Miami's Ten Best Drag Shows

If Miami knows one thing, it's how to put on one hell of a drag show. You can catch some of South Florida's best performing all different styles for eager audiences from South Beach to downtown Miami. But before you venture out in search of charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent, keep this important rule in mind: Bring cash and tip the performers.

Below is a list of some of the best shows in Miami. We've barely scratched the surface of what our town has to offer, and this certainly isn't an exhaustive list, but it's a fabulous place to start.

1. Drag Brunch at Palace Bar. South Beach's renowned Palace Bar, which recently reopened in a new location on Ocean Drive, is undisputedly one of the top places in Miami to catch a show seven days a week. Your jaws will drop and your wigs will be snatched. One of the funnest ways to spend an afternoon in Miami is at Drag Brunch at Palace Bar with some of the 305's fiercest queens every Saturday and Sunday. Drag queens dance on top of your table, spill onto the sidewalk, hilariously interact with hordes of tourists, and literally stop traffic on Ocean Drive. The whole experience is unreal. A cool $45 will get you an entree, a seat with prime views of the show, and bottomless mimosas during the performance. For early birds, the first show begins at 11:30 a.m. But if you can't bring yourself to roll out of bed before noon, there's a second seating at 2 p.m. For a taste of what goes down at the Palace, check out this insane viral video of Elishaly D’Witshes climbing to the top of a double-decker bus and impressively landing in a perfect split. It's held every Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Palace Bar, 1052 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach; 305-531-7234; palacesouthbeach.com. Admission costs $45; call or visit OpenTable for reservations.
2. Counter Corner. Miami's best (and wildest) LGBT and Queer Party had a busy 2017. Outgrowing its original home at the Corner, the free monthly party expanded and moved to the nearby venue 1306 in June. Counter Corner also celebrated its third anniversary in November. The party, hilariously hosted by Hialeah's Finest, Juleisy y Karla, prides itself on being a safe space for the Magic City's young, queer community and invites guests to experience "all the gender non-conforming fun you can handle" on its Facebook page. Every third Sunday of the month, the city's loyal crowds pack the house for a night of sweaty dancing and drag performances. In addition to being an amazingly wild night with incredible music, Counter Corner scores major points for shows that take place on the venue's outdoor elevated stage, providing great views of the performances wherever you're standing. It takes place every third Sunday of the month from 10:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. at 1306, 1306 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-377-2277; 1306miami.com. Admission is free.
3. Bareback Follies. Susanne Bartsch's bimonthly Bareback Follies, a night of drag theater at El Tucán, was New Times' Best of Miami winner in 2017, which is reason enough for you to check out this show on the last Tuesday of every other month. The most recent Bareback Follies took place during Art Basel and featured performances by Violet Chachki, Brent Fraser, Amanda Le Pore, Joey Arias, Aquaria, Leonid the Magnificent, Sequida, TP Lords, and Adora. Talk about an all-star lineup. The must-see Tuesday evening show happens twice per night, with performances at 8 and 10 p.m. Be sure to check El Tucán's site for tickets to the next show. It takes place the last Tuesday of every other month at 8 and 10 p.m. at El Tucán, 1111 SW  First Ave., Miami; 305-535-0065; tickets and dinner reservations available via eltucanmiami.com.
4. Double Stubble. Dust off those moves and make your way to Gramps for some serious Studio 54 vibes. Resident DJs Mystic Bill, Hottpants, and Terence Tabeau rule the dance floor with primo disco beats. Dubbed Miami's best place to party on a Thursday by New Times, this free dance party in Wynwood is where it's at. Every week, catch two rotating drag performances on the outdoor tiki-hut stage-turned-runway hosted by Kurt Fowl. You can also find some of Miami's best LGBT and queer parties at Gramps, like Bingo with Miss Toto on Wednesday nights. Be sure to grab your tickets to the highly anticipated, second annual Wigwood festival taking place February 2 at the Miami Scottish Rite Temple and February 3 at Gramps. Try it every Thursday at 9 p.m. at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; 305-699-2669; gramps.com. Admission is free.
5. Drag Mondays. Mondays aren't always a drag, especially if you're spending them at one of the best bars in Miami Beach, with host PartyKarloz, resident queens "The Eye Dolls," and DJs Deejay Smeejay and Scotty-J. Drag Mondays at this low-key spot on Española Way boast good vibes and friendly bartenders serving up half-off booze from 8 to 10 p.m., $2 PBRs, $3 Jager Spice shots, and $6 Absolut Vodka cocktails. Those who have to be functioning parts of society on Tuesday morning are in luck. The first show at Kill Your Idol starts promptly at 11 p.m. with a series of performances that carry on throughout the night. Pro tip: Be sure to grab a seat at one of the booths near the stage to get in on all of the glittery action. Every Monday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Kill Your Idol, 222 Española Way, Miami Beach; 305-672-1852; sub-culture.org/kill-your-idol. Admission is free.
6. Gender Blender. What do you get when you mix some good ol' 305 rock and roll, cheap booze, and drag? A whole lot of glitter and sweat. B-Side, the unassuming Allapattah punk cave that was recently named one of Miami's best new music venues by New Times, is bringing bands, drag shows, and live performances to its monthly queer rock and roll dance party. Gender Blender is self-proclaimed as "Miami's only party dedicated to showcasing LGBTQ+ musicians and talent." It's time to get unapologetically rowdy from 9 p.m. Sunday, January 28, at B-Side, 2898-B NW Seventh Ave, Miami; 786-780-2750; facebook.com/bsidemiami. Admission is free.
7. Celebrity Deathmatch. Inspired by the bloody and violent MTV claymation series of the same name, Miami's version of Celebrity Deathmatch takes home the championship belt. At the event's debut last month, Miami's top drag queens battled it out in the ring and lip-synced for their lives while channeling divas from Madonna to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. New Times recently proclaimed that "Celebrity Deathmatch has the potential to become Miami's next must-see LGBTQ event." On January 27, catch Celebrity Deathmatch: Mario Party and watch Lisa Mercedes and Stephanie Cockroach battle it out as Mario vs. Luigi, Casey Caldwell and Eddy Salgado as Princess Peach vs. Princess Daisy, Charlotte Shottgun and Opulence Queen as Wario and Waluigi, and Poomie Yamsakul and Jupiter Velvet as Yoshi vs. Birdo. Try it from10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday, January 27, at the Hangar, 60 NE 11th St., Miami; 786- 480-4203; thehangar305.com. Admission is free with RSVP via tfl.events/mia.
8. MissCellaneous. Miss Toto is no stranger to Miami's gay party scene. In fact, the queen rules it. Miss Toto is an icon in the 305 and was recently crowned one of Miami's most interesting people of 2017 in New Times' People issue. And now, she's taking us to the theater. Miss Toto and Little Haiti's Villain Theater are bringing you a new monthly drag night, MissCellaneous. The new show, held in a small, dark theater, premiered last Saturday with a Virgin Diaries theme to an energetic crowd, with performances by Casey Caldwell, Kunst, Andro Gin, and Jupiter Velvet. The intimate venue provides a perfect setting for the crowd to experience a drag show up close and personal. According to Miss Toto's Facebook events page, the next show will be on Saturday, March 17. It's held every third Saturday of the month at midnight, at Villain Theater, 5865 NE Second Ave., Miami; 786-391-2241; Tickets cost $10 via villaintheater.com.
9. Flaming Classics. An overpriced ticket to a fancy cineplex won't get you an experience anywhere near as fun as what South Florida's Juan Barquin and Trae DeLellis offer at the Bill Cosford Cinema. Held every second and fourth Sunday of the month, Flaming Classics pairs classic films from the queer canon with live drag performances inspired by the film right after the screening. The series' creators were recently awarded $25,000 for Flaming Classics from the Knight Foundation during its annual Knight Arts Challenge. Be prepared for performers to crawl over theater chairs, kiss audience members, and dare we say...more. At Flaming Classics, you won't have to sneak in your drug store-bought snacks. Instead of spending a quarter of your paycheck on mediocre movie theater treats, moviegoers can spring for a soda and popcorn costing a total of $5. Check out Flaming Classics' newest series SEX. VIOLENCE. WHATEVER. featuring films Set it Off on January 28th, Bound on February 11, and the Doom Generation on February 25th. It takes place every second and fourth Sunday at 8 p.m. at Bill Cosford Cinema, 5030 Brunson Dr., Coral Gables; 305-284-4861; cosfordcinema.com. Admission costs $9.75 presale and $11 at the door. For more information, visit flamingclassics.com.
10. Sunday Drag Brunch at R House. It's Sunday, you're hung-over, and looking forward to diving headfirst into a stack of French toast while drinking the hair of the dog. Lucky for you, Miami's best brunch spot of 2017 serves bottomless bites and booze and more important, killer drag performances. The weekly shows, hosted by Athena Dion, take place twice every Sunday, at noon and 2 p.m. The divas rotate throughout the event and perform in the restaurant's corridors both outside and inside. On a recent visit, we witnessed one queen who cartwheeled across the dining room without even batting a false eyelash. Bonus: Your four-legged friends are welcome to enjoy the drag show (outside). Check it out every Sunday at noon and 2 p.m. at R House, 2727 NW Second Ave., Miami. Brunch packages vary. For reservations, call 305-576-0201 or visit rhousewynwood.com.