1996 - 2017

In 1996, Sydney gender illusionist Vanessa Wagner along with Victoria Harbutt brought drag to Bondi Beach through the Bondi Beach Drag Races. These colourful events were staple of Sydney Fringe Festival from 1996-2001 and then returned as a part of the Mardi Gras program from 2010-2017. The event included drag queens and drag kings and was always well attended.

In an article in the Star Observer in 2011, Wagnar described the event as “colourful and uses non-fossil fuels” before explaining “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 event includes competitions such as the clutch bag discus, competitive feminine posing, wig wrestling, three-heeled-race and the obstacle race, all designed as a larrikin and entertaining event for fun and expression beyond the ‘gay ghetto’ of Oxford Street.

Images courtesy C.Moore Hardy