Pride Alliance’s annual dinner and drag ball

This past Saturday, Apr. 1, was jam-packed with events presented by Geneseo’s Pride Alliance, beginning with their annual Pride Dinner and culminating in the explosive Drag Ball; this year’s headliner was former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant LaLa Ri. I was lucky enough to attend both events, which celebrated queer culture through experiences that were both informative and delightfully fun. 

The theme of this year’s dinner followed the theme of “Speakeasy,” guiding dinner guests through a series of activities that combined both 1920s-specific history of queer culture and modern trivia. Presentations from the Pride e-board included information about the history of queer nightlife in America, which blossomed in the 1920s alongside urbanization. Presenters gave credit not only to the foundational clubs, including the gay and lesbian bars Black Cat Bar and Eve’s Hangout, but also to figures at the heart of evolving queer fashion and party culture. 

While a fair amount of time was carved out for these presentations, plenty more was dedicated to maintaining a collaborative and interactive event; guests were immediately greeted by a cardboard cutout of Danny DeVito, who was just one of the many prizes offered to winners of trivia, the Price is Right, and the most shocking inclusion of the night—a murder mystery!

Throughout the night, the lights periodically dimmed to reveal one of four murders, and guests were ultimately asked to gather whatever clues they could find to catch the hidden crook. This dramatic throughline made for many laughs, uniting guests under a goal that was amusingly thematic. 

Seamlessly blending educational material with entertainment, the pride dinner was a successful celebration of queerness in Geneseo beyond; this is evidenced by their first-ever ticket sellout, as noted by the president of Pride Alliance, junior (MAJOR) Nicole Kemmett. 

After an “intermission” to rearrange the ballroom for the highly-anticipated evening of drag, students reconvened for Drag Ball, presented by Pride Alliance in association with Geneseo Late Knight and the Student Association. The event offered a free, intimate opportunity to witness drag performers—up-and-coming queens and professionals alike—endlessly entertain over the course of a few hours. 

The hilarious DeeDee Dubois emceed the event and performed, effortlessly captivating the audience through her raunchy humor and glamorous costuming. Other showstoppers included Eva Flow, Kyla Minx, Samantha Vega, and Aphrodite, all of whom perform at ROAR, a local venue in Rochester. 

Such a wide array of performers assured that their individual talents were on full display—emphasis on talent; the queens showcased their elaborate makeup and costuming, lip syncing prowess, and comedic excellence. Student performers also brought their A-game, with senior economics major Kamal Lythcott captivating the crowd with a stellar performance of Single Ladies. After an exciting student catwalk competition, LaLa Ri took the stage and hypnotized the crowd with her precise performances and glittering costumes. 

Thanks to Pride Alliance for putting together a day of celebratory queerness; we’ll all be looking forward to next year’s dinner and a drag show!