Local drag king envisions grassroots drag scene in Revelstoke

Jackie Daytona, Revelstoke’s local drag king, wants to support others in town interested in the performance art rooted in gender play and expression. From traveling drag performers looking to vacation in Revelstoke to locals just starting to explore the artform, Daytona thinks Revelstoke has the potential for a small but strong drag scene similar to the town’s growing DJ scene.

“I think there’s a great demand for drag in Revelstoke,” Daytona said. “It really builds my confidence that shows have the capacity to sell out here.”

With his most recent show at the Mountain Archives ™ bringing out a loud and supportive crowd during Revelstoke Pride, Daytona wants to see that energy fostered.

“It would be awesome to see more grassroots drag shows happening, small ones with people who have never done drag before,” he said.

With roots in Misson’s drag scene and previous work in Vancouver’s drag scene, Daytona has found a love for the creative outlet drag offers. Oftentimes showcasing elaborate makeup that pulls inspiration from natural environments and fictional sources, he said the artistry has been a stress-relieving outlet.

“It’s a big draw for that artistic expression for me with makeup,” Daytona said. “It’s one of my favourite parts of doing drag.”

From a Jack Frost-inspired winter look to a flowery tiger lily themed outfit, Daytona describes his persona as a “mystical masculine diva,” featuring strong fantasy-genre elements with each look. After a fellow drag king called out his earlier looks for not, “wearing enough makeup” Daytona leaned heavily into the creativity drag showcases.

“I’m going to look just as crazy as possible in a way that feels really gratifying to me,” Daytona said. “It’s a very low pressure painting type of thing, it gets wiped off at the end of the night. So, I do have a lot of fun with it.”

Still, Daytona doesn’t want his level of make-up and costuming to intimidate budding drag artists from joining in on the fun. While he notes that finding pieces and makeup in a small town like Revelstoke requires some sleuthing from online thrift stores and even collecting supplies while out of town, Daytona believes Revelstoke is brimming with untapped potential.

“I don’t think anyone should be scared to try out a drag persona,” he said, explaining many 2SLGBTQ+ individuals use drag to explore gender identity, but anybody can try the performance art style out and see what enjoyment they get out of it.

With upcoming shows planned for the fall, Daytona wants anyone interested in performing or supporting Revelstoke’s drag scene to reach out via social media and see what future events and performances they can join. He also encourages local organizations and event planners looking for a unique emcee to reach out.

“I love being able to facilitate things in Revelstoke in drag,” Daytona said, adding local businesses who host drag events and support Revelstoke’s 2SLGBTQ+ community make Revelstoke feel more inclusive.