The Fiddler re-opening add, Gay Era March 1978. Courtesy of LGBT-001, DCA
The Fiddler add,, Gay Era February 1977. Courtesy of LGBT-001, DCA.
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Located on Prince Street in Lancaster, PA, The Fiddler was owned by Joe Cardin and was first mentioned in the Gay Era newspaper in October 1976. It was renovated in 1978 and became the first gay disco in the area. The Fiddler served a mixed crowd, but mostly catered towards the LGBTQ+ community in Lancaster and was known for the drag shows that it would host. “…there was a gay man at that time involved in the Fiddler that there was a gay man involved in some of the management at the Fiddler that’s when they start getting involved with havin’ some of gay clientele there also…” – George Centini, Gary Hufford and George Centini Oral History “The Fiddler was a little different, you know what I mean, they always had drag shows…” – David Leas Oral History The Fiddler was also known to be in competition with the Tally-Ho Tavern, specifically on which was the better dance spot. |
“The Fiddler… went in contention with some of the old Tally Ho fans, with this new, there was going to be this competition. For they were a block away from each other. And of course people went back and forth between the two…” – David Leas Oral History
