Crave and Pride Toronto have teamed up to celebrate Pride Month in a very special way in advance of the upcoming premiere of Canada’s Drag Race. This virtual edition of Pride’s yearly Drag Ball event features performances by all 12 queens competing to become Canada’s first drag superstar.

Streaming in celebration of Pride month, Pride Toronto, and the launch of Canada’s Drag Race on July 2 on Crave, viewers can watch gag-worthy exclusive performances by the fierce and fabulous cast of the new series including Anastarzia Anaquway, BOA, Ilona Verley, Jimbo, Juice Boxx, Kiara, Kyne, Lemon, Priyanka, Rita Baga, Scarlett Bobo, and Tynomi Banks.

Following the initial presentation, Drag Ball Presented by Crave will be available on Pride Toronto’s Twitch channel for 24 hours and on the Drag Race on Crave YouTube channel for one week.

Drag Ball Presented by Crave is hosted by ETALK Senior Correspondent Traci Melchor, who is also Canada’s very first Squirrel Friend. The drag-tastic event is also set to feature special Pride messages from CANADA’S DRAG RACE judges Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and Stacey McKenzie, plus some secret celebrity guests.

As was announced last month, Pride Toronto celebrations for 2020 are happening in a new, creative, and unique way. Pride Toronto is moving online to celebrate this yearly event which brings everyone together to honour the history, courage, and diversity of Toronto’s LGBT2Q+ communities. Virtual Pride includes a number of innovative, online initiatives throughout the month of June that celebrate local queer and trans trailblazers, featuring a lineup of DJs, performers, drag artists, singers, and dancers, shining a concentrated spotlight on women in music and BIPOC artists.

Drag Ball Presented by Crave serves realness on Saturday, June 27 beginning at 8 p.m. ET only on the Pride Toronto Twitch channel (worldwide) and the Drag Race on Crave YouTube channel (in Canada).

Premiering on Thursday, July 2 at 9 p.m. ET, the Crave Original Series Canada’s Drag Race serves up fan-favourites from RuPaul’s Drag Race – like Snatch Game, Rumail, the reading challenge, puppets, makeovers, and gag-worthy untucked sessions – but with a dash of maple-flavoured Canadian realness. Each episode tests the queens’ talents, and challenges them to master singing, dancing, acting, impersonation, costume making, and improvisation. One competitor sashays away at the end of each episode, until the last queen standing is announced the inaugural winner. Throughout this journey, the queens share their personal struggles and successes, highlighting their individuality. 

#CraveDrag Ball, @CanadasDragRace, #CanadasDragRace, @CraveCanada, @PrideToronto, #PrideToronto

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.