“Drag is holy, drag saves lives and drag is a saving grace for many people, myself included,” says Dharma Mirza, Haus of Dharma’s mother. The Haus of Dharma, Corvallis’ premiere drag family, hosts its annual Queervallis Pride Pageant Friday, Nov. 15, at Whiteside Theatre, emceed by reigning champions Mx. Spunk Rock and Miss Cherry Mae. To celebrate the ethereal beauty of drag performers and artists, this year’s theme — Divine Creatures — focuses on the “divinity of each person and each life that we live,” Mirza says. The panel of judges will award three performers titles of honor: Miss Queervallis Pride, Mx. Queervallis Pride and Mr. Queervallis Pride. Competing for Miss Queervallis Pride 2024 are Bambi Beatzit, Elektra Voltz, Siri L. Box, Crybaby Valloween and Frisky the Transgender Reindeer. Competing for Mx. Queervallis Pride 2024 are Matrix, Perry Dox and Belle Aire. Last but certainly not least, competing for Mr. Queervallis Pride 2024 are Restíne Bítchfáce and Clyde Maxx. Each competitor will partake in a runway presentation, an interview and a talent act. Deciding between these stunning performers will be a difficult task, but the judges are up to the challenge. What are their qualifications, you may wonder? Well, Keith Kolkow is the founder of Albany Pride; Chloe San Carlos is the former hostess of Spectrum’s “What’s the T?” show; Mischa Caliente MacPherson is Miss Gay Salem 46; and Spunk Rock, Cherry Mae and Richard D. Rider are reigning title holders from Queervallis Pride Pageants past. “Many are afraid to be in the community, but we are going to show resistance in the face of hate,” Mirza says. “We are going to be our fabulous selves and we are going to show the world that we are not something to be feared, but we are something to be celebrated.”

The Queervallis Pride Pageant is 7 pm Friday, Nov. 15, at Whiteside Theatre, 361 Southwest Madison Avenue, Corvallis. Tickets are $10 presale until 4:30 pm Nov. 15, WhitesideTheatre.org, or $15 at the door.