Where to catch the most fabulous drag shows in Calgary this August
It's all about charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent!
NearahNuff performing at National. Right: Aurora Matrix and Rip Em at Dickens.
Calgary Pride weekend is coming up at the end of August, and there will be tons of Calgary drag shows taking place throughout the month.
There are several places where you can attend drag shows this August, from regularly scheduled nights at bars and clubs to pop-up events in restaurants and unique venues.
Get ready for some serious eleganza extravaganza because some of the city's top queens will be serving all the realness at these dynamic drag shows in Calgary.
Twisted Element
Price: Tickets start at $17
When: Friday and Saturday nights. Doors open at 8 p.m. Drag shows start at 9:30 p.m.
Address: 1006 11 Ave SW, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: Twisted Element is one of the hottest gay clubs in Calgary. Open on Friday and Saturday nights only, the club host a slew of fun events like dance parties with DJs and drag shows.
There are drag shows happening every weekend throughout the month of August. Performers will include Salina Estities, Karla Marx, Detox, and Tenderoni.
Because Twisted Element is a nightclub, you must be 18 or older to catch most of the drag shows. However, the club will be throwing an all-ages Drag and Dance event on August 29 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Attic Bar & Stage
Price: Tickets start at $20. Pay What You Can is available for people in the BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
When: Multiple dates
Address: 1413 9 Ave SE, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: Most days of the week, you'll find only diners at The Attic Bar who come to dig into vegan pizza and pasta dishes. However, swing by for a special drag event and you'll find fierce queens sashaying through the dining room.
This August, The Attic is hosting three drag shows. HoliGay Long weekend is brought to us by Noble Oney and Osmo Cis and will take place on Saturday August 3 and August 31 from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Waffle-y Cute is an all-ages drag show taking place on August 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Attic Bar & Stage also hosts regular drag shows and drag brunches with the talented crew from Carly's Angels. They'll be taking a break for the month of August, but will be back to slay again in September.
Dickens
Price: Cover charge starts at $10
When: Multiple dates
Address: 1000 9 Ave SW, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: Dickens is one of the few spots in Calgary that offers a wide variety of drag shows on a regular basis. You can catch a show pretty much every week throughout the month of August.
The month kicks off with Idol Worship on August 1 featuring Mink Stole and Peaches Christ. On August 13, Karla Marx and Rip Em will bring their unique style of sass with They Got Talent. On August 22, you can catch The Fake Mustache Drag troupe perform.
Dickens will also be hosting several special Pride events. These include the TGT Pride Ball on August 28, Monster Ball 3 on August 30, and Big Gay Burlesque on August 31.
Wild After Hours Drag Dinner
Price: Tickets are $94 or $114 for the VIP experience.
When: August 23, 6 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Address: Calgary Zoo, 210 St. George's Drive NE, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: The Calgary Zoo may not be the first place you think of when it comes to drag shows. However, the Zoo will be celebrating Pride in style this year with a gag-worthy drag dinner.
The Wild After Hours Drag Dinner will take place on August 23 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and feature performances by Nada Nuff and the HireHeelsYYC crew. Like many of the Wild After Hours events, it's for adults 18 years and over.
The tickets include dinner and the performance, as well as admission to the zoo as early as 1 p.m. VIP tickets will get you better seats and a complimentary mocktail or cocktail.
Wild After Hours: Drag Dinner website
Congress Coffee
Price: Tickets start at $16.50
When: Multiple dates
Address: 215 36 Ave NE #1A, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: Congress Coffee is a quirky coffee house that hosts a ton of cool events. Many of the events are music performances, but every so often they host drag shows that always manage to bring the house down.
The first drag event in August will be Housing Crisis on August 22 with drag clowns Yulia Borscht and Dani Phantom. The event starts at 8 p.m. and is 18+ only. Next up you have Dice Dynasty with The Fake Mustache Drag troupe. The show starts at 5 p.m. but doors open at 4 p.m.
For all the underage folks out there who love a good drag show, Congress Coffee is also throwing an event called Drag is for All Ages on August 31 from 2 p.m. onwards.
The Back Alley
Price: General admission is free. $27.96 for private upper-level seating. $17.31 to meet and greet the performers.
When: September 1 from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Address: 4630 Macleod Trail, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: The Back Alley is a happening nightclub on McLeod Trail that throws killer parties. In fact, the club's tagline is "The Best Party of Your Life." That may just be the case at the upcoming Electric Pride event.
The party falls on the final day of Calgary Pride weekend and aims to close the weekend out with a bang. It kicks off at 7 p.m. and will feature drag shows with performers like Angelina Starchild and Francheska Dynamites. There will also be DJs, door prizes and raffles.
The Electric Pride party is free to enter, although the organizers suggest a $5 donation at the door to help support the performers and crew. The event is for adults only, so you must be 18 years old or over to attend.
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