By Kevin Ferrisi –
FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT – Trevi Lounge, the longtime LGBTQ+ nightlife and community venue on Kings Highway Cutoff, has closed its doors after 17 years, according to owner Katia Capozziello.
Katia announced the closure in a message posted to social media, reflecting on the people, performances and community connections that helped make the Fairfield venue a fixture in the region. “It is with a heavy heart that I share that after 17 years, we have decided it is time to close Trevi Lounge,” Katia wrote.
She went on to thank the venue’s staff, customers, community members, performers, DJs and organizations that had become part of Trevi’s story, specifically recognizing the Bridgeport Pride Center and Fairfield Center Stage. “And of course, I’m proud that we started the very first Fairfield Pride,” she wrote. “So many memories, so many highlights. These are moments I will never forget.”
Trevi Lounge, located at 548 Kings Highway Cutoff, was established in 2013 and became an important gathering place for Fairfield County’s LGBTQ+ community. Katia Capozziello and family opened the bar after recognizing a lack of LGBTQ+ focused nightlife options in the area, giving local residents a place to socialize without having to travel to New Haven or New York City.
By 2016, Trevi Lounge had been described as Fairfield County’s only gay bar and had become more than simply a nightlife destination. Following the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando that year, the venue hosted a candlelight vigil and collected donations for victims and their families. Katia described Trevi Lounge as a place where members of the community could gather, stand together and feel at home.
Over the years, Trevi Lounge developed a reputation for its mix of entertainment and community programming, including DJs, karaoke, drag performances, dancing and live theater. The venue also became a distinctive home for productions by Fairfield Center Stage.
That partnership began in 2018 with Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Fairfield Center Stage subsequently returned to Trevi Lounge for productions including Cabaret, The Rocky Horror Picture Show Experience, La Cage aux Folles, Fun Home, Reefer Madness, Broadway DNA and The Drowsy Chaperone.
The venue also played a role in the region’s drag community. Wacky Wednesday, a weekly open-stage event created by performer Frankie Cyanide, launched at Trevi Lounge in 2022 and became a regular platform for drag kings, queens, alternative performers, dancers, singers, comics and other artists from across New England. The event eventually marked its 200th show before moving to a new venue in 2026.
Trevi Lounge became known for offering a wide range of entertainment throughout the years, giving the Fairfield LGBTQ+ community plenty of reasons to come out and stay awhile. The lineup included shows such as Scandalous Saturdays Burlesque, RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing parties hosted by Bleach, and GLOD with Ryder Die, along with regular drag shows, themed parties, special events, DJs, dancing and other nightlife programming. The venue also welcomed local and visiting drag performers, creating a space where audiences could see a mix of established favorites and newer talent while enjoying a night out with friends.
For many patrons, however, Trevi Lounge’s significance extended beyond its entertainment calendar. It was a place where friendships were formed, celebrations were held and LGBTQ+ residents and allies could find a welcoming space.
In her farewell message, Katia Capozziello emphasized that community above all else. “I want to thank our staff, every single one of you who has worked with us over the years,” she wrote. “I remember all of you from day one.” She also thanked Trevi’s customers, performers, DJs and community partners, including the Bridgeport Pride Center and Fairfield Center Stage. “Thank you for 17 years of love, support, and community,” Katia wrote.
The announcement marks the end of a 17-year chapter for a venue that became deeply intertwined with Fairfield County’s LGBTQ+ community and local arts scene. For those who spent years beneath Trevi’s lights, on its dance floor, behind its bar or on its stage, the closing represents the loss of more than a neighborhood nightlife spot, it is the closing of a place that, for generations of patrons, had come to feel like home.
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