A Glittery Gala!

Pride, Drag, Cinema, and Celebration

Plus, Call To Arms Brewing hosts Tennyson Pride
Saturday, June 15th 

Get ready to sashay down the red carpet at the To Wong Foo Festival, hosted by the fabulous Rainbow Cult at the Historic Elitch Theatre! After the blockbuster success of their previous events, Rainbow Cult, the glittering star at the crossroads of drag and cinema, is ecstatic to announce the “To Wong Foo Movie Festival.” This isn’t just a movie night, it’s a cinematic extravaganza bursting with drag performances and immersive experiences.

Plus, mid-afternoon, follow the queens over to the Tennyson Pride Parade! Organized by Call to Arms Brewing, join us for a day of pride and family fun!

The festival starts at 2:00 pm on the Elitch Theatre lawn, heads down Tennyson for the parade at 4:00 pm, and then at 6:00 pm heads back to the theatre for an evening of entertainment.

Schedule:

2:00 to 6:00 pm – To Wong Foo Festival:

• Rainbow Cult will be hosting a FREE festival (all-ages) on the lawn in front of the theatre and extending over to the historic Carousel Shell. There will be vendors, food trucks, and drag acts, plus DJ Buddy Bravo. The festival will also celebrate our friends at Parasol Patrol! These queer soldiers provide a safe, family-friendly atmosphere at community events. Their mission is to shield children and young people, using umbrellas to create a visual barrier from protestors, and offering noise-canceling headphones to protect little ones from loud (and hateful) disturbances.

4:00 to 5:00 pm – Tennyson Street Pride Parade:

• At 4:00 pm we’ll have a contingent of drag queens, queers, and fabulous neighbors, who will head to Tennyson and will join the Tennyson Street Pride Parade! Coordinated by Call to Arms Brewing, there will be a parade of local businesses and breweries in a Tiny Float competition! (Businesses, residents, plus dogs!) The parade will start at Vitamin Cottage and end at Call to Arms.

5:00 to 7:00 pm – Call to Arms After-Party:

• Once at Call to Arms, DJ Jen G will be rocking a post-parade party. (To Wong Foo ticket holders can get a discount on a drink before they head back to the theatre for the show.)

6:00 to 7:00 pm – Film Screening Doors Open: (ticketed event: https://bit.ly/prideredwild)

• Seating is general admission, so we’ll open the doors for the evening screening and performances an hour before the show. NOTE: The evening screening is the only ticketed part of the event with tickets available here: https://bit.ly/prideredwild

7:00 to 7:30 pm – Film Introduction: (ticketed event)

• A history and drag introduction, plus a keynote by drag legend Jessica L’Whor!

7:30 to 9:30 pm – Screening of To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar: (ticketed event)

• Watch a queer classic in the theatre where the first moving pictures were shown in Colorado! In 1896 Edison’s Vitascope premiered at the Elitch Theatre. For this event, picture extended projections at the Historic Elitch Theatre, character drag performances by Betty Swallows-Alnite as Vida Boheme, Geo Conjure as Noxema Jackson, and Adryanna StaxXx as ChiChi Rodriguez. BONUS: What better place to show this film — Julie Newmar performed at the Elitch Theatre in 1968! Check out her page at the Historic Elitch Theatre!

9:30 to 11:00 pm – After-Party: (film ticket required)

• Following the film, we’ll wrap up with a DJ on this legendary stage. Drag queens, queers, fans and allies, will celebrate our pride to kick off the weekend before Denver’s Pride.

Queer Families:

The theme of the night is “QUEER FAMILIES,” and Rainbow Cult is on a mission to transform cinema into inclusive sanctuary of celebration, acceptance, and communal empowerment. We’re here to uplift the diverse voices and identities within the LGBTQ+ and POC communities. Join Rainbow Cult on June 15th for an extraordinary celebration of queer culture, community, and cinematic magic, at the Historic Elitch Theatre. This event promises to be another unforgettable experience, following the tremendous success of their previous shows.

About To Wong Foo:

“To Wong Foo” is a 1995 American comedy film that tells the story of three New York City drag queens, played by Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo. They embark on a road trip to compete in a prestigious drag competition in Hollywood, encountering various challenges and learning valuable lessons about acceptance, friendship, and self-identity along the way. The film is known for its heartfelt performances, vibrant costumes, and uplifting message of empowerment. So, join us for a movie event and experience the joy and laughter of “To Wong Foo!”

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