Gross Indecency With Christeene
Christeene is less of a traditional drag queen than a pagan punk staging a relentless assault on propriety. In a 12-hour onslaught of heathen pleasures, she will perform electro anthems such as Tears from My Pussy, while AJA’s screamalongs will tear Salford a new one.
The White Hotel, Salford, Saturday 10 August
Melanie C and Sink the Pink: Global Pride Tour
What’s better than seeing Sporty Spice do her greatest hits by the beach? Well, seeing Sporty Spice do her hits with hairflipping queens, duh. Mel C is backed by drag cabal Sink the Pink for summer dates; we’re hoping for overlooked poppers o’clock anthem I Turn to You.
Dreamland, Margate, Saturday 10 August
The Church of Yshee 2019 Finale!
Yshee Black knows how to create a mind-blowing climax. The Brummie belle’s weekly lip-sync competition culminates in a finale with £1,000 up for grabs, performances from the Midlands’ finest queens, and enough pageantry to make the pope blush.
The Village Inn, Birmingham, Sunday 11 August
DragWorld UK
Start your engines, raid your piggy bank: DragWorld doesn’t come cheap. You will pay £30 just to get through the door of Europe’s largest drag expo, plus extra for meet-and-greets with RuPaul alums such as Trixie Mattel and Violet Chachki. There’s a helping of fringe Brit genius, too, including deranged star-in-the-making Charity Kase.
Olympia, W14, 17 to 18 August
Alt Queer
Gear up for Manc Pride by celebrating the best in local queer talent. Self-branded “trans drag fag” Marylin Misandry brings the tunes, Ivy Profemme puts a sly twist on burlesque, and scouse queer punks Piss Kitti will leave your ears ringing all weekend. All for free.
Band on the Wall, Manchester, 23 August
Gingzilla: Late Night Lip Service
This 7ft diva from Down Under hustled on the London scene for years before charming the America’s Got Talent judges this May, but she’s not above breaking out the hot glue gun for a DIY-leaning show. Anarchic hi-jinks from the queen who once devoured a whole chicken on stage to It’s Raining Men.
Gilded Balloon Rose Theatre, Edinburgh, to 24 August
Drag Queen Story Time!
The library is open! Take a breather from Canal Street’s madness for a twist on the classic bedtime tale. Mistress of ceremonies the Nightbus – Europe’s premier bearded Muslim drag queen – will be reading a QPOC-led story, in an important chance for kids to discover LGBTQ role models of colour.
Family Area at Pride, Manchester, 24 August
Crystal Rasmussen Presents The Bible 2 Live!
Imagine if Rita Hayworth grew up in Lancaster and sported a glittery goatee and, voilà, you’re not far off Crystal. This non-binary diva spins in their own hilarious, heartfelt orbit, as proved by their memoir Diary of a Drag Queen. Brace yourself for a live show as snort-inducing as Crystal’s claim to have won multiple Nobel prizes.
Underbelly, Edinburgh, to 25 August
Duckie Loves Fanny
The queen of basting birds in ballgowns while dripping in diamonds, Fanny Cradock was the pinnacle of kitchen camp. As part of Waltham Forest London Borough of Culture, the Vauxhall clubbing institution Duckie is hopping north of the Thames in tribute to the icon, laying on 25 Fanny Cradock dragsters of all genders, hits from Fanny’s golden years from host and DJ Amy Lamé and, of course, canapés.
Walthamstow Assembly Hall, E17, 6 September
Drag-Opticon
Scotland’s premier Dragstravaganza is calling all fabulous creatures from the Outer Hebrides to John O’Groats. Expect burlesque, ballet and even saw-playing, with appearances from eccentric glamourpuss Alana Duvey – who’s been known to do Lady Gaga’s Shallow with a puppet Bradley Cooper.
Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, Glasgow, 6 September
Gals Aloud
Relive 00s pop’s glory days with a unique tribute to Girls Aloud, featuring enough Elnett to put Cheryl out of that L’Oréal deal. The drag troupe rattle through the quintet’s hits, as well as solo tracks (Nicola’s Beat of My Drum, we pray). Expect comedy sketches and a re-enactment of Nadine’s passport saga.
Udderbelly, SE1, 19 September
Fierce Festival 2019
A queer performance smörgåsbord with some of 2019’s most electrifying alt-drag north of the Watford Gap. Sink the Pink alum Oozing Gloop – our leading green autistic drag queen – stages a fever-dream of wigs and masks, while local queens Lacey Lou and Yshee Black preside over dance party Club Fierce v Hooker Club.
Various venues, Birmingham, 15 to 19 October
Carmina Victoriana
Cross-dressing beauties were a staple of the Victorian music hall, and modern ingenues such as Miss Hope Springs, Diane Chorley and Dinah Lux are making sure that herstory is remembered. Expect a velvet-trimmed night of comedy madness plus drag girl band DENIM.
Wilton’s Music Hall, E1, 18 & 19 October
Heels of Hell
Let Alaska Thunderfuck, Adore Delano, Miz Cracker, Latrice Royale and Kennedy Davenport drag you to you the bowels of hell and back. The annual Halloween spectacular will also be summoning Atlanta’s drag alien Biqtch Puddin to the stage – plus a top-secret TBC star.
O2 Academy, Leeds, 22 October
The Glory’s Halloween Ball
Brace yourself for a spooky theatre of the absurd. Jonny Woo, Ma Butcher and John Sizzle round up the finest queens from local alt-drag incubator The Glory for creepy campery, and the “res-erection” of the Gay Bingo. Prizes go to best Halloween drag; bagsy Meryl in Death Becomes Her.
Hackney Empire, E8, 26 October
