8th International Drag King (Community) Extravaganza - Austin
9/25/2006
This one-of-a-kind event the only noncompetitive international gathering of the drag king community is a four-day festival dedicated to drag king culture and gender performance. It includes an academic conference, an open mic drag show, an international performance showcase, a film festival, an art show, and a cabaret brunch with spoken word and live music. This year, notable author and activist Leslie Feinberg will keynote the conference. IDKE organizers are even including the young ones with a GenderPlayhouse, a kid-friendly area of the conference, where children (along with their guardians) can attend workshops and play sessions designed just for them.
IDKE 8 kicks off on Thursday, October 19, with the art exhibition opening gala at the Lyndon Event Space (301 W. 14th St.) from 6:00 9:00 p.m (free!). Also on Thursday, from 7:00 10:00 p.m. at Rainbow Cattle Company, will be a free Meet & Greet party, with music by the TunaHelpers and others, followed by a tour of downtown Austin for all of our out-of-town guests.
Friday, October 20, sees the start of the conference portion of IDKE, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Friday and Saturday) in the University of Texas Union. The conference includes workshops, panels, presentations, a Dragstrip of informational tables, and the GenderPlayhouse space.
Registration will be available at the Union. Fees are $40 for both Friday and Saturday or $20 for Saturday only, and its free for UT students with student ID. In addition, a free film festival runs concurrently with the conference, and Leslie Feinbergs keynote address, at 11:15 a.m. Saturday Oct. 21, is also free and open to the general public, although space is limited.
Friday night, IDKE is hosting Dragdom, a gender performance open mic night, at Emos Austin. Anyone can perform; doors and sign-up start at 7:30, and the show starts at 9:00. This is an all ages show; admission is $7 at the door.
Then, Saturday night, IDKE takes over the Palmer Events Center with an international Showcase, bringing you 32 professional drag king acts from across the U.S. and Canada. If you think youve seen drag kings, you havent seen anything yet! Doors are at 7 p.m.; show starts at 8 p.m. sharp. Admission is $20, 18+. Showcase tickets are on sale now, available at Bookwoman, Lobo, and at www.idkeaustin.com.
Closing the weekend is the traditional IDKE Sunday brunch. Featuring spoken word, live music, and more gender performance acts, not to mention all-you-can-eat breakfast tacos and other brunch treats by Ararat Restaurant. This is a family-friendly event, with children under 12 welcome! Doors and brunch at 10:00 a.m.; show starts at 11:00. $10 at the door.
Dont feel like paying for each event at the door? Visit the IDKE 8 registration table at the Meet & Greet or the conference and ask about the all-inclusive pass!
Proceeds from IDKE 8 will go to Waterloo Counseling and ALLGO, two organizations providing important services to the GLBTQ community in Austin.
