Morgantown restaurant hosts family-friendly drag brunches

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — Pride month may only be in June, but restaurants like Von Blaze have been opening up their doors to host drag brunches once a month on Sundays since February of 2024.

June’s drag brunch featured three drag queens performing two different sets to around 50 customers who got tickets ahead of time. It was held the same weekend as Morgantown Pride. Assistant Manager at Von Blaze Logan Carpenter is happy to open up the space to performers.

“Morgantown has been missing, like a major LGBTQ+ space since our local bar shut down,” Carpenter said. “And so we thought it would be really cool to bring the drag shows to a local restaurant.”

The drag brunches hosted at Von Blaze have become popular in the area and serve as a unique celebration.

“So this was an opportunity to kind of pair the good food with the entertainment and I love the entertainment,” said Joanna Lowley, a customer who was celebrating her 80 ^th birthday with her daughter and family. Lowley said she had always wanted to attend a drag show, and so far loved her first experience.

“We’ve got in our group, we’ve got from very young to obviously, and it’s suitable for everybody, it’s just pure entertainment and good food and how could you go wrong?”

And regardless of what some may think, the restaurant said these drag brunches are family-friendly and welcoming to all.

“We have had anybody from I think age three to you know people in their 90s coming in and enjoying the show, so yeah everybody is welcomed here,” said Carpenter.

In 2023, the West Virginia Senate proposed a bill that would prohibit drag shows from being performed in front of minors, including in schools and libraries, which failed. Drag queen Odissa O’Hara described doing drag as an art form.

I’m a very artistic person,” O’Hara said. “I have a very creative mind and it allows me to do things and it allows me to express femininity in a very masculine-dominated world.”

Performers and the restaurant told 12 News they would like to see these brunches continue to get bigger and better. The next show will be in August, with a date to be announced. To stay up to date with future events, click here .

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