Blackpool's best drag bars
Where to see drag in Blackpool, from a full theatre revue to a queen with a karaoke machine, sorted by the kind of night you want.
Blackpool has more drag per square mile than anywhere else in the north. Within a few streets of Blackpool North station you can watch a choreographed stage production, sing along with a resident queen in a pub, play bingo with a bearded empress or catch a Drag Race star on a club stage. Here is how the main options compare.
The big show: Funny Girls
If you only see one drag show, make it Funny Girls on Dickson Road. It is a full theatrical revue with a company of performers and dancers, staged in a restored art deco cinema, with a new themed production each season: Halloween, Christmas, spring and a summer spectacular. Doors open at 7pm and the cabaret starts at 8.30pm, Wednesday to Sunday. It is ticketed, and weekend seats sell out, so book ahead. Afterwards, Oscars in the same building runs the after-show party with karaoke and live music.
Best for: first-timers, celebrations, and anyone who wants spectacle.
Drag every day, no ticket: Garlands
Garlands on Talbot Road puts resident queens on the microphone from mid-afternoon every single day, with free entry. Shazza, Bonnie la Blue, Campy Galore, Dragalicious, Bunny Hopps and friends rotate through the week, with guest cabaret on Wednesdays and Sundays and a comedy drag show from Lucy Fur on Sundays. Add cheap drinks deals and you have the most accessible drag in town.
Best for: afternoon drinking, singalongs, and drag on a budget.
Hosted nights at the Flying Handbag
The Flying Handbag builds its week around drag hosts. Miss Amber fronts Wednesday's QuizMania, Thursday's game shows and TFI Friday with drag DJ Pudsley. Guest names, including touring Drag Race queens, appear through the year, and Lady and the Camp plays on selected Sunday afternoons.
Best for: a mixed group who want drag with their quiz, dinner or dance.
Community cabaret on Lord Street
- Mardi Gras has drag host Elsie Duchess running movie singalongs on Monday, games night on Wednesday and cash bingo on Thursday, plus guest cabaret acts every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.
- McGraths stages headline drag and tribute acts from Friday to Sunday in an intimate lounge. Recent bills have included the impressionist Drag With No Name and the award-winning Son of a Tutu. Most shows are free.
- Rendezvous hosts occasional drag turns at weekends in a tiny, friendly bar, such as Marigold Addams' Jane McDonald tribute.
- The Dame Lane runs Sunday bingo hosted by The Empress Bear Donna.
Best for: getting close to the performers, and a cheaper, more local night.
Dickson Road cabaret bars
- Peek-a-Booze has hosts running bingo and karaoke through the week, with guest singers, drag comedy and cabaret every weekend. Recent acts have included Belinda Scandal, Bosom Buddies and Doctor Woof.
- Lu-Lu's Cabaret Lounge has cabaret and a host at weekends, with Sunday nights fronted by Crystal Candyfloss.
- The Duke, a mainstream pub run by Garlands' brewer, has the Tilly Thrills comedy drag show on Saturdays.
Best for: a cheap night out near your guesthouse.
Drag Race stars and club drag
Kaos on Queen Street relaunched in July 2026 with Drag Race UK's Zahirah Zapanta, and it books guest queens for its late weekend club nights. Sherlock's opened in 2021 with a headline set from Danny Beard, who went on to win Drag Race UK the following year, and it still books visiting performers at weekends. Funny Girls also hosts one-off nights from touring Drag Race names.
Best for: fans who want a famous face and a late dance.
Tips for drag nights
- Tip the queens. Many resident acts work for modest fees, and a drink or a tip goes a long way.
- Sit at the front at your own risk. Audience banter is part of the deal.
- Bring ID. Every venue on this page is 18+, and most run Challenge 25.
- Check the line-up. Resident rosters change through the season, especially between summer and winter.