The first rule of drag brunch is to always talk about drag brunch—with friends, on Instagram, to anyone who likes to have a good time. OK, so that’s not a rule, but you’ll do it after attending one of these popular events, which have taken local restaurants by storm in recent years.
“Everyone wants a piece of NoVA now,” says Katja Attenshun, a Manassas-based drag queen who runs the brunches at City Tap Loudoun and is a regular at various other spots. Attenshun, whose career spans about a decade, got started after entering a competition; the inimitable queen loves being onstage and bringing positive attention to the LGBTQ community.
The shows typically occur monthly or bimonthly, are promoted via each restaurant’s social media or Eventbrite, and follow similar formats: The queens perform, menu specials are offered, and everyone gets into the spirit.
Take City Tap. Its first show in February 2020 sold out in 48 hours. Since then, events have been consistently well attended, with groups ranging from bachelor or bachelorette parties to eight moms and their tween girls who came to see all the action.
“The queens sing, dance, do splits, ride scooters, hold push-up contests with guests and chair-dance competitions,” says general manager Bryan Otto. “Birthdays or celebrations beware: The queens will put you to work.” As for the staff: They pick up the dollar bills flying about and serve the food and drinks. “Our bar team and chef have fun with the specials,” adds Otto. Among them: Rainbow Skittles and mimosa flights, Halloween chocolate candy and croissant baskets.
While the brunches don’t always have themes, the holidays are natural tie-ins. Madigan’s Waterfront in Occoquan put on a Pride Month–themed fête to kick things off last June. (Attenshun’s “drag daughter,” an affectionate goddaughter-style moniker, Camilla Rose, hosts.) And Axes and Os in Sterling held a Mother’s Day brunch—but its most memorable production took place this past September. “A queen ran into the parking lot, did a backflip, and landed in the splits—in four-inch heels, no less,” says Tara Hampton, co-founder of Axes and Os.
Lost Boy Cider in Alexandria launched its program in July 2021 and has been buzzing since, thanks to drinks accented by edible glitter and host Millie Meringue (plus Emma Zon Prime and other talents). “We’re always looking for new ways to engage within our community and target different demographics that may not have come to [us] otherwise,” says event manager Alyson Kokolus.
Hampton agrees: “It’s great to pull in a different audience.”
So what happens when the crowd is shy? “I remind them that applause is free,” notes Attenshun, who takes this moment to go over the rules: Don’t touch the entertainers, tip well, and make noise. “And if you see something you like, scream.”
Feature image courtesy Katja Attenshun
This story originally ran in our March issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
