Twenty-four drag queens came together in the Castro on Saturday, competing to be crowned "Best Drag Performer of 2022" – and make off with a cool $1,000 prize.
Ultimately, MoJo Carter made off with the grand prize, with Vendetta coming a close second.
Click the pictures below to meet some of the queens who took part, and find out why drag is important to them.
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Originally from Pennsylvania, Olivia has been performing drag for 30 years. She is part of a troupe of drag queens alongside Olivia Hart.
Olivia described her drag persona as "from the heart, a man in a dress." She performed to Shania Twain and Judy Garland.
You can follow Olivia on Facebook.
Photo courtesy of Olivia Hart
Olivia Hart
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Angelic first performed in drag in early 2022, as part of a show at University of California, Berkeley.
Her drag persona is "very seductive, sexy - she doesn’t care. She’s very confident in the way she presents herself... When I put on my wig is when I feel my best. It’s like, ‘I’m that bitch.’"
Angelic performed to When I Grow Up and the Monster High "Freight Song." She is on Instagram at @watermygardens.
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Angelic Star
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Polly has been performing for four years. Orginially from Utah, she has lived in San Francisco for seven years. Her drag persona is a poltergeist – an undead housewife living her best afterlife.
Polly said that drag is important because it is in the vanguard of the queer community, and is still subversive in the mainstream media.
You can follow Polly at @pollyamberross.
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Polly Amber Ross
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Will Power – and alter-ego Bruxa – started doing drag in 2014. They are originally from Curitaba, Brazil.
As part of their performance, Will wrote the names of the Supreme Court Justices on toilet paper and wiped their butt with it.
You can follow Bruxa at @bruxasf.
Photo courtesy of Will Power
Will Power / Bruxa
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Blaysia, from Oakland, said that she had been doing bad drag for about three years now – and that her career of good drag started today.
"Drag is more about expression to me, and getting the attention I deserve," said Blaysia. "It feeds my narcissistic tendencies."
Blaysia performed to Barbie Girl in the first round, and later grooved to Ariana Grande's Into You.
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Blaysia Erotica
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Lil Too Much is a local to the Mission and has been doing drag for almost four years. Her drag persona is inspired by Peaches Christ, Heklina, and other classic camp queens – and she is the drag mother of Tater Tatas.
"Drag is important to me because it's a fun way to celebrate diversity and get people out of their comfort zone," said Liltoomuch. "We can be playful with it and show people that these topics don't always have to be so heavy."
You can follow Lil Too Much at @liltoomuchqueen.
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Lil Too Much
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Kelly Rose lives in San Francisco and has been performing drag for over nine years. She is part of a troupe of drag queens alongside Olivia Hart.
She describes her drag persona as "a combination of classy and slutty, campy while still remaining glamorous." She performed a Disney mix and I'm Coming Out.
Kelly is on Instagram at @seekellyrose.
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Kelly Rose
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From Fresno, Azalea has been doing drag for two years.
"It think it's about expressing my ideas and things I create," said Azalea. "Being able to express who I am."
She performed to a musical mix featuring Ts Madison and J.Lo.
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Azalea
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Vendetta has only been performing drag for two months – but still scooped second place in today's competition.
"I'm a baby queen," said Vendetta. "Although I've always been into theater, and I've done modeling and acting outside of drag."
Vendetta's persona is a strong woman and a role model; something she did not see very much of growing up. She performed today to a mix she put together herself.
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Vendetta
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MoJo is from Atlantic City, New Jersey. She started performing drag in 2017, and won this year's competition.
“[Drag] gave me a voice," said MoJo. "I’m a shy person so being able to perform – which I think is my true calling in life – means a lot to me.”
MoJo describes her persona as a love letter to Black pop culture. "I’ve consumed a lot of Black media like BAPS, Beyoncé and Lil Kim," she said.
MoJo can be found on Instagram at @themojocarter.
Photo by Annika Hom
MoJo Carter
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Hennessy is from Oakland and started performing in 2017, after watching RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars with her roommate. Their drag king persona is a goth cowboy, and their queen is a vengeful housewife.
"Drag is just powerful," said Hennessy. "It helped me with my gender queer identity and was healing. I also used to get bullied for being a weird dancer and this helped me face my fears. I taught myself and now I get compliments for my dancing."
Hennessy can be found on Instagram at @hennessy_williams.
Photo by Annika Hom
Hennessy Williams
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Tater lives in Haight Ashbury and has been doing drag since 2018.
Tater's persona is a clown. She portrays animals, objects, and sexual elements. She likes to work messages into her performances, but also brings a touch of humor.
You can follow Tater on YouTube.
Photo by Annika Hom
Tater Tatas
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Cecilio Mandeville began doing drag as Cecilia a few years ago, after trying it for the first time at his high school theater gala.
Cecilio said that he is artsy and likes changing up his drag persona regularly, sometimes leaning into prettiness and sometimes horror.
"I don't like to box myself in," he said. "It’s another way of expressing my emotions. I stutter normally but, in drag, I’m the character I want to be."
Photo by Annika Hom
Cecilia De La Rosa
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Originally from Texas but now living in San Jose, Karmin started performing drag just two months ago.
Karmin describes her persona is a lady from the 80’s – a bit of a prude who tends to lean more toward campy numbers.
"I watched RuPaul’s Drag Race as a junior in high school," said Karmin. "I said, ‘I wanna do that one day.’ I also unfortunately went through a breakup. I decided to start diving into myself and just finally do it."
Photo by Annika Hom
Karmin
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Lyra is from Sacramento and moved to the Outer Sunset in February.
"I’ve always loved makeup and finding ways to express myself," she said. Drag is important to Lyra because of "the energy, the spark of joy I can bring to people – or they bring to me – while performing."
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Lyra
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Born in Georgia and raised in San Jose, Bombon started performing a few years ago.
She said that being part of a non-judgemental community helped her realize her own gender identity. "Drag is important for young and old people," said Bombon. "Self-expression is part of free will."
Bombon performed to Rich Girls by Gwen Stefani.
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Bombon Anesia
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Glitter grew up in Redwood City and has been performing since 2018.
Having previously dipped their toe into burlesque and belly dance, a king suggested drag and they haven't looked back.
"It just helps me express myself," said Glitter. "I couldn't exactly go about my life looking like this."
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Glitter Done
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From San Jose, Robyn has been occasionally performing drag for the past few years.
"I like drag because I really like music," she said. "Drag gives me a chance to listen to the music full blast." Robyn said she was particularly inspired by rappers Rico Nasty and Megan Thee Stallion.
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Robyn D. Banks
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Adalita is originally from Mexico and now lives in San Jose.
They love "everything that can make you move" and incorporate "random ideas" like sock puppets into their performances. Drag is important to them because of its combination of culture, art, and love.
Photo by Carolyn Stein
Adalita
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