At RuPaul's DragCon NYC, past RuPaul's Drag Race contestants and other well-known drag artists meet with fans, take pictures, sign autographs, and sometimes perform or take part in a discussion panel, as well as sell merchandise.[1][4] The discussion panels vary from more obvious topics like clothing, fashion, wigs, and makeup, to history of drag, drag activism, trans rights, queer pop culture, and political issues facing the LGBTQ community.[2][4][10] WOW's co-director and producer of the convention, Randy Barbato, shared that ironically the panels have significant depth, because although drag queens are known for being fun and about their looks, the queens are smart artists and activists.[4] He also said, "For us, drag has always been political!"[11] The main stage presents performances and runway events all day long.[12] There are also over 220 vendors offering drag supplies and accessories; at the 2018 event they sold over $8 million in merchandise.[8][13]
According to Glossy, “the event’s core demographic are 18- to 34-year-olds, with 60% female attendees and 40% male. About 60% of DragCon’s audience identify as LGBTQ and 40% as heterosexual.”[7] Kids under ten are let in free when accompanied by an adult.[14]IndieWire notes that DragCon is similar to the annual Burning Man art festival in that attendees exhibit radical self-expression, the culture is participatory and inclusive, and what is presented is ephemeral.[2]
WOW opted to start producing the New York City event to "return to their roots", as they met RuPaul in the 1980s in the city and have worked with her since then.[4]
Another highlight was the staging of an all-ages version of Sasha Velour's popular monthly drag show Nightgowns.[20] A surprising non-drag vendor booth was The Warwick Rowers project, a gay/straight alliance of the men rowers of the University of Warwick Boat Club.[21] Since 2009, the athletic men have posed nude for calendars and other products, shipped to eighty countries, raising over $1 million, with their campaign to fight homophobia in sports reaching 140 countries.[21]
A first for the New York convention was the Kids Zone, with Drag Queen Story Hour, a bouncy house, and arts and crafts.[6] There was an abundance of kids, including drag kids, some wanted to meet “two of the most well-known drag kids on the scene — Lactatia and Desmond is Amazing.”[22] Drag historian Joe E. Jeffreys said about the trend, “the rise of drag children is predictable”.[22]
2019
RuPaul's RuTalks, where she interviews celebs on the main stage will take place again: Women’s Wear Daily confirmed Diane von Fürstenberg will be interviewed by RuPaul on Saturday of the event.[23] Included in the interview will be Fürstenberg's efforts to raise funds for a museum at the base of the Statue of Liberty, and her role in the HBO documentary Liberty: Mother of Exiles.[23] On Sunday, the featured guest is Whoopi Goldberg, a longtime ally of the LGBTQ communities.[24]
In July 2019, it was announced that the inaugural drag queens for RuPaul's Drag Race UK, which airs in September, will be introduced at DragCon NYC.[25]
This year’s event included efforts to politically activate attendees by registering people to vote, and through seminars on organizing for equal LGBTQ rights.[29] A first for DragCon was a booth and representation of a U.S. Presidential candidate; organizers reached out to all the 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidates, but only Senator Elizabeth Warren, from Massachusetts, had her campaign represented.[30] LGBTQ voters overwhelmingly skew to the Democratic Party.[30] Warren had a booth with Shea Couleé (Drag Race season nine) speaking with potential voters about the presidential election.[31]
Community safe space
RuPaul's Drag Race co-judge and one of RuPaul’s best friends, Michelle Visage, who has a child in the cosplay community, shared that DragCons are a safe space for the all-ages and LGBTQ communities.[14] Possibly the only one many of the attendees have ever experienced, where being different and LGBTQ is celebrated.[14] Visage stated, “It’s a safety zone for these kids to know they won’t be judged, they won’t be heckled, they won’t be jeered, it will all be cheers and love and community."[14] In addition to the Kids Zone, DragCon has Drag Queen Story Hours and a Kids Fashion Show.[32]
Booths
Discussion panel, 2017
At RuPaul's DragCon NYC, past RuPaul's Drag Race contestants and other well-known drag artists meet with fans, take pictures, sign autographs, and sometimes perform or take part in a discussion panel, as well as sell merchandise.[1][4] Their booths can be unadorned, but often are custom-built to offer a unique fan experience. For the queens it is part of an investment into furthering their brand. World of Wonder (WOW) co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato work at curating an experience including booths, attractions, kids zone, etc. that does not water down the brand, “The con needs to be like a drag queen,” Barbato said, “Endlessly surprising and packed with treats,” Bailey adds.[9]
There is also hundreds of vendors offering drag supplies and accessories.[8]
Beauty influencers
According to WOW’s Bailey, “RuPaul was the first drag queen associated with beauty, with MAC Cosmetics in the ’90s.”[7]RuPaul’s Drag Race has highlighted how the drag queens embrace and use make-up as “drag queen(s) stress-tests the best beauty products”;[7] many are also beauty influencers for various brands including their own; some of whom have booths at the convention to sample and sell products.[33]Glossy notes that of “beauty festivals” DragCon NYC is one of few with “ultra-engaged audiences.”[7] The event will have more than fifty beauty exhibitors including a sponsorship with Wet N Wild, one of California-based Markwins Beauty Brands‘ cosmetics and skin care companies,[34] WOW’s “first partnership combining both of its hero properties, DragCon and WOW Presents.”[7] WOW’s YouTube channel will run an eight-part unscripted series featuring a DragCon attendee being given make-up and beauty advice by Raven—who placed as runner up on both the second season of the show, and the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars—and is RuPaul’s personal make-up artist.[7]
In 2015, the first year of DragCon LA, there were eight beauty companies presented.[7]DragCon “has seen 615% year-over-year growth in beauty vendors and sponsors”; with “more than $8.2 million in on-site sales in 2018, and 93% of attendees purchased merchandise valued at $200 or more.”[7]
Ginger Minj, when asked the value in meeting fans personally, said it helps humanize the drag queen they've only seen on the screen, and "helps them realize that this is a serious job for us, not just fun and games on TV".[1] She notes that the queens have a job because of the fans so she cultivates positive relationships with them.[1] “It’s really cool just having a bigger platform (because) everyone gets to see more of what I do,” stated Ariel Versace, RPDR season eleven contestant, “you get more recognized for the hard work that you put into your drag.”[35]
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