MINTO – Drag queens and kings will be making their way to Palmerston for drag bingo, an adults-only event packed with performances and prizes.
The event is being hosted by the Minto Pride group, a working group of the town’s diversity, equity and inclusion subcommittee.
The event is scheduled for March 29 at the Palmerston Legion from 8 to 10pm. Doors will open at 7pm for guests to mingle and grab a drink. The bingo night is for ages 19-plus. Tickets are available online at eventbrite.ca for $10 and $15 at the door.
“The bingo is actually free,” explained Minto Pride member Rosie Krul. “The ticket is paying for the drag performances and then the drag performers are running the bingo as a fun bonus.”
The night is set to feature performers from the Sault Ste. Marie-based drag house, Haus of Gore.
A drag house is a group of performers that support each other under a common group name. Some focus solely on performance/drag support and some include outside drag support and connections.
“We’re keeping the cost low because we really just want people to come see what a fun time a drag show can be,” she added.
She noted the event will be a great way for people to be introduced into drag shows.
Guests can expect dance numbers in between each bingo game, with small prizes to be won.
“It’s important to have events like our Pride in the Park event and drag bingo because a lot of the time people are uncomfortable with the idea of pride,” she said.
“They maybe just don’t understand what they are actually protesting.”
Each year the Palmerston Legion chooses a community group fundraiser to support. This year they donated the hall for the bingo night, helping with Minto Pride future initiatives.
“It’s really great to have that support from a local organization,” said Krul.
Coming home
One of the performers, Ashley Aikens-McIntosh, who performs as a drag king called “Luke,” spent a great dealt of their childhood growing up in the Minto area.
She is co-head of the Haus with drag queen Gemini Gore, who will also be performing at the event.
Aikens-McIntosh began by organizing shows and events for Haus of Gore and by 2018 she was performing on stage.
“Supporting Minto pride through drag bingo is really important because it gives opportunities for youth to see positive queer representation,” they told the Advertiser. “These aren’t things that are going to brainwash our kids.”
According to Aikens-McIntosh, there was no queer representation in Minto when they grew up.
“Gay was bad and that was that,” they added, referring to their childhood knowledge of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
To be able to go home and be on a stage in drag will allow Aikens-McIntosh to “fully embrace that part of myself and celebrate it.”
“It’s just such a personal, full circle, fulfilling moment for me,” they said.
Ashley Aikens-McIntosh will be performing as “Luke” and hosting the bingo. Submitted photo
