Top 4 Spots for Electrifying Drag Shows in Adelaide
If there’s anything a drag artist knows best, it’s how to turn a snoozefest into a glamorous spectacle of a show! Whether through lip-sync performances, live singing, or hosting, these entertainers know how to bring the party to life.
The art of drag is alive and well in Adelaide, brimming with clubs, restaurants, pubs, and more. Though the community is smaller than the divas in Melbourne and Sydney, our homegrown talents are some of the best!
Want to watch the drag artists up close and in person? Check out these spots in Adelaide where you can catch their shows. Don’t forget to tip them!
Regular Drag Shows
Mary’s Poppin
Photo by itdevents
Website: https://www.maryspoppin.com/
Address: 5 Synagogue Pl
Contact details: [email protected]
Operating hours: Friday-Saturday: 9 PM-3 AM
From sparkling disco balls to flamboyant drag queens in their full, fabulous extravagance, there are hundreds of objects all vying for your attention in the cabaret bar Mary’s Poppin…and that’s just from your entrance!
Its namesake may remind you of a magical nanny, and magic is truly the word to describe the performances here!
From tried-and-tested homegrown talents to touring stars (including RuPaul’s Drag Race alum!), plenty of drag performers have graced the cabaret bar.
Each opening day is an event, with a theme following gay icons like Beyonce, Troye Sivan, Nicki Minaj, and more. Always keep an eye out for their upcoming events if you want to catch your favorite drag acts from all over the world!
Pro tips:
- Check out their list of upcoming events if you want to catch your favorite drag acts from all over the world!
- While it’s primarily a gay bar, everyone is welcome inside as long as you’re respectful.
Drag Bingo
Mylk Bar
Photo by gaybingosa11
Website: https://www.barossavalleyestate.com/
Address: 57 Flinders St
Contact details: +61 8 8568 6910
Operating hours:
- Monday-Wednesday: 7 AM-6 PM
- Thursday: 7 AM-7 PM
- Friday: 7 AM-8 PM
- Sunday: 5 PM-9 PM
Mylk’s Bar is the home of Adelaide’s Gay Bingo, which is South Australia’s longest-running queer bingo night.
Here, you can try your luck at winning money, but even if you don’t win, you’ll leave with a big grin and a cheerful mood thanks to the fabulous drag queens hosting the event!
The best part is that they regularly support causes for queer people offering crisis support, counseling, and sexual health education.
Some of the regular queens that host the show include Kaitlyn Ginger Rogers and Creme de Peche. Sometimes, they also host games to win tickets for the shows of visiting cabaret and drag performers!
Pro tips:
- Feeling a little bit more creative and confident? The Drag Bingo event is a great time to wear something extra colorful and fun!
- Grandma and grandpa can always come along—as long as they don’t mind a bit of swearing and explicit jokes.
Prohibition Liquor Co
Photo by _da_n_i_
Website: https://prohibitionliquor.co/
Address: 22 Gilbert St
Contact details: +61 8 8568 6910
Operating hours:
- Wednesday-Thursday: 11:30 AM-10 PM
- Friday: 11:30 AM-11:30 PM
- Sunday: 11:30 AM-7 PM
Prohibition Liquor Co. wonderfully pairs their magnificent cocktails with the raucous fun brought by queens Fifi and Princess Laya. Together, they command the stage with hilarious quips and glamorous outfits.
You should definitely be ready for the queen’s lightning-fast zingers and insults—or “reads” as they call them. But don’t worry, they’re all for laughs and fun!
Pro tips:
- Try their “Spirit of Pride ” gin, a delicate dry gin whose proceeds are donated to the Australian LGBTIQ+ refugee organization, The Forcibly Displaced People Network.
- While it’s always great to listen to the queen’s well-prepared set, keep your eyes on the prize and always look at your cards so you don’t miss the chance to say “Bingo!”
Seasonal Drag Shows
Adelaide Fringe
Photo by adlfringe
Website: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/
Location: Various spots in Adelaide, tickets bought per show
Adelaide Fringe is an annual arts festival that attracts drag artists from across Australia and around the globe, all eager to light up the local stages with their dazzling performances!
More than the usual bar performances, these drag kings, queens, and everything in between perform comedy acts, vocal performances, plays, and more!
The best part is that they maximize the whole of Adelaide, performing in many venues like The Garden of Unearthly Delights, Adelaide Botanic Gardens, and Terrace Hotel.
Pro tip:
- To check if the drag show is child-friendly, check the audience suitability rating on the ticket or the website.
