Starting Monday afternoon and going until Wednesday, celebrities and drag artists from across the country will come together at the Darcelle XV Showplace to try to break the world record for longest drag artist stage show.
Portland fashion boutique Wildfang is organizing the drag-a-thon event in response to several states passing legislation banning drag performances.
Public relations coordinator Evie Smith Hatmaker worked with Wildfang and said the show celebrates Portland’s queer community and spotlights its ongoing struggles.
“Queer people are gonna be here forever,’ she said. “We’ve been here forever. Drag is a form of protest and, yes, we are all angry, we are all tired, let’s put on this amazing show and entertain the entire city of Portland and beyond.”
Celebrities scheduled to appear at the event include Busy Philipps, Katelyn Ohashi and drag artist Poison Waters and a slew of others.
The current record for longest drag show recognized by the Guinness World Records is 36 hours, 30 minutes and 40 seconds, achieved in Australia in 2017.
This year's lineup for Portland Drag-A-Thon, an attempt at breaking the world record, at Darcelle XV in Portland, July 10-12.
Courtesy of Wildfang & Darcelle XV
The Portland Drag-A-Thon is currently sold out, but Hatmaker still encourages audiences to come to the show. If not all ticket holders show up, other people will be allowed to take their seats.
Hatmaker said another way to get involved is to donate to the Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization that provides support for LGBTQ youth.
About $250,000 of the ticket sales will be donated to the Trevor Project.
Hatmaker hopes people come away from the drag-a-thon with a sense of joy and compassion for all people, regardless of how they choose to identify themselves.
“It really is a labor of love and a celebration and of queerness and joy. We really want to put Portland on the map as being a place that is super accepting and welcoming,” Hatmaker said.
(Editor’s note: Marcos Nájera, OPB’s executive editor for arts and culture, will emcee the Portland Drag-A-Thon on Tuesday and Wednesday. He did not edit this story)