Well, SweetPeas… I’ve gone and done it.
I’m bringing back the MGK pageant – the reimagined Miss Gay Kingston pageant!
And if I’m being completely honest with you, I’m excited, nervous, thrilled, terrified, and probably about a million other emotions and non-emotions all at the same time.
The MGK pageant is something that has been sitting in the back of my mind for quite a while. Katarokwi/Kingston has such an incredible drag community, and I’ve watched so many performers grow, evolve, find their voices, and become leaders in our community. I kept thinking about how wonderful it would be to have a pageant again. A celebration for the performers we have here and gives someone the opportunity to represent our drag community.
Eventually, I had to stop thinking about it and actually do something about it. It didn’t help that I got a good kick in the butt from Jas Morgan, Rowena Whey, and BeeWitched.. 😛
So… here we are!
Miss Gay Kingston is back as MGK Pageant!
On September 19, 2026, I’ll be hosting the MGK Pageant at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 560 on Montreal Street in Kingston.
The goal isn’t simply to put a crown on someone’s head. I want this to be about drag, community, creativity, performance, leadership, and representation. Being the MGK titleholder should be about more than looking fabulous. It’s about community.
I want our titleholder to be someone who can be an ambassador for our local drag community. Someone who is passionate about what they do, cares about the people around them, and wants to help make Kingston’s drag scene even stronger.
And yes… I realize that means I have put a rather large job on my own plate. Again.
Am I nervous? Oh, absolutely.
I’ve been doing drag for more than two decades. I’ve hosted shows, organized events, built websites, run podcasts, supported performers, and somehow become known as the drag mother of Kingston.
You would think I would be used to this by now. But bringing back a pageant feels different.
There are so many moving pieces.
But I know if I waited until I felt completely ready, I would probably never do anything.
And because apparently I don’t know how to relax…
You might be wondering how I’m going to fit all of this into my life. Honestly, I have no idea :(. Because the pageant isn’t the only thing happening! September and October are already looking absolutely bananas.
I’ll be back at the Gateway Drag Special in Tweed on September 26, bringing drag and burlesque back to the Gateway Family Restaurant. I love getting out of Kingston and bringing the show to other communities, and these Gateway shows have become such a fun part of my calendar. Gateway Drag Special – Tyffanie Morgan
And then there’s my other slightly witchy obsession…
The Kingston Witches Walk
On October 9 and 10, I’ll be hosting the annual Kingston Witches Walk weekend.
Yes, you read that correctly. One minute I’m worrying about crowns, contestants, judges, and drag pageant logistics, and the next I’m putting on my witch hat and organizing hundreds of magical creatures to take over downtown Kingston.
Honestly, that sounds about right for me.
The Kingston Witches Walk has become something incredibly special to me. What started in 2023 has grown into an annual community celebration supporting local women’s charities, complete with the Witch Walk and our Witch Market.
This year, the Walk is Friday, October 9, followed by the Witch Market on Saturday, October 10.
So if you see me running around Kingston that weekend looking slightly frazzled, covered in glitter, wearing a pointy hat, and muttering about logistics…
Everything is fine.
Probably.
And then there’s Rowena…
Because apparently October wasn’t busy enough, we have Rowena Whey’s 10th Anniversary Halloween Drag Show – “Sloppy Seconds” happening on October 31 at Daft Brewing.
Ten years of Rowena! That deserves a celebration. And knowing Rowena, it certainly won’t be a quiet one.
The theme is “Night of 1000 Rowena Wheys,” which means that Kingston may be subjected to an absolutely unreasonable number of Rowenas in one room.
Oh and there’s RoadTrip
And how could I forget my small part in RoadTrip – The music festival in Downtown Kingston. I’ll have a small part to play that afternoon on Brock St. RoadTrip Music Festival – Tyffanie Morgan
Wish me luck
Seriously… wish me luck in getting through this fall! I hope to see you at one or all of these fabulous events! But if you had to choose one, choose the MGK Pageant and get those tickets today!
