The History Center Hails ‘Legendary Drag Queens of San Diego’

The History Center Hails ‘Legendary Drag Queens of San Diego’

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Hail to the queens! To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, the San Diego History Center is expanding its current exhibit LGBTQ+ San Diego: Stories of Struggles + Triumphs with a fabulous new centerpiece: Legendary Drag Queens of San Diego.

From June 14 to September 8, the new exhibit will shine the spotlight on performers from or based in San Diego who encouraged LGBTQ+ equality and advocated for causes beyond themselves, staging shows to benefit AIDS organizations, youth scholarships, and homeless people in San Diego and Tijuana.

Curated in collaboration with the Imperial Court de San Diego—and with San Diego First Lady Katherine Faulconer the honorary chair—the show will include memorabilia from those philanthropic efforts, archival photos, and vintage and contemporary costumes donned by San Diego performers such as Empress Nicole the Great, Tootie, Glitz Glam, Franceska, Babette Schwartz, and Chad Michaels—you might know him from his flawless impersonations of Cher (shown here) or as the first winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars.

Finally, to quote our city’s most famous drag queen of all, RuPaul, “sashay away.” The queens await!

Legendary Drag Queens of San Diego

June 14–September 8, San Diego History Center, Balboa Park sandiegohistorycenter