The Pink Sober Club
A new generation of drag spaces is emerging in Ontario, and Kasha is helping lead the way.
For decades, drag and nightlife have often gone hand-in-hand. For many performers and audience members alike, bars and clubs have served as gathering places where queer communities could celebrate, connect, and feel safe.
But Waterloo-based drag artist Kasha is asking an important question:
What happens when those spaces aren't accessible to everyone?
The answer became the foundation of the Pink Sober Club, an alcohol and substance-free drag event series that is quickly growing across Southern Ontario while raising funds for local charities and creating safer, more inclusive spaces for audiences who may feel excluded from traditional nightlife.
Turning Grief Into Action
The inspiration behind the Pink Sober Club came from a deeply personal place.
In 2024, Kasha lost her older brother following years of struggles with alcohol and substance abuse. After his passing, Kasha met her brother's Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor, who shared an experience that would ultimately change the course of her work as a producer.
The sponsor, a retired drag performer, explained that he had stepped away from drag because "drag to me wasn't fun without alcohol."
That conversation stayed with Kasha.
"It really hit me that what drag spaces have I been in that haven't had alcohol?" she recalled. "I could only think of two things up until that moment. It turned the conversation into, 'Wow, there are so many people that can't access this form of entertainment if they don't feel safe in those environments.'"
Rather than let that realization fade, Kasha transformed it into action.
Inspired by a belief she credits to a famous Meryl Streep quote—"take your broken heart and turn it into art"—the Pink Sober Club was born.
"The greatest thing that I can do to honor all the best parts of my brother," she said, "is to create spaces for those who are struggling."
Pink Sober Club - Waterloo
Friday, June 12, 2026 @Indulgence Studio
Building Something Different
The Pink Sober Club first appeared as a one-off event in Hamilton, featuring a Chappell Roan-inspired theme inspired by the song Pink Pony Club.
The concept truly found its identity on July 24, 2025, during an event at Three Pieces Clothing Shop in downtown Guelph—the one-year anniversary of Kasha's brother's passing.
Since then, the series has expanded into multiple communities, with events in Hamilton, Waterloo, and Guelph.
Unlike traditional drag shows, the Pink Sober Club is intentionally designed to remove barriers.
Admission operates on a pay-what-you-wish model, ensuring finances are never a reason someone cannot attend.
Every venue features a ground-level accessible entrance, helping remove physical barriers for attendees who use mobility aids.
Performers volunteer their time, and proceeds are donated directly to local organizations including:
Sexual Assault Centre of Waterloo Region
Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis
Hope House
Binbrook Pride
"I never want people to feel that this event excludes them," Kasha explained. "The Pink Sober Club was built around the thought of including everyone."
Pink Sober Club - Hamilton
Friday, July 3, 2026 @Vagabond Saints
More Than Entertainment
For Kasha, drag has always been about more than performance.
A self-described comedy queen and activist, she has spent years using her platform to support women's organizations, recovery initiatives, and grassroots community projects.
Her advocacy work stems from personal experiences, including surviving conversion therapy, navigating grief, and growing up queer in a small-town environment.
"Humour is what got me through and made me survive everything to be the person I am today," she said.
That philosophy continues to shape every Pink Sober Club event.
Rather than simply raising funds, Kasha makes a point of connecting directly with the organizations receiving support.
"A lot of these organizations are incredibly underfunded but provide such essential services," she said. "Being the one who drops off the donations and visits their spaces allows me to see where the change is happening."
Pink Sober Club - Guelph
Friday, July 24, 2026 @Three Pieces Shop
Creating Community Beyond the Bar
At a time when queer communities continue facing political attacks, anti-drag rhetoric, and growing social challenges, Kasha believes alternative spaces are more important than ever.
"I think sober and substance-free spaces are important to show that community exists outside of bars," she said. "And that it exists in day-to-day queer safe spaces."
The Pink Sober Club carefully curates its environment to support that mission.
Performances avoid music that glorifies alcohol or substance use. Events finish earlier than typical nightlife programming. Organizers prioritize affordability, accessibility, and emotional safety.
"We want you to have a fun time," Kasha explained. "We want you to feel safe. We want to make it affordable. We want to ensure there's no limitation around getting into our space."
Looking Ahead
While the Pink Sober Club is still relatively new, its future already looks bright.
Kasha hopes to expand into additional communities, bring on sponsors that can provide honorariums for performers, and eventually incorporate alcohol-free cocktail experiences similar to those offered by Toronto's Zero Cocktail Bar.
Most importantly, she hopes the project remains focused on the people it serves.
"As much as I'm currently the face of it, I don't want these shows to be about me," she said. "I want them to be about the community."
With discussions already underway to bring the series into a fourth community, the Pink Sober Club continues to prove that drag can thrive outside traditional nightlife settings—and that sometimes the most meaningful spaces are the ones built with accessibility, healing, and care at their core.
Through the Pink Sober Club, Kasha is demonstrating that drag doesn't need a bar tab to build community. By combining entertainment with accessibility, recovery awareness, and charitable giving, she has created a space where everyone is welcome—whether they're sober, in recovery, living with a disability, or simply looking for a different kind of night out.
As the series continues to grow across Ontario, one thing remains clear: the Pink Sober Club isn't just changing where drag happens—it's changing who feels invited to be part of it.
To learn more about upcoming events, follow @makechangeproductions on Instagram.