Drag kings and drag queens will be performing tonight in Frey Conference Suite at 8 p.m. and will end around 10:45 p.m. If you would like to watch, be sure that you come a good two to three hours ahead of time to secure a spot.

PRIDE has been a student organization for 20 years now, and the Drag Show has been going on since 2004 at Wayne State College.

“We look at and vote on professional drag kings and queens to see who we would like to bring here,” said Demetris Bumgardner, senior and vice president of PRIDE.

She said that this year they will have a performer that is an alumn, just like they had had last year.

“The Drag Show is an annual fundraiser,” said Bumgardner. “We try to get drag kings and queens, professional ones, and then we like to have student participation in the Drag Show.”

She says that the group likes to have students sign up to dress up drag and experience performing in a Drag Show.

“This year, we have five student participants,” said Bumgardner. “I believe we have five professionals.”

She said they have a MC, who hosts the show while also performing.

“It starts at 8 p.m. this year, sometimes we change it up, but usually people start lining up around 5 or 6 o’clock,” said Bumgardner. “Usually we get long lines that go all the way to the upper gag because people really want to get good seats.”

She said people want to sit close because when a queen or a king comes out into the audience, the students like interacting with them.

“Some people think that drag is a gender identity, or it’s associated with gender identities, but that’s not necessarily true,” said Bumgardner.

She said that as an example, she is a cisgender female, agreeing with her assigned gender at birth, and does drag for something fun to do.

“It’s a great way of self-expression,” said Paige Allen, fifth year senior and president of PRIDE.

She said that when she performed last year, she realized that she was more comfortable dressing more masculine than feminine.

The Drag Show consists of dancing and lip syncing for the audience.

“The point (is) the more you dance and perform to please the audience so they tip you,” said Allen.

If a drag king or queen is performing well students are able to tip them. This year all tips will be donated to Dr. Andria Cooper’s family.

“Every year we do this Drag Show, we normally donate to a local fundraiser,” said Allen. “I think it’s a great way to collaborate with the community, but also other groups on campus.”

She said that before the Drag Show, there will be a “pre-show” with other groups helping out. Active Minds, GAMMA and Circle K are a few that are going to be doing activities for people who get there two hours early to wait.

Bumgardner said that during intermission there will be a raffle for gift cards, PRIDE Tshirts, PRIDE coloring books and a PRIDE book. The gift cards are for Wayne East, Casey’s, the Max, Majestic, and Dairy Queen is donating blizzard coupons and a gift card for the coffee shop.