Wagner’s new drag

Wagner’s new drag

Fourteen years ago, iconic Sydney drag queen Vanessa Wagner along with Victoria Harbutt put a whole new meaning to drag racing at Bondi beach.

The car park, renowned for the many young lads who did burnouts and racing there, had been cleaned up by police, and Wagner and Harbutt saw an opportunity to have a camp new Mardi Gras season event on Bondi beach — the Bondi Beach Drag Races.

”I’m tired of this constant sporting nation obsession,” Wagner said.

“It just seemed appropriate to kind of mock the whole sporty competitiveness thing and the whole ‘body beautiful Bondi’ scene and turn it on its head and shake it around and see what eventuated.”

The pair saw it as a natural progression as it was “colourful and uses non-fossil fuels”.

The Drag Races, combining the best of gay Sydney, ran successfully for a few years as part of Sydney’s Fringe Festival, but in 2001 the Fringe Festival ceased. Although the Drag Races were an event for fun and expression, they still needed a funding force.

Last year Wagner and Mardi Gras brought back the races with great success.

“We had about 15 contestants last year, which was phenomenal,” Wagner said.

Last year’s races were also held on a rare Bondi day with rain at the start and end of the event, but this didn’t deter any of the entrants.

The Drag Races combine sporting prowess with humour and include outrageous events such as the ‘clutch bag discus’ which, Wagner said, “can involve the audience, whether they like it or not!”

Other events include the feminine posing contest and an obstacle course. One of Wagner’s favourite moments is when the girls say a bit about themselves.

“It’s interesting to see how many of them want world peace.”

Opening the eyes of tourists and locals to a world many hear about but never get to experience, Vanessa said she loved “a good traditional tourist venue with the drag culture of Sydney meshing in one hot, sweaty, sandy arena”.

In what’s bound to be an afternoon of fun, laughter and tears, the Bondi Drag Races are open to everyone — drag queens, drag kings or if someone wishes to create their own gender Wagner will allow it.

info: The Bondi Beach Drag Races will be held at 5pm, Friday, March 4. To enter, visit wwww.mardigras.org.au The Drag Races are followed by the Mardi Gras beach party (tickets available at website).

By DAVID SYMMONS

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