Eight years in, Oaklash is setting the inclusive drag festival standard

When Oaklash (whose 2025 edition runs May 16-18) first broke out onto the Bay Area scene in 2018, it was a scrappy, six-hour intermission-less drag marathon that brought together 50 performers from across Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. Definitely a radical concept of performance and community, but one that makes sense, having emerged out of the Bay Area, a place famous for spawning the Cockettes, the Imperial Court, and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence—all examples of blending the glamour of drag and performance with the creation and nurturing of community.

Oaklash emerged with a mission to uplift queer and trans performance in all its gritty and glittering forms. Eight years after its creation, the event has evolved from a single-street festival into a fledgling nonprofit arts organization offering year-round programing, and an ambitious artist residency program. 

As the organization has grown, it has continued to hone its vision and has developed a guiding set of pillars to define its expansion. In a 2023 interview with 48 Hills, co-founder Mama Celeste and Beatrix LaHaine announced their decision to become a 501c3 nonprofit, saying, “We’re setting the standard for the nightlife scene that we want to see here in the Bay Area.” That standard was rooted in accessibility, equity, and sustainability–three pillars that now define the expanded Oaklash ecosystem.

At the heart of this evolution is the Oaklash artists-in-residence program, launched to provide queer and trans performers—a community that is actively being attacked and often marginalized in both the mainstream art world and nightlife spaces—with financial resources, mentorship, and administrative support to develop large-scale works.

“This is one of our coolest growth opportunities,” says Mama Celeste in a newsletter announcing the program. “We’re helping artists move from the nightclub into the theater, into galleries, and into public space.” And that support isn’t just theoretical—it’s one-on-one and tailored to each artist’s goals.

Among Oaklash’s 2025 residents is Glamputee, the flamboyant drag persona of Alex Locust, a performer and disability justice advocate. Through their residency, they produced GLAMPUTEE’S LEG-acy Ball, a whimsical, accessible drag performance inspired by Pee-wee’s Playhouse and The Muppet Show starring an ensemble of Black, queer, trans, and disabled artists including Mudd the Two Spirit, Major Hammy, BARRACUDA, and Cheetah Biscotti.

LEG-acy Ball centered questions of rest, joy, and resilience in the face of systemic adversity. The immersive production reflects Oaklash’s core values: prioritizing access, celebrating intersectional identities, and using drag as a tool for storytelling and transformation. It debuted at the Little Boxes Theater in San Francisco the first weekend of May, selling out both of its nights. 

Another resident, OBSIDIENNE OBSURD—a Chinese-American genderless drag artist and classical violist—is creating The Last 7 Days of OBSIDIENNE OBSURD, a multidisciplinary symphonic performance that melds drag with concert hall aesthetics. It’s a radical queering of both the classical tradition and the boundaries of drag. Their work, supported in part by composer Paul Wiancko of the Kronos Quartet, explores themes of gender transition and immigration history. The show is set to debut in July at The Chan National Queer Arts Center and make a return in December at The Calvin Simmons Theater.

Meanwhile, artist and designer Evian is constructing All the World’s a Fair, a public art installation that will serve as a monument to queer and trans creativity in downtown Oakland under the mentorship of visual artist Marcel Pardo Ariza. This piece is scheduled to be activated in the lead up to Oaklash’s 10th anniversary of creating public queer art through its annual drag and queer performance festival.

Despite Oaklash’s growth into a year-round arts organization, the festival that started it all remains a centerpiece of its programming. Next week, it will once again take over Bay Area venues with a weekend packed with drag shows, DJs, art, music, dancing, vendors, and more. Featuring local favorites like La Chucha Rude, Nicki Jizz, and Yayah The Artist as well as stars like Drag Race season 11 winner Yvie Oddly, the festival will also feature an excerpt from The Last 7 Days of OBSIDIENNE OBSURD.

Oaklash’s past programming stands as clear proof of its enduring commitment to its core pillars. Events like Acts of Service at The Stud and Altered Paint at The White Horse Inn demonstrate how the organization blends nightlife with grassroots fundraising, inviting the community to directly sustain the work.

The Oaklash team’s commitment to accessibility has been reflected in initiatives like the Oaklash Disability Fund, which has provided unrestricted grants to disabled and chronically ill queer and trans artists. Lessons learned during the pandemic—when Oaklash pivoted to digital formats—have translated into long-term practices like ASL interpretation, ADA-accessible venues, and recorded events, reinforcing a model where no one is left behind.

But perhaps Oaklash’s most radical act is its ability to scale without selling out. Even as it grows, Oaklash remains deeply rooted in its founding ethos.

As Oaklash looks ahead, it’s not just trying to survive—it’s building a future. A future where drag isn’t relegated to the margins, but given stages as large as those of mainstream music festivals. A future where queer artists aren’t fighting for scraps, but thriving with support. A future where joy, care, and community remain at the heart of it all.

OAKLASH FESTIVAL 2025 runs May 16-18. Various Bay Area venues. Tickets and more info here.