The Best Drag Shows in Palm Springs
Palm Springs knows how to put on a fabulous drag show. You’ll find drag brunches, evening revues, drag bingo… even a sassy city tour led by queens. If you’re looking for the inside scoop on where to see the desert’s best drag performances, these are our go-to spots, whether we’re recommending a show or catching one ourselves.
One Eleven Bar: Destination Drag
This neighborhood gay bar is home to some of the best drag in Southern California. At One Eleven you’ll find queens who know how to command a room, an audience that’s there for the drag, and a stage close enough to catch every expression. Legendary local showgirl Vanity Halston is the bar’s entertainment director and produces its shows, which helps explain why the performances feel like the main event here. Away from the downtown Palm Springs tourist scene, One Eleven sits in Cathedral City, an easy 10-minute drive or rideshare from Santiago.
If you’re looking for an evening show, One Eleven almost always has something on tap Thursday through Sunday nights. Polished local queens and Drag Race alumni regularly share the spotlight, and the humor is decidedly 21+. There’s generally not a cover for the evening shows, though reserved tables and special events may be ticketed. Check the entertainment calendar here for the current lineup and all the details.
The weekend drag brunches at One Eleven are another a local favorite. Vanity hosts on Saturdays while Morgan McMichaels of Drag Race fame hosts the popular Sunday show. Just keep in mind that things are focused on the drag and the drinks here, with a limited dining menu available from outside providers for a separate charge. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Boozehounds: Lunch, Served with Shade
Boozehounds is the answer when someone asks “Where can we get great food and see great drag?” This festive Michelin-recommended restaurant has a beautiful space, a menu worth showing up for, and a rowdy Sunday afternoon show called Tea N’ Shade with the Lunchettes.
Settle in for lunch with a bottomless mimosa while the Lunchettes and their guest queens work the room. Check Boozehounds’ current show dates and reserve before you go. All ages are welcome.
Something Different: Drag & Fly Tours
If your ideal tour of Palm Springs could use better hair and sharper punch lines, try Drag & Fly Tours. Ride through town in a bedazzled custom coach with seats facing a panoramic window while a drag queen dishes on the city’s architecture, Hollywood history, and scandalous secrets.
This is a fun one to do early in your stay. You’ll get your bearings, collect a few stories to share back at the pool, and see Palm Springs through the eyes of performers who love the place. Daytime coach tours run several times a day Wednesday through Sunday, with occasional after dark and walking tours. Coach rides last about 90 to 100 minutes and all ages are welcome.
Best of the Rest
For raucous drag in the heart of the Arenas District, our go-to is Chill Bar. Recently under new ownership, it looks like the venue will continue its popular weekend brunches featuring top touring queens from Drag Race and bottomless mimosas. For a more casual experience (no reservations needed), stop by Chill on Saturday afternoon for Celebrity Drag Bingo. You never know who might be hosting!
Toucans Tiki Lounge has brought top-tier drag and cabaret to Palm Springs for more than twenty years. Check their website to see what’s showing during your stay.
Downtown next to the historic Plaza Theatre, Oscar’s claims to have the longest running and bitchiest weekend drag brunches in town. Expect plenty of audience participation; whether you join in the booty shaking contest is up to you.
We also recommend checking the event calendar at Spirit Animal, the newer venue inside Hotel ZOZO.
Our best advice? Look for the show that sounds the most like your kind of fun, and don’t forget to bring some cash for tipping!