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Emilly Prado
Emilly Prado is a writer, award-winning journalist and consultant living in Portland. Read More
Drag in Portland
Can’t get enough of Ru Paul’s Drag Race? Experience a drag queen brunch or a burlesque show from Portland celebrities like Poison Waters and Jayla Rose.
Emilly Prado
Emilly Prado is a writer, award-winning journalist and consultant living in Portland. Read More
The Portland drag scene is opulent and oozing with a wide range of artistry and entertainment available at most hours of the day: A late-morning boozy drag brunch can be followed with a drag queen-hosted afternoon fundraiser for a good cause; evenings can be filled with glitzy drag shows or laid-back drag bingo nights. One thing is for sure: The Portland scene isn’t a drag!
History of Drag in Portland
Drag — a scene founded underground to escape discrimination (like many queer, persecuted spaces) — was also once relegated to cis men dressing in women’s clothing but, in more recent decades, has evolved into an inclusive exploration of gender and art, filled with song, dance and cash tips gifted by audiences to the stars on stage, dollar bill-by-bill.
The foundations of drag culture as public performance originated in 1869 when “drag balls” were first hosted in Harlem, New York. Although drag balls were created as safe spaces for gay men to perform in feminine-coded clothing, the spaces were often segregated or exclusionary, leading to subsets of drag balls centering trans and queer Black, Indigenous and people of color.
In Portland, the drag scene was born around 1912, as corroborated by written and photographic accounts discovered during research by Portland’s own drag performing icon and professor, Poison Waters, in preparation for her Portland Community College course, Histories of Drag Performance in Portland. Waters’ course emphasizes the criminalization and stigma of drag at its advent and its vibrant, longstanding history well before RuPaul’s Drag Race. A drag queen since the 1980s, Poison Waters also co-hosts an annual lecture on the rich history of Black drag in Portland and is a mainstay at the state’s most legendary drag institution, Darcelle XV Showplace.
The Legacy of Darcelle XV Showplace and Walter Cole
Darcelle XV Showplace, located in the Old Town neighborhood of Downtown Portland, has shown a spotlight on cabaret and drag performance since its 1967 founding by Darcelle XV, the stage name of the late Walter W. Cole, a legendary drag performer who held the title as the world’s oldest performing drag queen before passing at age 92 in 2023.
“The aesthetic of Darcelle XV Showplace reflects the improvised, low-budget, and self-reliant illusion of glamor that resulted from its development during the late 1960s and early 1970s when drag was celebrated mostly behind closed doors due to gay discrimination and the threat of harassment,” notes the National Register of Historic Places’ online record for Oregon’s only drag venue on the register. “Through fundraising, drag sponsorship and events, philanthropy, and nightly entertainment, the nightclub has a long history of standing up for LGBTQ rights.”
While it may not be the largest drag production, Darcelle XV’s weekend drag show is the longest-running on the West Coast and features an ensemble of the scene’s stars, such as Poison Waters, Alexis Campbell Starr, and Mr. Michell. While food is available, the real stars of the menu are the showtime cocktails — best served in a signature, sky-high leg lamp keepsake.
Darcelle has always been a mentor to me and taught me so much… He taught me how to be a person.
Poison Waters
Poison Waters, who likened meeting Darcelle XV for the first time in the 1980s to meeting the Wizard of Oz, told OPB in a 2023 interview, “Darcelle has always been a mentor to me and taught me so much… He taught me how to be a person. Darcelle Showplace is a staple in the Portland culture scene.”
After a slew of legislation targeting gay rights and drag performers hit the U.S. in 2023, local clothing company Wildfang teamed up with the folks at Darcelle XV to break another world record: the longest continual drag show. They gleefully succeeded, running for over 48 hours and raising over $296,000 for The Trevor Project, a nonprofit that supports LGTBQ+ youth.
Favorite Portland Drag Stars and Performers
Today, the legendary Portland drag scene sparkles with a diverse range of local celebs.
Find drag kings and nonbinary drag performers challenging social norms, like the illustrious Mafeta Crumble, revolutionary Mona Chrome, and the sensational trio known as XXXY Boy Band, who host Hot Mic XXXY, blending drag performance and karaoke, every second Friday at Curious Comedy, among many others.
Two queens at the intersection of drag and the interdisciplinary art world are long-time Portlanders Pepper Pepper and self-proclaimed “premier drag clown,” Carla Rossi (who is also host of the nation’s only LGBTQ+ horror series, Queer Horror.)
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While it’s best to cast a wide net when reeling in your next favorite drag star, producers and hosts deserve special shoutouts, too! We’re particularly fond of Katya, owner of Klip Klop Productions, multi-hyphenate Violet Hex and Jayla Rose, a sensational dancer and frequent host/performer at Diva Drag Brunch (a weekly event billing itself the biggest drag brunch in the Pacific Northwest.)
Other standout performers to check out include Bougie Cherry, Destiny Smokez, JenuWine Beauté, Nicole Onoscoppi and Valerie DeVille. We can’t wait to see more gems sparkle in the coming years.
Drag Events in Portland
Drag Brunches in Portland
Opportunities for drag brunches and mimosas abound. Each Sunday brings you the opportunity to try staples like Darcelle XV Showplace (co-hosted by Poison Waters and Alexis Campbell Starr) or catch a variety show including drag, burlesque, acrobatics and more at Diva Drag Brunch at Swan Dive. You can also see The Stag Drag Brunch on select weekends at Stag PDX with beloved performers like Kharisma and Nicole Onoscopi.
Late Night Drag Shows
Night owls will revel in the drag shows that stretch into the wee hours of the night. Every third Sunday of the month, drag queen Bolivia Carmichaels hosts It’s Bolivia! at Portland landmark CC Slaughters, with a rotating cast of stars. While lip-synching is a staple of drag, you can get your fill of live singing every Friday at CC Slaughters during stunning performances hosted by Saint Syndrome and Nicole Onoscopi. Meanwhile, drag queens host shows at Silverado, Oregon’s largest gay bar, most nights of the week; these are more about the clothing coming off than on.
Drag Activities in Portland
Portland’s self-dubbed bingo queen, Peachy Springs, hosts recurring nights at nearly a dozen local bars and clubs, single-handedly ensuring most nights in Portland can be spent with drinks and daubers in hand. And for younger fans, there are drag shows for and by LBGTQ youth, recurring Drag Queen Storytime hosted by the Multnomah County Library and the occasional seasonal drag workshops by folks like Isaiah Esquire or Syra St. James.
Drag Events
Revel in Portland’s drag scene with these upcoming events.
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