Thu 8/15-Sat 8/17 @ 8PM
Sometimes it’s hard to believe how far the Ohio Burlesque Fest has come, from a lightly attended one-night event in 2011 featuring mostly local and regional performer, many clearly novices, to a three-night extravaganza drawing some of the most gifted burlesque and drag artists from across the country and even around the world, representing an astonishing array of races, cultures and gender identities as well as talents and performance styles.
The motto for this year’s event, taking place as usual at the Beachland Ballroom, is “Perform with Excellence, Thrive with Purpose.” It will feature more than 75 performers including burlesque and drag artists, live singers, aerial performers and sideshow, vaudeville and variety acts. You’ll see over-the-top glamor, cheeky comedy, inventive skits with storylines, graceful dance moves, and high-degree-of-difficulty acrobatics.
Thursday’s Rock & Roll night will feature headliners drag king Ryder Slowly and female drag queen Empress Dupree, both from northeast Ohio, as well as special feature Marie La’Pearl from Puerto Rico. Friday night will feature Chicago’s Harlem Night, Cleveland Burlesque Queen Bella Sin, the founder and promoter of Ohio Burlesque Fest, and Miss Viva Las Vegas 2018, Canada’s Foxy Lexxi Brown. Things wrap up with the Saturday night gala, headlined by Los Angeles’ Ginger Valentine, #2 in the Burlesque national top 50, Canadian indigenous artists Kitty Kin-Evil and Richmond, Virginia’s Jo’rie Tigerlily.
Bella Sin established her burlesque ensemble, Cleveland Burlesque (originally La Femme Mystique), in 2004, and began producing shows that built up to that first Ohio Burlesque Fest in 2011.
“The scene has changed significantly since 2011,” she says. “By 2016, the festival achieved its goal of bringing Cleveland to international prominence, resulting in a steady flow of performances reaching the global burlesque community. By 2019, the peak saw over 12 burlesque-focused productions. However, due to the pandemic, we currently have fewer than six solely burlesque shows, though the drag community has increasingly incorporated burlesque.”
She adds that, “While the festival has helped normalize and mainstream the art, it still faces stigma and remains a work in progress within the city and state,” referring to the unfortunate demonization of drag artists and trans people by some of Ohio’s politicians.
Despite that, she says that as the event has grown and become a prestigious stop on the national burlesque calendar, it’s getting more and more applications, enabling it to select an increasingly higher level of talent.
“Every year, we’re amazed at how we manage to surpass the incredible talent of previous years, and this year is no exception!” she says. “We faced a daunting task with over 300 applications to review, and the team was blown away by the caliber of submissions—artists are truly bringing their A-game.”
She mentions several, just samples of the type of artists ticket buyers will see.
“This year’s highlights include Miss Nixon, who is returning from Chicago,” she points out. “Many may not know she’s the daughter of the legendary wrestler Eddie Guerrero. We’re also excited to feature Veda Khalo, an indigenous First Nations performer who is set to deliver a powerful storytelling performance rooted in her cultural background. Her act is one of the most riveting we’ve seen! Sonia Rita, a first-year attendee, will be performing on both Friday and Saturday—something that’s only happened once before in our festival’s history. This year, we’re thrilled to welcome performers from the UK, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Germany, and across the United States, including many from within our state. Every applicant we accepted is outstanding, and honestly, we’ve outdone ourselves this time with nonstop surprises.”
As the festival has turned into a major national event, Bella says it faces challenges in funding and promotion. But, she says, “We continue to press forward, tirelessly working to spread the word about our upcoming shows and deepen our connections within the community. Many people are still unaware of our presence or have yet to experience the magic of a burlesque performance, and it remains our mission to make sure they know we are here and ready to dazzle.”
With her affiliated Cleveland Burlesque Academy, which trains new local performers and feeds them into Cleveland Burlesque’s all-year-long events, having snagged its first grant to provide scholarships to aspiring performers from marginalized groups, Bella is looking forward to major growth in 2025.
“Maintaining freshness and offering new experiences is no small feat, but we are proud of our ability to innovate and sustain our efforts,” she says. “It is through these efforts that we strive to make our city a premier destination not only for performers but also for unforgettable entertainment. One thing I wish more people knew is the incredible number of internationally award-winning burlesque performers who call this city home, representing us on global stages. Burlesque is a vital part of our arts and culture scene, and this festival has played a crucial role in nurturing the growth of this vibrant fringe art community. Burlesque has deep roots in this city—it was once the second-largest circuit in the country, and we’re on our way to reclaiming that status. My determination to see this city thrive as a hub for burlesque is well-known, and we’re building something truly extraordinary here.
Get tickets to the shows here and get them quick. In recent years, they’ve been selling out.
Cleveland, OH 44110