Oxford Street nightclub Palms has launched a six-week drag competition with weekly prizes that will culminate in a grand final winner being crowned “Little Miss Palms” and awarded $500 cash and a gown and a wig worth $1000.
Hosted by drag queen and DIVA award-winning costume creator Jacqui St.Hyde and RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under season 1 contestant Maxi Shield, Little Miss Palms will start at 8pm each Sunday from August 11 until the grand final on September 15.
Shield told Gay Sydney News that drag competitions often went on for a long time and were “very serious and stressful”, with young performers asked to “turn it out” weekly for no prizemoney.
But Little Miss Palms was designed to avoid this with a short competition period and weekly prizes.
“We want to put the fun back [into drag comps],” Shield said.
Up to ten contestants can enter the comp each week as part of five weeks of heats. However, if you don’t make it through in the first week, you can re-enter as many times as you like before the grand final.
The top two contestants of each week will progress to the grand final in the sixth week and compete against the remaining ten contestants.
Each week, the first-place winner will receive $100 cash and the second-place winner will get a $50 bar voucher. All contestants who enter will also receive two beverages.
The first-place prize in the grand final is $500 cash, a $500 custom gown by Jacqui St Hyde valued at $500, and a custom-designed wig valued at $500 and designed by drag performer Ivory Glaze, who competed on season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under. The second-place prize is $250 and the third-place prize is $100.
Doors open at 6.30pm on Sunday. However, contestants are encouraged to arrive early (but not later than 7.30pm) to put their names down to perform on the night. Songs should be provided on a USB flash drive.
Following the drag comp, Shield, Hyde & performer Heath Keating will perform their Priscilla tribute production show Budget Barbies.
Ben Grubb is the founder and editor of Gay Sydney News, an independent publication covering LGBTQIA+ news. A journalist with more than 15 years' experience, he has reported and edited for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, WAToday, Brisbane Times, The Australian Financial Review, News.com.au, ZDNet, TelecomTimes and iTnews, primarily on the topic of technology. He previously hosted The Informer, a queer current affairs program on Melbourne’s JOY 94.9 radio station, and contributes to LGBTQIA+ media including Stun Magazine. Ben has also appeared as a technology commentator on Channel Ten's The Project, ABC RN’s Download This Show and commercial radio stations 2UE, 2GB and 6PR. Contact Ben: ben.grubb@gaysydneynews.com.au
