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El Convento Rico, a staple of Toronto's Little Italy nightlife known for drag shows and Latin music, announced it is closing after 35 years. The club opened in 1992 and served LGBTQ2S+ and Latin communities.
El Convento Rico, a longtime staple in Toronto's nightclub scene, has announced it will be closing its doors after 35 years in business. The club, located at 750 College St. in the city's Little Italy neighbourhood, made the announcement on Thursday.
A Toronto Nightlife Institution
It first opened in 1992 and became known for hosting drag show performances and platforming local DJs, serving members of the LGBTQ2S+ and Latin communities. In a statement posted online Thursday, a spokesperson on behalf of El Convento Rico said the venue became more than just a physical space. The spokesperson stated that it became a home, a stage, a refuge, a family, and a place where many were able to laugh, dance, love, celebrate, and simply be themselves.
Tonight, we say goodbye to 750 College St., a place that became so much more than four walls, the spokesperson said in the statement. The circumstances behind the closure are currently unclear. Officials on behalf of the nightclub did not respond to CTV News' immediate request for comment. The club was known to play energetic, eclectic tunes with Latin influences, along with mainstream club hits, before its sudden closure.
El Convento Rico served as a gathering place for Toronto's LGBTQ2S+ and Latin communities for over three decades. The venue was a platform for local drag performers and DJs, contributing to the city's nightlife and cultural scene. In its farewell message, the club expressed gratitude to its community, stating that the community gave El Convento Rico its soul. The post thanked everyone who kept the music playing, the lights shining, and the memories alive for 35 years.
Thank you to our community. You gave El Convento Rico its soul. For 35 years, you kept the music playing, the lights shining, and the memories alive, the post read. It also extended thanks to every queen who stepped onto the stage, every artist who shared their talent, every staff member who gave their heart, and every person who walked through the doors.
A Legacy of Inclusivity
To every queen who stepped onto our stage, every artist who shared their talent, every staff member who gave their heart, and every person who ever walked through our doors, thank you, the post read. El Convento Rico leaves behind a legacy of inclusivity and celebration. For many, it was a safe space where people could express themselves freely and enjoy performances that highlighted Latin culture and LGBTQ2S+ pride.
The closure marks the end of an era for Toronto's Little Italy neighbourhood and the city's nightlife landscape. The club's impact on the community and its role in platforming diverse talent will be remembered by patrons and performers alike. The announcement was published on October 02, 2026, and a photo from July 16, 2021 shows clubgoers dancing at the venue.
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CTVToronto:Longtime Toronto nightclub El Convento Rico shuts down after 35 years in buisness 
CP24:Longtime Toronto nightclub El Convento Rico shuts down after 35 years in buisnessThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
El Convento Rico Toronto Nightclub College Street LGBTQ2S+ Latin Community Drag Shows Little Italy Toronto Nightclub Closure LGBTQ2S+ Safe Space Drag Performances LGBTQ2S+ Community
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