Baby Drag at "Hairy Mary's" on the Gold Coast: A Q&A with event organiser, Alessa Katherine

If we start with the basics – what should our readers know about you? 

My name is Alessa (she/her). I was born in Sydney but now live on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Prior to COVID-19, I was living in Berlin, Germany – came for a visit, got stuck and have been back here around five years. I'm an introvert who often finds herself in places built for extroverted people, but happily have found myself a second family within these spaces.  

What is your relationship to the art of drag? 

As a queer (pansexual) woman, a gay venue should also be my home, but while travelling I noticed a lot of gay spaces were mainly aimed at gay men. Misogyny is so common in these male-focused spaces, with some venues assuming that if you're female presenting, you’re invading the gay space, and this shouldn't be as common as it is. I found myself more welcome in places that were more queer oriented – these spaces often also showcased drag, so drag is where I've felt safe and welcome wherever I may be in the world. My whole life I've been surrounded by drag, and I've always loved the artistry. There’s something so beautiful about being able to transform yourself into another person, and be whomever you want to be while sharing this with others. 

Can you tell us a bit about the queer community on the Gold Coast and what motivated you to start the event? 

For quite a few years the Gold Coast hadn't had any queer or gay venues. We have a few wonderful events like the Popperz monthly event (run by Bluji, with beautiful queens Kora Kurvacious and Eva Mendoza) but we didn't have a dedicated space until roughly this time last year. Hairy Mary’s (owned by our wonderful Steven Fahd) has become our home on the Gold Coast – Steven Fahd, Adam Cox, Will and the team have put in countless hours building this venue into our safe space. Over the year it's become the only remaining regular spot for queens to perform, with stars like my personal favourite, multi-skilled, spooky, pocket-rocket, Karmin Dioxide; the elegant and creative Dixie Wrecked; and our party starter and OG, Miss Dee. However, these queens were already established, while our Gold Coast up-and-coming queens didn't have a stage to start off and hone their skills on. This idea was inspired by one of our other (now closed) bars that we had in Broadbeach, Chameleon Bar, and the queens who started there. I wanted a safe space for more drag to be born, and so far this has been a success! With Steven's love and support this event has quickly become one of our busiest nights, and has started quite a few new talents!  

Adam Cox and Steven Fahd {Image description: Two men are seated close together on a verandah and smiling at the camera}

Can you tell us a little more about the venue? I notice that Hairy Mary’s recently had their first anniversary... 

Hairy Mary's is our only gay-owned, gay venue on the Gold Coast – it's a small yet charming venue in Mermaid Waters, that welcomes you like a warm hug. Steven has worked magic in making this venue an oasis in the industrial area. No matter who you are, you are welcome, and you are family. The whole team has been wonderful support for this event, with our bar manager, Will, even competing (and winning!) under the stage name, Beep. I couldn't do it without the amount of help and support of the entire Hairy Mary's team. From week one, everyone has been involved, from other queens, to the team, to regular patrons. This event is a love letter to the venue, and to drag.  

What is the 'Baby Drag' process? And what feedback have you had? 

Each week we have a maximum of five queens, with four being the standard amount. Anyone can sign up, even if it's your first time in drag. Each queen does one number, then the judges (myself and a few local queens) choose a top two. The top two have a lip sync battle and the winner is decided by audience vote. The winner then gets a prize, and is the host of the following week.  

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with even the newest artists, who were nervous, being excited to come back. The vibe of the venue has been incredibly wholesome and warm. Everyone is celebrated, no matter the level of drag presented. We're just so proud of whoever gets on stage! These nights get busy, it's so wonderful to see the support these new artists receive.  

I've received so much support and kindness from the community, and plenty of gratitude. This event is for the community, and I'm so glad to see that everyone is loving it. I've been incredibly lucky, and I also feel so much gratitude for the performers, and for the team at Hairy Mary's for helping every step of the way.  

What has been your favourite performance so far? 

I've had many favourite performances, but I have a soft spot for a few. Luna Love started drag when this event started, so every time she's on stage it makes me love this event even more. We also have the incredibly talented Nikita Nessence who just won our Baby Drag All Winners Competition – at 17 years old, she doesn't have as many spaces to perform, but has shown talent second to none. Watch out for her, as soon as she's old enough, this girl will take over! Watching our bar manager, Will/Beep, perform was also a highlight, what a superstar!  

Are there any particular drag artists that you’d like to shout out?  

I have a love for anything spooky, and I've loved seeing our spooky performers have little take-overs sometimes. I’m a huge fan of Tom Catastrophe, Femme Brulee, Madame Moretta and Sylvester Noir. Also our Russian princess, Robyn Dix, and our favourite 'stream queen', itsTealyxo. We're also lucky enough to have had our very own Hairy Mary's resident, King Maximus Gluteus, compete on occasion. Kings don't get enough love, and he's such a talent. Every show of Max's is high production. 

Anything else you’d like to highlight? 

I'd love to highlight a few other events at Hairy Mary's! Every Wednesday we have trivia, and Friday and Saturday we also have drag shows where our hosts are stunning rotating guests!  

I again cannot express how important Steven is to our community, without him this last year, we wouldn't have a safe space to call home, and the amount of love he puts into Hairy Mary's doesn't go unnoticed.  

You can follow Alessa and Hairy Mary’s on Instagram: @alessakatherine @hairymarysgc 

From top left – 1. Haus of Dioxide: Karmin Dioxide, Nikita Nessense, Eraya 51, Becky, Alessa Katherine – 2. Tom Catasrophe – 3. Miss Mia Tia, itsTealyxo, Luna D'Lux, Tom Catastrophe – 4. Nikita Nessence, Eraya 51, Sylvester Noir – 5. Robyn Dix – 6. Robyn Dix and Cadillac DeVille – 7. Cadillac Deville, Ghoulia, Tia Maria, Femme Brûlée, Tom Catastrophe – 8. Jaguar and itsTealyxo – 9. Femme Brûlée