Drag queens from all over the world descended upon Maspeth, Queens this weekend for the ever-dazzling Bushwig festival, now in its sixth season. Hosted once again at The Knockdown Center, this year's festivities included an appearance by Kosovar singer Era Istrefi, along with the usual collection of fabulous international drag stars and drag enthusiasts.
The festival is hosted by Brooklyn artists Horrorchata and Babes Trust, who founded Bushwig in 2012 "to create a larger platform for the thriving drag and performance communities in New York," according to VICE. Though Bushwig was initially held in Bushwick, as its name suggests, Horrorchata and Babes Trust moved it to Maspeth last year ostensibly in search of more space, though they told DNAinfo that gentrification had a hand in the move, too.
"The latest performers in New York are struggling as the city is getting gentrified faster than ever," Horrorchata told the website. "But the creativity and the freaks aren't going anywhere. We are dealing with the fact that this city is constantly evolving and what really matters is the art will always be here."
Rising rents or not, this year's celebration was as resplendent as ever, with headliners including RuPaul's Drag Race stars Alyssa Edwards, Thorgy Thor, and Dida Ritz, along with a number of DJs and rappers who provided some background beats.
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My Bushwig. #mybrooklyn #mynyc #queens #dirtygirls #dragtastic #bushwig #bushwig2017
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