Hold up—Florida tried to cancel a drag Christmas, and honey, it did not go as planned. Despite months of attacks from the state’s top legal and religious figures, A Drag Queen Christmas sold out its 1,600-seat Pensacola venue faster than you can say “Yas, queen!”
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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier spent two months trying to shut down the holiday-themed production featuring former competitors from RuPaul’s Drag Race. He called the show “demonic,” “anti-Christian,” and “harmful” to children — and yet, the ticket sales tell a very different story.
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“We can’t thank Pensacola enough for showing out and showing up,” tour host Nina West said in a video alongside her other performers. The Florida stop marked the show’s 21st state in a 23-state run through December 29.
Council Stands Firm, Fans Stand Taller
Despite Uthmeier’s attempts with local Christian conservatives to censor the show, the Pensacola city council greenlit the performance at the Saenger Theatre, citing the risk of a costly legal battle and potential contract violations. And boy, did the people respond: hundreds of fans spoke at council meetings over the last two months in support of the show. Some, who also happen to be members of the local gay men’s chorus, even showed up outside the venue to sing carols to ticket holders waiting in line.
Of course, no drag triumph is complete without some anti-fun energy. Christian counterprotesters appeared outside the venue, including a woman with a sign that said, “You need to repent,” and a bearded man in a rainbow-and-trans-flag-colored shirt reading, “They burned in their lust… committing what is shameful,” a paraphrased Bible verse.
“If you sinners don’t get right with the living God, God is going to put you in hell,” the man announced through a microphone and loudspeaker, attempting to drown out the holiday cheer.
Pastor Kent Langham with The Cross Church also weighed in, calling the show a “mockery” of the Christian faith that celebrates “homosexuality [and] transgenderism.”
“The Bible calls those abominations very clearly, and God judges societies that accept those,” Langham added.
Drag Queens Protected Like Royalty
Pensacola’s Police Chief Kristin Brown didn’t take any chances. Officers patrolled the venue, anti-vehicle barricades from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were deployed, and live cameras were on loan from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Safety first, darling, because nothing ruins a sequined moment like real-world threats.
This isn’t the first time Florida politicians have dragged their feet on queer performances. In 2022, Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration investigated some venues hosting the show and threatened prosecution under “lewdness” laws, claiming, without evidence, that the performances were marketed to children. The drag ban was repeatedly struck down by judges who cited free speech violations.
At the end of the day, Pensacola made a statement louder than any sermon: drag is here, it’s fabulous, and it’s not going anywhere—even if Florida tries to hush it. What do you think—was this a powerful message of resistance, or just another chapter in Florida’s ongoing drama? We want to hear from you! Did Pensacola’s response surprise you, or was it exactly what you expected? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let’s keep the conversation rolling. Because when it comes to drag, one thing’s for sure—it’s not going anywhere, no matter how hard some people try to shut it down.