Voting opens for 2025 awards celebrating Sydney’s drag scene

Voting is now open for Sydney’s largest celebration of the drag industry, the DIVAs.

First held in 1991, the Drag Industry Variety Awards (DIVAs) “reward, recognise, and demonstrate the achievements of drag artists and the LGBT+ community and wider industry in Sydney’s performing arts and entertainment arenas”.

This year’s ceremony will be hosted by reigning entertainer of the year, Hannah Conda, at the Wintle Theatre in Kingsford on September 22.

DIVA Awards categories open for public voting

Seven public categories are open for voting on the website of The Star Observer: Sydney’s favourite DJ, favourite male performer, favourite venue, favourite drag hostess, favourite pub event, favourite drag show, and favourite drag artist.

DJ Hayday, a second-time nominee for favourite DJ, said it was an honour to be recognised by the community.

“It feels great being recognised by the community for the hard work I’ve put into my DJ career over the past 12 months,” he said.

Nominee for favourite drag host, Kevininthecity, said as a fan of the awards it was exciting to now be included in the nominations.

“Support your favourites, I work hard to make queer things happen in Sydney, but there are lots of deserving performers,” Kevininthecity said.

“So if I’ve made your day or evening a bit better in the past, feel free to chuck a sister a vote.”

Many other nominees have taken to social media to thank their supporters and encourage votes.

Dakota Fann’ee, nominated in multiple categories including favourite drag hostess, said the nominations felt deeply personal.

“I have spent the better half of the afternoon in absolute tears watching the DIVA nominations roll in, not just for me, but for my friends, fellow performers I love, and the business I own and operate,” Fann’ee said on Friday.

Palms, a nominee for best venue, also posted to its followers asking for votes, noting the venue was “100% GAY Owned & Operated. Proudly supporting our community for over 25 years”.

Voting closes at midday on Thursday, September 18.

All the 2025 DIVA Awards nominees:

Sydney’s most popular pub event

Balls & Brains – Since I Left You (Dakota Fannee, Conchita Grande, Charlamaine)
Bingay – The Berresford (Charisma Belle, Naomi Palmer)
Boys Boys Boys – Palms on Oxford
Boys Bar Up – Stonewall Hotel
Clapback – Ching-a-lings (Michelle Mayhem, Spacehorse, Diana Whole, Barbi Ghanoush, Amyl)
Darlo Bingo – Darlo Bar (Charisma Belle)
Drag Bingo – Mosman Rowers (Lyla Joy & Joni Vovo)
Drag Bingo – Palms (Dakota Fannee, Felicity Frokkacino, Conchita Grande)
Drag Trivia – Imperial Hotel (Fran Giapanni, Carmen Geddit)
Drag Trivia/The Big Fact Hunt – Balgownie Hotel, The German Club, Figtree Hotel , The Charles (Bree Vin Ammyl)
Draggieoke – Colombian Hotel (Dakota Fannee, Felicity Frokkacino, Conchita Grande, Charlamaine, Raquel Felch)
Felicity’s Drag Bingo – North Bondi RSL (Felicity Frockaccino)
GenderBender Bingo – Coopers Hotel (Fran Giapanni, Penny Tration)
Jackie Daniels’ Trivia – Kinselas, General Gordon Hotel, The Redfern (Jackie Daniels)
Karaoke Bare – Palms on Oxford (Maxi Shield)
Let’s Get Quizzical – Burdekin Hotel (Kevininthecity)
Malebox – Stonewall Hotel (Marilyn Mootrub, Pablo)
Maxi Shield’s Smart Arse Trivia – Oxford Hotel (Maxi Shield, Queen Robbie)
Monday Night Fever Karaoke – Kinselas (Virgo)
MrMr – Palms on Oxford (KevinintheCity)
Ms G’s Drag Brunch – Ms G’s (Kalin Klein, Dammit Janet)
Mulan Rouge – Stonewall Hotel (Mulan)
Naughty Numbers – Bingo With A Twist – The Oxford Hotel, The Pinnacle, Yogi’s Bar, The Ary Toukley (LayDee KinMee, Marilyn Mootrub, June Richards)
Red Light Confidential – Low 302 (Dakota Fannee, Memphis Mae, Kelly Doll)
Ruby’s Rumble Battle Royale – Imperial Hotel (Ruby Royale)
Showgirl Sundays – Stonewall Hotel (Dakota Fann’ee)
Sip & Slay Drag Brunch – The Winery (Bettie Blackheart, Dammit Janet)
Spritz or Swallow Drag Brunch – Burdekin Hotel (Mynx Moscato)
Sunday Shenanigans – Universal (Karma Bites, Victoria Mami and Les Beau Fierce)
Taphouse Bingo – The Taphouse (Kalin Klein)
The Big Fact Hunt – The Cricketers Arms, North Bondi RSL (Felicity Frockaccino)
The Keira Billie Experience – Oxford Hotel (Keira Billie)
Trans Glamore – Stonewall Hotel (Lada Marks)
Turbo Trivia – The Carrington (Carmen Geddit)
Twist Tuesdays – Universal (Champagne)
Wheel of Fauxtune – Palms (Faux Fur)

Sydney’s most popular venue

Beresford Hotel
Burdekin Hotel
Ching-a-lings
Colombian Hotel
Darlo Bar
Imperial Hotel
Kinselas
Miss Wolf
Newtown Hotel
Palms on Oxford
Stonewall Hotel
The Bank Hotel
The Carrington
The Oxford
The Taphouse
The Winery
Universal

Sydney’s most popular drag show

Coyote Gorgeous – Mynx Moscato, April-Mae June, Fairah Nuff (Stonewall Hotel)
DOGS! – Etcetera Etcetera, Space Horse, Fran Giapanni, Sour (Swing), Minnie Cooper (Swing) (Imperial Hotel)
Fangirls – Maxi Shield, Coco Jumbo, Ivy League, Jacqui St Hyde (Oxford Hotel)
Fatty & Skinny – Maxi Shield, Jacqui St Hyde (Oxford Hotel)
Funkytown – Aunty Tamara, Ruby Royale (Imperial Hotel)
Gatsby FlapHoes – Sia Tequila, Marilyn Mootrub (Newtown Hotel)
Glamboyance – Eli Crawford, Heath Keating, James Vidigal (Palms on Oxford)
Hell’s Belles – Vybe, Carmen Geddit (Universal)
ILYSM – Etcetera Etcetera, Sour (The Newtown Hotel)
Kylie Tribute – Charisma Belle, Carmen Geddit, Cassandra the Queen (Stonewall Hotel)
Love Take Over – Fairah Nuff, April-Mae June, Mynx Moscato (Stonewall Hotel)
Love Take Over – Mynx Moscato, Fairah Nuff, April-Mae June (Stonewall Hotel)
Mayhem – Sia Tequila, Eli Crawford (Universal Hotel)
Mulan Rouge – Mulan (Stonewall Hotel)
Party Starters – Amyl, Space Horse (Imperial Hotel)
Polkamania! – Minnie Cooper, Fran Giapanni (Newtown Hotel)
Pride Show – Aunty Tamara, Ruby Royale (Imperial Hotel)
Priscilla’s Experience – Aunty Tamara, Sia Tequila, Lada Marks (Imperial Hotel)
Queerleading – Sour, Danni Issues (Imperial Hotel)
Ride or Die – Jacqui St Hyde, Eli Crawford (Universal)
Runway – Karna Ford, Logan the Only, Sia Tequila (Universal)
Saturday Night Fever – Kalin Klein, Dammit Janet (Newtown Hotel)
Sluuurp – Sia Tequila, Ivy leaguee, Fairah Nuff (Universal)
The Keira Billie Experience – Keira Billie (Oxford Hotel)
West End Wesdnesday presents Leading Ladies – Hannah Conda, Carmen Geddit, Charsima Belle (Universal)

Sydney’s most popular drag performer

Amyl
April-Mae June
Aunty Tamara
Bettie Blackheart
Carmen Geddit
Cassandra the Queen
Charisma Belle
Charlamaine
Champagne
Coco Jumbo
Conchita Grande
Dakota Fann’ee
Dammit Janet
Danni Issues
Etcetera Etcetera
Fairah Nuff
Faux Fur
Felicity Frockaccino
Fran Giapanni
Hannah Conda
Ivy League
Jackell Doll
Jackie Daniels
Jacqui St Hyde
June Richards
Kalin Klein
Karma Bites
Karna Ford
Keira Billie
Kenya Scratch
Lada Marks
LayDee KinMee
Les Beau Fierce
Logan the Only
Marilyn Mootrub
Marilyn Mootrub
Maxi Shield
Michelle Mayhem
Minnie Coope
Mulan
Mynx Moscato
Queen Robbie
Raquel Feltch
Ruby Royale
Sexy Galexy
Sia Tequila
Sour
Space Horse
Victoria Mami
Virgo
Vybe

Sydney’s most popular drag host

Amyl
Barbi Ghanoush
Bettie Blackheart
Bree Vin Ammyl
Carmen Geddit
Charisma Belle
Champagne
Charlamaine
Coco Jumbo
Conchita Grande
Dakota Fannee
Danni Issues
Dammit Janet
Diana Whole
Enya Jyna
Etcetera Etcetera
Fairah Nuff
Faux Fur
Felicity Frockaccino
Fran Giapanni
Gothic Marika
Jackell Doll
Jackie Daniels
Joni Vovo
June Richards
Kalin Klein
Karma Bites
Keira Billie
Kelly Doll
Kenya Scratch
Kevininthecity
LayDee KinMee
Les Beau Fierce
Lyla Joy
Mama Medusa
Marilyn Mootrub
Maxi Shield
Memphis Mae
Michelle Mayhem
Miss Tameka
Mynx Moscato
Naomi Palmer
Peaches Queen
Penny Tration
Queen Robbie
Raquel Feltch
Ruby Royale
Sour
Space Horse
Victoria Mami
Virgo
Vybe

Sydney’s most popular male performer

Aiden Eric
An Dre (Andre Giragol)
Cristiano Bhering
Eli Crawford
Heath Keating
James Vidigal
Kevininthecity
Luca Cotza
Max Nowland-Bosse
Nicholas Jachno
Onyx (Haoyi Wang)
Rafael Bittencourt
Rhodes Hippman
Rhys Lightning (Rhys Bobridge)
Sam Ma Chong
Stevie Gaspardis

Sydney’s most popular DJ

Abby & Tyrone
Abby Butler
Benny & The Decks
BoyCrzy
Brett Russell
Calmell
Citrus
Dan Condon
Dan Murphy
Dionysus
Diva Cups
Division 4 (Rob Ladic)
DJ ANVI (Antony Villafranca)
DJ Chip
DJ Citrus
DJ Flatline
DJ GK
DJ HAMO
DJ JD
DJ Korvia (Mathew Corvaia)
DJ Leow (Leo Araujo)
DJ Loo’E
DJ LXO
DJ Sparkle is Back!(Rory McKay)
Dmitry Sin
Dutch Kiss
Erfaan
Fabricio San
Freddy Pinzon
Gaydrian
Greg Boladian
Hayday
Hazboy
James Alexandr
Johnny Blue Boy
Justin Rawrs
Justin Scott
Kuya Hennessy
Lauren Neko
Le Moose
Rachel K
Neil Hume
Sasha Belle
Sexy Galexy
Shaney D
Simon Rook
Tom Rogers
Victoria Anthony
Zotdotcom

2024’s winners:

Sydney’s Favourite DJ – DJ Shanie D

Sydney’s Favourite Drag Hostess – Keira Billie

Sydney’s Favourite Drag Show – Witches of Oz – Oxford Hotel

Sydney’s Favourite Pub Event – Jackie Daniels Trivia!

Sydney’s Favourite Drag Artist – Cassandra the Queen

Sydney’s Favourite Venue – Imperial Hotel

Sydney’s Favourite Male Performer – Eli Crawford

Outstanding Technical Contribution – Bettie Blackheart

Belle of the Ball – Vanity

The DIVA Moment – Ivy League – Club Broadway Performance

Show of the Year – Strip Tease

DIVA Rising Star – Space Horse

Entertainer of the Year – Hannah Conda

Hall of Fame – Minnie Cooper