RuPaul’s DragCon UK celebrates biggest weekend in herstory

RuPaul’s DragCon UK 2024 hit London this weekend, featuring a glittering array of nearly 200 queens from across the ever-expanding Drag Race empire.

The world’s biggest two-day celebration of drag culture and its LGBTQ+ roots opened its doors at London’s  Excel exhibition centre on Saturday (13 January), to the delight of thousands of fans in attendance.

RuPaul’s Drag Race judge and undeniable mother Michelle Visage snipped the pink ribbon to officially start the festivities, in a joyful opening ceremony alongside Drag Race UK current reigning queen and season five winner Ginger Johnson.

“This is the place that we come to celebrate love and everything under that rainbow,” Visage told fans. “Over 180 queens today, the biggest DragCon in herstory, so let’s celebrate and have fun!”

The convention’s opening events on Saturday saw drag icons from across the franchise – including UK season two winner Lawrence Chaney, season three champion Krystal Versace and season four winner Danny Beard – turn the pink carpet into an iconic Queens Walk runway.

We can confirm that charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent were in abundance, as queens served jaw-dropping looks for days.

Meanwhile, Visage hosted a live broadcast to give drag stans a sneak peek at just a few of the 100 main stage performances in store over the weekend, with showstopping acts from Drag Race UK alumni such as fan favourite Baga Chipz, season one runner-up Divina De Campo, upcoming RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World contestant Tia Kofi, and more.

“DragCon is such an incredible celebration of our beautiful drag community,” our season five monarch Ginger Johnson said. “And even better, us UK series five queens kicked it off in a big way – I mean who better to get the party started!”

Trans reality TV icon Ts Madison also reunited with Drag Race legends and encouraged them to spill the tea on their seasons for another series of Bring Back My Girls, filmed live at DragCon over the weekend.

Drag Race UK season four and five alumni will be making their return in the latest season of the live audience panel show, as well as stars from France, Spain, Germany and Italy’s iterations of the franchise

The massive drag convention is so prolific that even Wildbrain’s Teletubbies are making an appearance for a meet and greet in the ‘Kid Zone’ section of the venue.

We can’t, however, guarantee that it was only children keen to see the four iconic characters of Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po.

RuPaul’s DragCon UK 2024 is open at ExCeL London on Saturday 13 January and Sunday 14 January 2024.