Rainbow Cattle Company is A Glimpse of Gay Nightlife History in Guerneville

The Rainbow Cattle Co. has been "the spot" for gay nightlife in Guerneville since 1979. Photo by Andrew Collins.

There are so many things to love about the Rainbow Cattle Company, it’s hard to know where to start. This rough-and-tumble, rollicking saloon on the main drag in downtown Guerneville opened its doors more than 30 years ago, in the summer of 1979 to be exact, just as this sleepy, redwood-shaded town in western Sonoma County had begun to truly solidify its reputation as a weekend vacation mecca among gays and lesbians in the Bay Area. The town, and the surrounding Russian River region, has remained a magnet for GLBT tourism ever since – its reputation now spans far beyond northern California, and although funky Main Street is still largely free of franchises and fussiness, Guerneville has become slightly more upscale and urbane in recent years.

Not so for the venerable Rainbow Cattle Company, the one gay bar that has weathered Guerneville’s many changes over the past three decades. This super-friendly, unabashedly cruisy watering hole is open 365 days a year “come hell or high water” (per its website, with the raffishly loveable URL “queersteer.com“). Locals and visitors tend to party ardently, and the amiable bartenders – an age-varied mix of ruggedly handsome bears and regular Joes that mirrors the clientele – pour some mighty stiff drinks. Patrons with attitude or pretentions are the rare exception here, and guys into leather, western gear, and motorcycles will likely the most at home. You can bet that during Guerneville’s popular Bear Market weekend, coming right up from July 29 through August 2, the Rainbow Cattle Company will be packed with bearish sorts.

Whatever your style, gender, or taste, all are made quite welcome here at Guerneville’s most neighborly of gay neighborhood bars.