Cape Town Pride managed to break the world record for the Largest Drag Artist Stage Show with 97 drag kings and queens performing on stage simultaneously on Saturday 4 March.
The drag-a-thon was the newest addition to the Pride Festival Marci Gras programme.
Evan Tsouroulis, the parade coordinator, says the idea around the drag-a-thon was to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Drag Artist Stage Show.
The record was previously held by Toronto Pride in Canada, which, in 2016, managed to get 73 drag queens and kings lined up for a performance.
Wentzel April, Cape Town Pride Festival Director, says he is elated that they managed to break the world record.
“I stood there in tears. We even ensured that the stage this year was bigger to achieve this goal. We are currently busy finalising the paperwork to make sure that we are officially acknowledged for breaking the record.”
The group stopped at the rainbow crossing on Somerset Road for the official ribbon cutting to start the parade.
The march was the culmination of Pride month, which started in February. The theme for this year is ‘own your truth’.
April says putting the event together, which was attended by over 6 000 people, took six months of planning.
“I am so emotional to see this event come to fruition. It was a sold-out event. It is beautiful to see so many people represent themselves and to fight intolerance.”
This year’s festival saw performances from Dope St Jude, Jarrad Ricketts, Manila Von Teez and The Transformers among others.
April says there is still a lack of acknowledgment for members of the LGBTQIA+ community within society.
“Bring the rights that are there for all of us and share them with us. It should not be something that we have to fight for when it’s a human right.”
Local media personality, Soli Philander says: “I think it’s important that the queer people show up in public spaces and take up those spaces because nowhere is it going to be handed over to you. I am here with the queer homeless community, and we are here to say that you can scream and shout and criminalise us, but we are here, and we belong here.”
Gayle Meyer of Bothasig says she always attended the festival with her son, Gabriella Sofia Garcia, a drag queen who died three years ago.
“I want to bring awareness to parents and encourage them to accept their children. It’s all about love, don’t discriminate. Why is it that you can accept a murderer but not a gay person?”
April says they hope to expand the event next year.
“We want to go bigger. Maybe we could even do Cape Town Stadium next year then we can take 20 000 people. I am very happy with the event, we had a few glitches, but that is part of the learning curve.”
