Southeast’s PRIDE Club hosted its annual Drag Show in the University Center Ballroom on Oct. 10 with special guests from Independence Place, a local LGBTQ bar in town.

The doors opened at 6 p.m. to welcome performers, students, faculty and staff.

Amateur performers volunteered to be part of the show, including Musical Theatre student Joe Parker as Mia Moore and Art Education student Adrienne Small as Rocky St. Moore who signed up online.

Rain Foxx, performer and pageant winner, was excited to perform for her fourth time in PRIDE’s drag show.

“I love performing at the school,” Foxx said. It feels like being back there because I am young. I am only 24, so it’s full of new energy and a new spirit and a new love for drag.”

In years past, the drag show was hosted by some university departments that helped with the preparation of the event. This year, it was hosted solely by PRIDE.

The preparation takes time, and begins the previous semester. The club has to reserve the venue, find queens to perform, book a DJ and purchase decorations based on the theme of the show they have decided.

“It’s an executive decision, we write down a bunch of themes, and we sort of narrow down based on what we like and what we don't like,” said Sam Kleinschrodt, former president of PRIDE. “This year’s show was between space/galaxy and western and we settled down western.”

The drag show had a contest for the best cowboy or cowgirl dancer. A couple of people dressed in western-style clothing danced on stage competing for a drag trophy doll made by Shanta Coffman, one of the PRIDE member’s mom.

About ten people and a dog danced with the music until Libby Adams and Sydney Pribble, members of PRIDE, decided the winner based on the applause of the crowd.

Cayden Wilson was selected as the winner of the contest, receiving a big cowboy hat and the trophy.

“It was a little nerve-wracking, but it was fun. I felt like I was involved with everybody and everybody else enjoyed it too,” Wilson said.

Overall, the show gave students and the public the opportunity to see a drag show in a university setting. Department of Public Safety (DPS) attended the event to ensure safety as requested for the PRIDE Club.