Already in its fourth year, RuPaul’s DragCon took over Downtown Los Angeles this past weekend and celebrated all things queer! The annual, three-day convention brought over 50,000+ people together to embrace their courage, uniqueness, nerve, and talent, and the entire event and was proof that no matter who you are, you belong!
While making it to the Los Angeles Convention Center can be a task (especially because of traffic), it was so affirming to see so many people in Drag Race attire. From all the merchandise, to people being dressed in full on drag, people were ready for the day!
Within minutes of the convention's start, the crowd grew and folks were excited to get in. One of the coolest things to see was how happy folks were to see some of the queens go up to the main room. People couldn’t wait to enter and see how much bigger and better this year’s event was.
Before entering, attendees were reminded that just because a queen is in drag doesn't mean you can touch them or take their pictures without permission. In past years, folks have made comments about how handsy others became during the event, so this was a great thing to see.
A great reminder: drag DOES NOT EQUAL consent.
There were so many photo opportunities as soon as you walked through the front door of the convention center. While many ran over to the official merchandise booth, folks were lining up to get photos with the cool set-ups.
Right next to the entrance were several opportunities to feel like you were a part of the show’s experience. The first being the all-time favorite, Snatch Game! They even name cards and markers so that you could write your name down and feel like you could actually play!
Squirrel friends, indeed. There was so many opportunities to buy merchandise related to RuPaul’s funny and punny jokes, but the coolest setup was the big squirrel right next to his booth.
It became apparent while being in the space that the event was truly about celebrating Mama Ru’s accomplishments and how all of his hard work has created space and opportunity for other entertainers to succeed.
There were so many festive items to bu! A staple that seemed to be extremely popular this year was pins, as most booths had them for sale or would give them away with purchase. Jewelry also seemed to be really popular, as well as wigs, makeup, etc.
Besides meeting the queens, panels are often the most popular part of DragCon. One of the most popular panels was Jasmine Master’s "Master Class."
Hands down the coolest part of DragCon was seeing so many people paying homage to their favorite queens. Whether it was a shirt or actually wearing something they wore on the show, so many fans truly came to werk, play, and slay!!
What’s so great about DragCon is how it brings both fans and celebrities together in one place. After connecting with Daniel Franzese at his booth, I bumped in to Jeffrey Boyer-Chapman and Glozell. All amazing people!
I got to meet most of the season 10 queens while attending DragCon! They all shared quotes about their journey, and they wanted us to know that they were grateful for the love and support!
“Always know that you are ever-changing and when you think you know who you are, you really don’t.”
“The end result is ever-changing. Create space in your journey to see the forks in the road. Use them to your advantage!”
“Find a way to be happy with you and your body. Love yourself, and know that while you think someone is worried about you, they are worried about you judging them. Regardless of your size, we are all seeking to be loved.”
“Be confident. Always.”
“Always seek to be positive. Life is better that way.”
“Keep working and know that you can do it. In the end, life is just one big performance.”
“Drag Race is a human situation and people are going to respond with human responses. Let people be human.”
“I’m rooting for everybody Black.”
“Never stop dreaming.”
"Party."
“I was robbed, so give me Miss Congeniality.”
“This journey has been nothing like I expected but I honestly have been blessed and grateful to be a part of the legacy.”
“You don’t always need to win, to win. Miss Vanjie WILL take over the world.”
Another one of the coolest DragCon moments was being able to step foot into the legendary werk room! I took photos in front of the mirrors, near the stairs RuPaul comes down from each week, and of course, in the entrance!
As the day came to a close, it was exciting to see so much love and community built up in Dowtown Los Angeles! I am over the moon that I got to attend this year, and I would encourage everyone (especially Drag Race superfans) to do so next year if they have the chance to go.
Until next year, Rupaul’s DragCon!
