale.

[47] The Eden Bar hosted an annual karaoke competition Sing Star Superstar with a DJ and cash prize.

The first event in February 2012 was attended by hundreds[citation needed] of members of the transgender community from different parts of the country and was formally launched by popular television personalities.[who?]

[54] As of 2012, and after more than 40 years open, and many redesigns, the Nightingale has occupied three locations in Birmingham; 50 Camp Hill (1969–1975), Witton Lane (1975–1981),[33] Thorp Street behind the Hippodrome (1981–1994), and the current location at Essex House,[55] which has three floors, an outdoor smoking area and bar, a restaurant, a stage and dance platforms, two more indoor bars, a balcony, and a games area.

The Nightingale club and UK charity music festival, Oxjam raised £2,571.66 to fight "extreme poverty and hardship" between February and March 2010.

[56] The Nightingale regularly offers special nights and books famous musicians to play, as well as entertainers, including fire breathers and stilt-walkers.

[60] Beginning in May 2012, the Nightingale played host to each of the ten contestants voted off BBC show The Voice every Saturday, until 7 July when the winning act was announced and appeared at the club.

Attendees who bought "The Big Gay Travel Pass" received a coach ride to and from the Club and free entry to the UV party – spread over all three floors.

[64] DV8 was born from an ambitious but failed plan by Bill Gavan to merge the premises of DV8 and the Nightingale Club, situated across the road, with the intention to create a gay leisure complex dwarfing every other venue in the area.

[65] DV8 was raided by police on the morning of 12 November 2012 and 28 people were arrested for supplying and cultivating what was believed to be ecstasy and Class A drugs.

Sergeant David Sproson of the West Midlands Police was quoted as saying, "This action is the culmination of background and intelligence work stretching back several months which looked at the venue and people frequenting a party night popular with the Vietnamese community."

][citation needed] Affectionately known as "The Welly" by locals, the Wellington Hotel is alleged to have held the first gay marriages in all of Birmingham, and many years before the Civil Partnership Act of 2005 was enacted.

Folklore of the Wellington tells of how a local priest would bless the wedding couple by sneaking into the building via the subway on Bristol Street.

Popular drag act Miss Billie drew crowds to the club, and was responsible for the picket and protest outside Jo Joes bar in 1996 for fair access for the LGBT community, after personally being refused entry.

[77] The 'Shout for Village Pride' mural was commissioned for the Shout Festival in 2009 and given a "life expectancy" of 5 years after funding was granted by Big City Planning.

It was painted on the exterior wall of the City Centre South car park on Hurst Street, directly opposite The Village Bar.

The winning entry was sculpture was for a £15,000 rhinestone encrusted statue of a rhinoceros now located on Wynner House "as a mascot for the city's gay village".

[78] The Rhinoceros is intended to reflect the strength and original symbol of the gay rights movement in the United States, and the rhinestones refer to the jewellery production history of Birmingham.

It was installed shortly before Birmingham Pride 2012, which took place over the Diamond Jubilee weekend at the beginning of July, and contains a heart, "filled with memories, stories, photos and videos submitted by local people".