Drag Night Etiquette in Blackpool

Blackpool drag is loud, cheeky and built around the audience, which is exactly why a few unwritten rules help everyone have a better night. The queens here are working professionals, often doing several shows a week in different venues. Treat them like the headliners they are and they'll make your night.

Tipping

In the bars, tip. At Garlands, the Flying Handbag, Lu-Lu's, McGraths and the other quarter bars, the drag is usually free to watch, and there is often no cover charge at all. Tips are a real part of how the performers earn a living, and how bars justify booking live acts.

• How: hold a note up during a number and the queen will come and take it, or hand it over politely between songs. Don't throw coins, and don't push money into costumes.
• How much: whatever you can. A few pounds from each person at a table adds up. If a host has made a fuss of your birthday or your hen, a tip is the nicest thank-you.
• Buy a drink at the bar. In a free-entry venue, your round is what keeps the shows going.
• Fundraising buckets. During the Rainbow Weekend in February and around Pride, bars collect for Blackpool Pride. Have some cash ready.

At Funny Girls, you've paid for a ticket, so tipping during the numbers isn't part of the format. The best way to show appreciation is to cheer loudly, clap the finale, and maybe buy something at the bar or come back for the next seasonal show.

Heckling and banter

Banter is the whole point of a Blackpool drag host. You will be talked to, and possibly about. There is a difference, though, between joining in and taking over.

• Answer when you're asked. If the host asks where you're from or whose birthday it is, shout back. That's the game.
• Don't try to out-funny the queen. Hosts like Carmen at Funny Girls have spent years dealing with hecklers, and you will lose. One cheeky comeback is fine; a running commentary isn't.
• Keep it kind. Comments about a performer's body, gender or real identity are off limits. So is anything homophobic or transphobic. Bar staff and door staff will act on it, and the crowd won't be on your side.
• Don't talk over the live numbers. Many Blackpool queens sing live. Chat during the DJ sets and games, not over a ballad.
• Know when to quit. If the host moves on, let them.

Hen and stag parties

Blackpool's drag shows love a hen party, and many hen packages include a drag night. Your group will be noticed: sashes and L-plates are an open invitation to the host. Remember that you are guests in LGBTQ+ spaces, including at the bars of the quarter. Keep the volume to the level of the room, don't grab performers, and don't treat other customers as part of the show. Stag groups are welcome at the big shows too, on the same terms.

Photos and filming

• Ask the venue's rules. Policies vary, and some shows ask you not to film whole numbers.
• Short clips, no flash. A few seconds of the finale is usually fine. Filming whole routines, or holding a phone up in someone's view, isn't.
• Ask before you take a selfie with a performer, and pick your moment, usually after their set rather than mid-number.
• Think about other customers. Not everyone in a gay bar is out to their family or work. Avoid posting identifiable photos of other people in the crowd without asking.
• Tag the performer, not just the venue, if you post. It helps working queens get bookings.

The front row

At Funny Girls, the stage-side tables and the standing area near the front are the most fun and the most exposed. In the quarter's bars, sitting near the stage or the DJ booth works the same way.

• Expect to be picked on. The front rows are where hosts find their volunteers, their birthday victims and their running jokes.
• You may be brought on stage. Games and competitions often pull audience members up. You can say no politely, but a good sport usually gets the biggest cheer.
• Keep the stage clear. Don't put drinks, bags or feet on the stage edge or runway. The new Funny Girls runway puts performers right among the audience, so give them room.
• If you're shy, sit further back. The dress circle at Funny Girls and the back of the bars are calmer.

Access and comfort

• Tell Funny Girls about access needs when you book. Some performances include a BSL-interpreting performer.
• Seasonal shows can use pyrotechnics, loud bangs and sudden noises. Speak to reception if that worries you.
• Many quarter venues are in old buildings with stairs and no lift. Check before you travel.
• Most drag shows in Blackpool are for over-18s. Family-friendly drag does happen, especially at Pride, so check the listing.

Getting home

The quarter is compact and lively late at night, but take the usual care: stick with friends, use a licensed taxi, and keep an eye on your drink. Bar staff are used to helping people get home safely, so ask them if you need to.