Counseling Connect is gearing up for the month of June with their second annual drag show benefit in collaboration with Moon Hollow Brewing Company, Community Pride in Blacksburg, and the Downtown Divas. This year, we honor the “Bizarre and Beautiful” in a circus-themed drag event to raise awareness and celebrate the diversity in our communities.
This event will be held at Moon Hollow Brewing on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Doors open at 12PM and the show starts at 1PM.
Drag is a historically rich art form dating back to the 19th century, in which the term “drag” was first used to specifically reference performing in clothes or a persona different from your own gender (Jake Hall, 2023). Today, drag is still defined as a performance art using costumes, makeup, and other tools to present exaggerated forms of gender expression, as a critique of gender inequalities and illustration of a transformational future, where people are truly free to express themselves (Human Rights Campaign Foundation).
Drag performances have become an increasingly more popular and visible form of self- expression, gaining and maintaining audiences across the country, whether spotlighted by local performers or by way of media such as “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on television (The Fire, 2024). Despite drag existing for hundreds of years in varying forms, drag is not easily defined, often using overly broad definitions to describe the art.
In 2025, we remember to continue as activists for the LGBTQ+ community and proudly celebrate self-expression in the art of drag performance. Participating in drag events—whether as a performer or audience member—is an expression of our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly. With this freedom, we look forward to showing our appreciation for the Bizarre and Beautiful for this year’s Pride Month!
