Meet the Queens.

Meet the Queens.

The Seaport is awash with Pride celebrations with event and specials on offer throughout the district. Two dates in particular stand out for their promise of epic entertainment value — June 19th, when The Greens hosted its first Drag Brunch Presented by bubly; and June 27th, when the Pride Island Watch Party takes over The Rooftop at Pier 17, from 5:30 – 10pm.  

Both events feature the cream of the crop when it comes to New York City’s top drag and musical talent, promising non-stop joy, laughter, and opportunities to get your groove on as you dine and sip cocktails on your own mini lawn at The Greens. 

For a sneak peek at these signature Pride events, read on to meet the performers who have either already graced the stage or will grace the stage. 

Drag Brunch Stars 

The headliner for the Drag Brunch at The Greens is one of NYC’s most beloved drag queens, Lagoona Bloo. You may know her as a member of the pop vocal trio Stephanie’s Child, who have appeared on NBC’s The Voice and America’s Got Talent, or maybe you’ve been lucky enough to catch her on the local drag scene. “I am New York City’s mermaid pop star!” says Lagoona. While she loves a high-energy lip sync, she’s also a singer, who loves to perform Ariana Grande songs—or music from her own debut solo EEP, AQUA, which you can stream here to get a taste of what to expect when she hosts and performs at the Drag Brunch. As for what Pride means to her, Lagoona Bloo had this to say: “We can’t forget that Pride started as a riot. Trans women of color were instrumental in igniting the fight for LGBTQ equality. We have much to celebrate this month for Pride, but we can’t forget that we still must continue to fight for full equality.” 

Supporting Lagoona on June 19th are three other top drag queens, including Elektra Lite, who regularly appears at venues including Playhouse Bar, Hardware Bar, and Pieces Bar. Elektra Lite is a trained dancer and came to the NYC drag scene from touring with Kinky Boots. “As Elektra, I enjoy having fun. My numbers are high energy and I adore having a blast with the audience,” she says. “This brunch is going to be major! These queens and I are a family and it’s a dream to do this event with them. It will be one for the books!” 

Also on the brunch lineup is Castrata, the self-described “Drag Chanteuse of NYC” who performs at Pieces Bar, and alongside Lagoona Bloo as the Latina mother-daughter duo, Mamacitas. Castrata grew up in Houston, TX, where she belted out songs by pop icons like Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, and Celine Dion. Today, “she is a divalicious diva who serves up glamour and class with a little bit of sass,” says Castrata. Guests of the Drag Brunch at The Greens should prepare to be wowed by Castrata’s positive, radiant energy and bold vocal stylings. “As we celebrate Pride this year,” she says, “let’s continue to honor the incredible trans icons who started it all—[NYC drag pioneers] Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Let’s continue to push forward being inclusive of people from all walks of life!” 

Rounding out the Drag Brunch talent is Kiki Ball-Change, another regular at Pieces Bar, and the star of her own You Tube cooking show, Kiki’s Kitchen. Kiki describes herself as “the mix queen of NYC, with all the pizzazz of a Broadway show with the budget of an off-Broadway show.” Like her fellow stars, she grew up in musical theatre, and Kiki the queen was born after a binge-watching session of RuPaul’s Drag Race. “My performing style is very campy, joyful, and comedic,” says Kiki, who says can expect a high-energy, hilarious time at the Drag Brunch on June 19. “Get ready for some of the best talent NYC has to offer. Please remember, though, that Pride would be nothing without our Black and brown trans brothers and sisters leading the way. We stand on their shoulders as we celebrate our freedom to be who we are freely.” 

No stranger to the local drag scene, DJ 2FACE will also appear at the Drag Brunch, spinning live. A fixture of NYC’s drag bars and parties and a favorite of many a queen, DJ 2FACE (aka Larry Peoples) got his name from his former dual identity working both security and the DJ booth in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2012, 2FACE came to NYC for a visit and wound up staying. Thousands of New Yorkers who’ve danced all night to his beats are grateful he made the leap. 

 

Pride Island Performers 

This year’s flagship Pride Island Watch Party marks the 35th anniversary of the iconic Pride Island event. This installment invites revelers to dance through the decades, with archival footage of past events brought to life by a special appearance from Nicky Doll. Nicky was born as Karl in Marseille, France, and spent time in Morocco, the Caribbean, Paris, and San Francisco before settling in NYC. She was the first French drag queen to star on Ru Paul’s Drag Race (Season 12), and is the artist behind Pete Davidson’s drag makeup for his skit with RuPaul on SNL. Trained as a high-fashion makeup artist, Nicky Doll channels Parisian style and J-pop culture into her iconic looks and performances. She has appeared at high-profile venues in Paris, LA and San Francisco, and here in NYC, has graced the stage at The Standard, Cielo and Hudson Terraces. Don’t miss this chance to catch her at The Greens for one of the most anticipated events during Pride. 

Following Nicky Doll’s performance on June 27, there will be a live set by DJ Joe Gauthreaux, who has played major circuits around the world, from NYC and Miami to Bangkok and Brazil. In addition to his DJ sets, Gauthreaux has released his own house music tracks and produced hits and remixes for other dance artists and Top 40 stars like Adele, Rita Ora, Justin Bieber and Blondie. For a sneak peek at the Gauthreaux sound, check out his SoundCloud here. 

For tickets to the Pride Island Watch Party, click here.