Despite aggressive efforts by Florida officials to cancel a holiday-themed drag show in Pensacola, A Drag Queen Christmas sold out its 1,600-seat venue on December 23 — a festive rebuke to months of political pressure and conservative outrage.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier spent weeks attempting to block the show, calling it “demonic,” “anti-Christian,” and “harmful to children.” His campaign failed.
“We can’t thank Pensacola enough for showing out and showing up,” said tour host and RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Nina West, who appeared in a video alongside fellow performers.
The Florida event marked the 21st stop in the 23-state tour of A Drag Queen Christmas, which runs through December 29. The show features an all-star cast of Drag Race favourites, holiday-themed performances, music, comedy, and costume extravagance.
City Defends Show Amid Political Backlash
Though Uthmeier had the support of local religious conservatives, Pensacola’s city council upheld the show’s scheduled performance at the Saenger Theatre, citing potential legal ramifications for cancelling the event.
The city emphasised that pulling the show would likely violate the theatre’s contract and raise First Amendment concerns. Hundreds of supporters showed up at city council meetings in the weeks leading up to the show, many voicing their support passionately.
Love & Carols Meet Hate & Protests
Outside the venue, the divide was visible.
Members of the local gay men’s chorus sang Christmas carols for ticket-holders waiting in line, spreading holiday cheer in defiance of the controversy. Meanwhile, Christian protesters held signs condemning the event and used loudspeakers to preach about “sin” and “hell.”
“If you sinners don’t get right with the living God, God is going to put you in hell,” one man shouted through a microphone.
Pastor Kent Langham of The Cross Church also appeared, calling the performance a “public blasphemy of Jesus” and a “mockery” of Christian values.
Security Measures in Place
Due to the political tension surrounding the event, Pensacola Police Chief Kristin Brown coordinated with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to ensure the safety of performers and attendees. The venue was protected by dozens of officers, mobile surveillance units, and vehicle barricades.
DeSantis’ Ongoing War on Drag
This isn’t Florida’s first attempt to target the touring production.
In 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis’s administration launched investigations into venues hosting A Drag Queen Christmas, threatening to revoke licenses and prosecute organizers under the state’s “lewdness” laws. He accused the tour of exposing minors to “sexually explicit content,” though courts repeatedly ruled such drag bans unconstitutional, citing First Amendment protections.
Despite this, DeSantis’s government has continued to push anti-drag legislation alongside broader attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, including bans on gender-affirming care and trans participation in sports.
A Victory for Visibility
The sold-out Pensacola show serves as a symbolic win for drag performers and the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and beyond.
Against a backdrop of censorship and political intimidation, the local turnout proved that public support for queer art and expression remains strong — and growing.
