#DragConChicago
#DragConChicago
The Issue
To: The DragCon Community, Our Future Partners, and World of Wonder From: The DragCon Chicago Campaign
Date: November 1, 2025
Subject: A Call to Action: Why We Need DragCon Chicago Now More Than Ever
To our community,
This year, for the first time in a long time, there was a void. The absence of RuPaul's DragCon in Los Angeles—the flagship event, the "mothership" of our community—was not just a scheduling note. It was a deeply felt loss for the artists who rely on it, the vendors who built their businesses around it, and the tens of thousands of fans who call it their annual pilgrimage.
This void, however, is not an end. It is an unmistakable sign and a call to action.
It is a sign that the community's need for connection, celebration, and safe, joyful spaces is stronger than ever. It is a sign that this celebration is too important to be concentrated in one place. And it is a call for a new, stable, and passionate partner to help carry the torch forward.
Chicago is ready to be that partner. And we believe this is the moment.
A "DragCon hiatus" does not mean the fans have disappeared. It means they are waiting. Here in the Midwest, an entire 12-state region—a market of millions—has been waiting patiently for a home base to call their own. We are not a replacement for LA; we are the new, vital, untapped Northern hub. We are the "Second City," and we are ready for our "First DragCon."
But this is more than just a smart business decision. It is a cultural imperative.
We are in a moment where the art of drag, and the very existence of our LGBTQ+ community, is being challenged in headlines and legislative halls. In this climate, DragCon is not just a convention. It is a profound, joyful, and defiant act of visibility. It is a fortress of acceptance. It is a living, breathing declaration that our art form is essential, our community is powerful, and we will not be erased.
The world needs more of that joy, not less. We need more secure gathering places, not fewer. We need a stable, unshakeable pillar in the heart of the country, and Chicago is that pillar.
This is why our campaign is not just a fan petition. It is a comprehensive, professional, and unified proposal from a coalition of business leaders, community advocates, and city officials.
We have the venue—the largest in the nation. We have the infrastructure—two international airports. We have the political will—a city and state that have always been a sanctuary. We have the safety plan. We have the economic plan. We have the full support of the local businesses in Northalsted and beyond.
We have done the work. We are not just asking for a convention; we are offering a "turn-key" partnership.
The absence of DragCon in LA is not a sign of weakness. It is an opportunity to build something stronger, more resilient, and more deeply integrated with its community than ever before.
Chicago is ready to build that future with you.
Let's give the tens of millions of fans in the Midwest their own homecoming. Let's give the queens a new, iconic stage. Let's give the world the celebration it needs, now more than ever.
Join us. Sign the petition. Share this cause.
Let's bring DragCon home to Chicago.
In solidarity and community,
The DragCon Chicago Campaign
9
The Issue
To: The DragCon Community, Our Future Partners, and World of Wonder From: The DragCon Chicago Campaign
Date: November 1, 2025
Subject: A Call to Action: Why We Need DragCon Chicago Now More Than Ever
To our community,
This year, for the first time in a long time, there was a void. The absence of RuPaul's DragCon in Los Angeles—the flagship event, the "mothership" of our community—was not just a scheduling note. It was a deeply felt loss for the artists who rely on it, the vendors who built their businesses around it, and the tens of thousands of fans who call it their annual pilgrimage.
This void, however, is not an end. It is an unmistakable sign and a call to action.
It is a sign that the community's need for connection, celebration, and safe, joyful spaces is stronger than ever. It is a sign that this celebration is too important to be concentrated in one place. And it is a call for a new, stable, and passionate partner to help carry the torch forward.
Chicago is ready to be that partner. And we believe this is the moment.
A "DragCon hiatus" does not mean the fans have disappeared. It means they are waiting. Here in the Midwest, an entire 12-state region—a market of millions—has been waiting patiently for a home base to call their own. We are not a replacement for LA; we are the new, vital, untapped Northern hub. We are the "Second City," and we are ready for our "First DragCon."
But this is more than just a smart business decision. It is a cultural imperative.
We are in a moment where the art of drag, and the very existence of our LGBTQ+ community, is being challenged in headlines and legislative halls. In this climate, DragCon is not just a convention. It is a profound, joyful, and defiant act of visibility. It is a fortress of acceptance. It is a living, breathing declaration that our art form is essential, our community is powerful, and we will not be erased.
The world needs more of that joy, not less. We need more secure gathering places, not fewer. We need a stable, unshakeable pillar in the heart of the country, and Chicago is that pillar.
This is why our campaign is not just a fan petition. It is a comprehensive, professional, and unified proposal from a coalition of business leaders, community advocates, and city officials.
We have the venue—the largest in the nation. We have the infrastructure—two international airports. We have the political will—a city and state that have always been a sanctuary. We have the safety plan. We have the economic plan. We have the full support of the local businesses in Northalsted and beyond.
We have done the work. We are not just asking for a convention; we are offering a "turn-key" partnership.
The absence of DragCon in LA is not a sign of weakness. It is an opportunity to build something stronger, more resilient, and more deeply integrated with its community than ever before.
Chicago is ready to build that future with you.
Let's give the tens of millions of fans in the Midwest their own homecoming. Let's give the queens a new, iconic stage. Let's give the world the celebration it needs, now more than ever.
Join us. Sign the petition. Share this cause.
Let's bring DragCon home to Chicago.
In solidarity and community,
The DragCon Chicago Campaign
9
Petition Updates
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Petition created on November 1, 2025