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Wednesday, March 25, 2026
On the Hunt for 24 Hours of Drag in N.Y.C.
The New York Times: How much drag can I see in 24 hours?
That’s the screwball mission I embarked on in early March. I had options galore: An ax-throwing class. A party bus. John Cameron Mitchell in “Oh, Mary!” A 25-person drag dinner for $800.
4 comments:
Sid J
said...
Something that I really love about the art form of drag is how versatile it is in terms of form and format. This article demonstrates that really well. Drag performances can take place in a theater on a stage, in a basement, in a bar, in libraries, in nightclubs, in a bingo hall, and more and more and more. I think this versatility is because the art form is so personal. While queens are sometimes playing characters, oftentimes they are ‘playing’ an exaggerated version of themselves, or simply portraying their authentic selves. Because of this, performance can be whatever it wants. It’s unscripted, unrehearsed, and instead it adapts to whatever environment its thrown in. I think this is also a big reason why drag is such a staple of queer community. It can travel anywhere to entertain people anywhere, for any audience, at any time of day and for any occasion.
I like that this article has a mixture of writing as well as video and pictures. I think that only with all of those elements can you capture the energy and the essence of drag. I have mixed feelings about how mainstream drag has become. Of course all of the queens and kings and creatures deserve all the recognition they can get, but it also sometimes feels like there is still a level of acceptableness that you have to pass in order to be good or to be mainstream. Like they talk about in the article, part of New York City, specifically Hell's Kitchen, is where the straight tourists go because that will be what is palatable to them and in other places it might be more weird and niche and more queer. I also think sometimes people come into drug spaces without understanding the etiquette which often leaves folks without the respect and the tips that they deserve.
While I have never seen a Drag show in person I have witnessed a lot of queer media centered around Drag. Someone may be able to find a lot of entertainment in New York City, but I have found that one of the places with the most drag shows is in fact a town in Massachusetts. Providence town, a town on the very outer part of the cape is considered the gayest town in America. So many traditions in the LGBTQ community have started in Providence town including what is now known as Trans Week, this is the oldest continuing transgender event in the world. You can hardly read any article about the town that doesn’t have any mention of drag or an LGBTQ festival of some type. I think that I will make the trek out to the gayest town in America this summer to see my first ever drag show.
What a fascinating read! This concept is one that is truly joyous and just the kind of whimsy we need to find in times like these. The confidence and art of drag is truly something worth culturally studying. It goes without saying that drag has existed since almost the beginning of culture as we know it itself. Modern drag can be ironic and humorous, just as much as it can be exhilarating, validating and empowering for both the performer and audience. I had no idea honestly that half the events listed in this article even existed, but of course there’s always a drag version. The photographs depict the life of excitement and partying New York City is known for, but the stories behind these events getting to those points are meaningful and deserve recognition as well. We consider this kind of culture to be a pinnacle of progression, especially concerning LGBTQ+ rights, but the fight in red states and worldwide continues on.
4 comments:
Something that I really love about the art form of drag is how versatile it is in terms of form and format. This article demonstrates that really well. Drag performances can take place in a theater on a stage, in a basement, in a bar, in libraries, in nightclubs, in a bingo hall, and more and more and more. I think this versatility is because the art form is so personal. While queens are sometimes playing characters, oftentimes they are ‘playing’ an exaggerated version of themselves, or simply portraying their authentic selves. Because of this, performance can be whatever it wants. It’s unscripted, unrehearsed, and instead it adapts to whatever environment its thrown in. I think this is also a big reason why drag is such a staple of queer community. It can travel anywhere to entertain people anywhere, for any audience, at any time of day and for any occasion.
I like that this article has a mixture of writing as well as video and pictures. I think that only with all of those elements can you capture the energy and the essence of drag. I have mixed feelings about how mainstream drag has become. Of course all of the queens and kings and creatures deserve all the recognition they can get, but it also sometimes feels like there is still a level of acceptableness that you have to pass in order to be good or to be mainstream. Like they talk about in the article, part of New York City, specifically Hell's Kitchen, is where the straight tourists go because that will be what is palatable to them and in other places it might be more weird and niche and more queer. I also think sometimes people come into drug spaces without understanding the etiquette which often leaves folks without the respect and the tips that they deserve.
While I have never seen a Drag show in person I have witnessed a lot of queer media centered around Drag. Someone may be able to find a lot of entertainment in New York City, but I have found that one of the places with the most drag shows is in fact a town in Massachusetts. Providence town, a town on the very outer part of the cape is considered the gayest town in America. So many traditions in the LGBTQ community have started in Providence town including what is now known as Trans Week, this is the oldest continuing transgender event in the world. You can hardly read any article about the town that doesn’t have any mention of drag or an LGBTQ festival of some type. I think that I will make the trek out to the gayest town in America this summer to see my first ever drag show.
What a fascinating read! This concept is one that is truly joyous and just the kind of whimsy we need to find in times like these. The confidence and art of drag is truly something worth culturally studying. It goes without saying that drag has existed since almost the beginning of culture as we know it itself. Modern drag can be ironic and humorous, just as much as it can be exhilarating, validating and empowering for both the performer and audience. I had no idea honestly that half the events listed in this article even existed, but of course there’s always a drag version. The photographs depict the life of excitement and partying New York City is known for, but the stories behind these events getting to those points are meaningful and deserve recognition as well. We consider this kind of culture to be a pinnacle of progression, especially concerning LGBTQ+ rights, but the fight in red states and worldwide continues on.
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