Lipstick, dresses and long blonde tresses.
All will be in abundance at the flagship event for Powell River Pride 2017: a drag show scheduled for 9 pm on Saturday, August 12, at McKinney’s Pub.
“This town loves a good show and these drag queens are exceptional,” says event co-organizer Jeff Leggat. “The performers will get interactive with the guests and they’ll put on a fantastic show. There’s lots of humour in it, flamboyant costumes and incredible talent in doing the lip-syncing. It’s just a high-energy, fun event for everybody.”
Building on the success of previous drag shows presented in the community in recent years, Leggat and co-organizer Kelly Belanger decided to incorporate the event into Powell River Pride 2017 celebrations.
A performance last March at Carlson Community Club drew rave reviews from attendees, some of whom even showed up with colourful personas of their own.
Performers Mina Mercury, Maxine Pad and Myria le Noir will be flying in from Vancouver for this weekend’s event. All three have graced stages in Powell River or Texada Island in the past and will likely be familiar to the local crowd.
“Every year I get calls from a lot of the drag queens who have performed here before, asking to come back because they loved the energy,” said Belanger. “We try to have some returns and some new ones come.”
There will even be a few celebrity sightings, as performers demonstrate their spot-on impersonations of singers such as Annie Lennox, Tina Turner and others.
“I told the girls they have to do more than just lip sync,” said Belanger. “They have to have an act to make it more fun.”
Tickets for Powell River Drag Show 2017 are available in advance at the Old Courthouse Inn, Capone’s Cellar and McKinney’s. Belanger anticipates the pub will be packed.
“They have a good sound system, a nice big stage and the facility to hold 170 people,” he said. “We can sell it out and have a good time.”
Powell River Pride 2017 festivities will also include a ribbon-tying memorial at 7 pm on Friday, August 11, at Larry Gouthro Park and a sing-along movie screening at 3 pm on Sunday, August 13, at the Patricia Theatre.
Powell River Drag Show 2017
When: 9 pm, Saturday, August 12
Where: McKinney’s Pub
Price: $15
Info: 604.483.4000 or Powell River Drag Show 2017 on Facebook
