These Okanagan queens are working to build a drag empire

• Okanagan Drag Collective
• Bring drag shows all over the Okanagan
• Give local performers opportunities

Three Kelowna queens have come together to grow the scene in the Okanagan and support equal opportunity.

The Okanagan Drag Collective (OKDC) formed last month through the efforts of Ella Lamoureux, Chasity Caige, and Jenna Telz.

“We started the Okanagan Drag Collective to provide fair employment and create new queer spaces that are comfortable for everybody,” Caige told Kelowna10.

“And make sure all of our drag performers are able to work together and are treated and paid equally.”

The goal of the collective is to have a cultural impact and provide more opportunities for drag performers to get on stage by working together and inviting local queens to join them.

“When we work together, we’re able to do so much more and in the end, I think we’re all going to be doing so much better because of it,” Telz explained. “We can help bring drag to other towns and help little baby queen’s there grow up.”

Within that work, the trio took the stage for a ‘Terror Before Yuletide’ performance at DunnEnzies Pizza in Mission to a packed house over the weekend. The group hope to add more locations to the roster in the months ahead.

“The fact that we have such different personalities, we’re able to bridge different venues and create a wider scene,” Lamoureux said.

For Jenna Telz, her favourite part about performing is bringing people together in a safe space to express themselves.

“Seeing the people being able to come to a new venue, feel safe in a new place, and get to celebrate queerness and drag and everything fun that comes with that,” she said.

Caige on the other hand said she loves working the crowd and telling jokes.

“I’m usually the more sultry, sexy, dancing in my underwear queen, but I love making people laugh a lot,” she explained.

Lamoureux enjoys aspects of the performance but thrives on the adoration from the crowd.

“I know I have talent. I know I’m funny. I know I’m pretty. But it's fun having people laugh along when you make stupid jokes,” she said.

She said the collective is off to a good start and all three are hustling to book more shows and grow the community.