Red Carpet Realness
Werq the World 2025 turned Caesars Windsor into drag’s ultimate awards night with Jimbo, Daya Betty, Jaida Essence Hall, Jorgeous, Kim Chi, and Vanessa Vanjie serving red carpet glamour and unforgettable performances.
August 22, 2025
At Caesars Windsor
WINDSOR, Ontario
A Red Carpet Night to Remember
The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor sparkled on Friday, August 22, as the RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq The World Tour 2025 rolled into town for its highly anticipated stop. This year’s tour, themed as the ultimate drag awards show, brought red carpet glamour, high-octane performances, and larger-than-life personas to the Windsor stage. Hosted by Jimbo as Joan Rivers, the night featured dazzling turns by Daya Betty as Lady Gaga, Jaida Essence Hall as Beyoncé, Jorgeous as Ariana Grande, Kim Chi as Celine Dion, and Vanessa Vanjie as Rihanna.
Drag’s biggest night of the year takes center stage at Caesars Windsor.
Having personally photographed Werq the World multiple times since its 2018 Detroit stop, I’ve seen the tour evolve and grow into a full-blown drag spectacle — and Windsor’s 2025 edition may have been my favourite yet.
From the moment the queens hit the stage, the energy was electric. Each performance felt like a headline moment at an international award show, with fans screaming for every costume reveal and hair flip. Jimbo kept the pacing sharp with her razor-edged Joan Rivers comedy, while each queen embodied their musical icons to perfection — Jaida Essence Hall’s Beyoncé number had the crowd on their feet, and Kim Chi’s Celine Dion moment was pure camp magic.
What makes Werq the World so special is the way it blends the spectacle of drag with the intimacy of community — no matter how massive the production gets, it always feels like a love letter to the fans.
On a personal note, this tour is extra meaningful for me. Werq the World was the very first drag event I ever photographed, way back in 2018 at Motor City Casino’s Sound Board. Since then, I’ve followed it across Detroit, London, Toronto, and Windsor, capturing the queens in all their glory. To see it return this year with such a polished and playful awards theme — plus one of the strongest casts yet — was an absolute joy.
Special thanks goes out to Jimbo for organizing the backstage meet ’n’ greet and to the Caesars Windsor staff for the tickets that made this night possible. And yes — I left with an official tour t-shirt to add to my collection!
The Werq continues—until next year’s dazzling return.
Werq the World continues to raise the bar for drag tours, and Windsor’s stop proved why it remains the crown jewel of global drag entertainment. With its bold theme, powerhouse cast, and unforgettable energy, this was drag at its finest.
The red carpet may be rolled up for now, but one thing is certain: when Werq the World comes back, Windsor will be ready to welcome it all over again.
Photos and review by Kevin Blondin
Night of the Living Drag
Night of the Living Drag
A Hauntingly Hilarious Twilight Zone Experience
In the heartland of Toledo, Ohio, on a chilling October night, something otherworldly was brewing at the Stranahan Theater. The spirits of the drag underworld were summoned for the 12th Annual Night of the Living Drag, an event shrouded in mystery and enigma. Presented by Voss Events (@vossevents) in collaboration with World of Wonder, this was a night to sashay into another dimension, guided by the spectral hand of drag royalty.
Hosted by the Mysterious Yvie Oddly (@oddlyyvie)
As the curtains rose and the stage was set, we were introduced to our spectral host for the evening, the iconic Yvie Oddly. Known for her victory in RuPaul's Drag Race (@rupaulsdragrace) Season 11, Yvie embodied the enigmatic spirit of Rod Serling, the iconic host of "The Twilight Zone." With her cryptic humor and tantalizing charm, Yvie Oddly led the audience through a portal to a realm where the extraordinary becomes ordinary and the impossible takes form.
A Stellar Cast of Ghostly Divas
What's a haunting without a cast of extraordinary apparitions? The lineup for Night of the Living Drag was nothing short of spectacular. While some ethereal beings may have been absent, the audience was treated to the presence of a star-studded ensemble:
Tayce (@itstayce): This British sensation graced the stage, bringing her spellbinding charm and charisma. Her presence alone was like a bewitching spell that had the audience entranced.
Angeria Paris VanMicheals (@angeriavm): The audience was spellbound by Angeria's unparalleled energy and passion, as she conjured a spell of laughter and awe. A drag spirit to be reckoned with.
Jaida Essence Hall (@jaidaehall): As the winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12, Jaida Essence Hall needed no introduction. Her regal presence added a touch of elegance to the spectral affair.
Denali Foxx (@denalifoxx): Denali's performances were an otherworldly experience, blending grace and strength in a mesmerizing display of talent.
Rosé (@omgheyrose): Hailing from the glittering cast of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13, Rosé added a dose of glamour to the supernatural soirée.
Jorgeous (@jorgeous_1): A rising star in the drag cosmos, Jorgeous dazzled the audience with their unparalleled charisma and vivacity.
While Icesis Couture (@itsqueenicesis) and Plastique (@plastiquetiara) may have been missing from the ethereal lineup, the spirits of drag lived on through the captivating performances of these luminous queens.
The Mysterious Twilight Zone
The show's theme borrowed inspiration from the enigmatic universe of "The Twilight Zone," a dimension of imagination that transcends the boundaries of reality. As each queen took the stage, it felt like stepping into an alternate reality where the supernatural was the norm, and the audience was merely an observer of the uncanny.
The Haunting Spectacle
The performances were nothing short of a haunting spectacle. Each queen weaved her unique enchantment, delivering acts that ranged from the eerie to the enchanting. The audience was transported to a realm where the extraordinary became the everyday, and the queens were the mysterious guides on this uncanny journey.
As the night unfolded, the spirits of drag were unleashed, and the audience was caught in a spellbinding whirlwind of performances. The stage was transformed into a supernatural playground where the queens danced, sang, and dazzled the audience with their unearthly talents.
A Portal to Another Dimension
Night of the Living Drag was not just an event; it was a portal to another dimension, a place where the spirits of drag reign supreme. It was a night where laughter and awe merged into a single, otherworldly experience, a place where the bizarre was beautiful, and the strange was stunning.
A Hauntingly Hilarious Night
In a world filled with the mundane, Night of the Living Drag was a refreshing escape into the extraordinary. It was a hauntingly hilarious night, a reminder that drag is not just an art form but a gateway to a realm where anything is possible. As the night came to a close, the audience left with their spirits lifted, knowing they had been part of a unique experience that transcended the ordinary.
For those who were fortunate enough to attend, Night of the Living Drag was a night to remember, a night when the spirits of drag came to life and carried us away to a dimension where the extraordinary reigns supreme. The enigmatic Yvie Oddly and her spectral ensemble left an indelible mark, reminding us that in the world of drag, the supernatural is simply the norm, and the mysterious is always magnificent.
By Kevin Blondin (@kevinblondinsta)
