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Step into a night of unapologetic joy, expression, and pure queer yee-haw magic at Emoji Nightmare’s Pride Ball, taking over Higher Ground on September 5. This year’s Pride Ball theme is Denim & Diamonds – inviting you to serve your fiercest, cvntiest blend of grit and glamour, from rhinestone-studded fantasy to your most iconic blue jean realness.
Hosted and produced by Vermont’s own, incomparable, Emoji Nightmare, this electrifying celebration will spotlight an incredible lineup of local and regional queer performers and DJs, two-stepping their way to the stage and the dance floor with bold performances and nonstop energy. Whether you’re dripping in sparkle, rocking head-to-toe denim à la Britney and Justin, or mixing both into a look that turns heads, Pride Ball is your space to shine.
Besides a corral full of local queer performers, we have Angeria Paris VanMichaels (Rupaul's Drag Race S14 and the winner of Drag Race All-Stars S9), King Molasses (winner of King of Drag), Denim (Canada's Drag Race S4), and Boston's Candace Persuasian joining us. In between performances, DJ sets by Craig Mitchell, GAYBAR, Llu, and Skipipop will keep the energy going for a night you won't forget.
Dust off those boots and grab your tickets early to save some cash and guarantee your spot at one of the most unforgettable nights of the year. Plus - VIP ticket upgrades are available. Meet the headliners, get early access to the event, and get your picture taken with the kings and queens by award-winning local queer photographer Hillary Dubie.
About Emoji Nightmare:
Emoji Nightmare has been performing across Vermont and the region since 2015 and is one of the state’s leading drag entertainers. She is host and producer of many of the largest LGBTQ+ events of the past decade. She is the co-founder of the Vermont chapter of Drag Story Hour and a multi-year nominee and 2025 winner for Seven Days’ annual Daysies Awards for Best Drag Performer or Group in Vermont. emojinightmare.com
About Angeria Paris VanMichaels:
Angeria Paris VanMicheals is a television personality, best known for winning RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 9, and for her top 5 placement on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14. Originally hailing from Atlanta, Angeria is now based in Los Angeles. From collaborating with major brands, to guest starring on Dynasty, to touring in the biggest drag tour productions in the world, Angeria is your favorite southern belle superstar. And, call her Angie!
About King Molasses:
King Molasses is an award-winning Nigerian-American drag king, creative producer, and performing artist based in Washington DC. They are most known as the winner of the televised competition series King of Drag, and was named on the 2025 Out100 list – honoring the nation’s most impactful LGBTQ innovators, leaders and creators by Out Magazine. Known for their commanding stage presence and bodily control, they use movement to create visual landscapes heavily rooted in Black culture while evoking nostalgia, humor, and softer takes on masculinity. They have since garnered international acclaim for their live performances, pushing the art of lip synchronization into a transformational practice of Black surrealism, “radiating grief, tenderness and pride.” Their work has been commissioned by The John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts and the Smithsonian, and a repeat performer in Sasha Velour’s acclaimed NYC drag revue, NightGowns. Molasses has been featured on CNN, The Washington Post, Good Morning America, and NPR.
About Denim:
Denim is most known for being in the Top 4 of Canada's Drag Race Season 4. She was born and raised in Prince Edward Island before moving to Montreal in 2018 to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Intermedia and Cyber Arts at Concordia University. Through her practice of performance, fashion, makeup, digital media, video, and textile art, drag became the best outlet to encapsulate all of her passions into one medium. The best way to describe Denim is campy, conceptual and a creative jean-ius. Denim is widely known across Canada for her otherworldly looks and performances. As an autistic trans man, Denim’s drag is intrinsically linked to her identity and activism. She aims to expand the limits of drag and make it a more inclusive space while being both a representation and voice for the neurodiverse and trans communities.
About Candace Persuasian:
Candace Persuasian is a prominent Boston-based Vietnamese transgender woman, drag queen, and vocal advocate for queer and AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) communities. Known as "Boston's Beyoncé," she is celebrated for her showstopping drag performances and her extensive background in LGBTQ+ civil rights
