Queens of the Central Coast
An Introduction to the Santa Barbara Drag Scene
By Ricky Barajas | March 9, 2023
From left: Angel D’Mon, Vivian Storm, and Melina Poinsettia | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom
The popularity and acclaim of TV shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race and HBO’s We’re Here have shined lights on drag culture in communities and homes across the nation; however, there is still widespread misunderstanding of who drag queens are, what they do, and why they deserve a place in Santa Barbara.
The Wildcat Lounge, which is one of the oldest queer-friendly spaces in town, became so after all of Santa Barbara’s gay bars closed in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Robert Mendez, manager at the Wildcat, started a gay-club-themed night — Red Room — on Sundays in 2003. Sunday, February 26, marked the 20-year anniversary of Red Room.
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