Glittering Drag Queens Make Houston’s Summer Sizzle in a Memorable Mint Julep Afternoon

There were so many highlights of Mint Julep, the raucous mid-summer Sunday afternoon at La Griglia, that it would be difficult to bestow high honors on any particular aspect of  the annual fundraiser for Legacy Community Health.

Of course, the drag queens who donated their performances were the colorful nucleus of the day with their over-the-top makeup, glittering costumes and, oh, those outrageous faux nails. Exercising caution due to the pandemic and its new nasty variants, the guys-dressed-as-gals did their thing from afar, the performances pre-taped in a smaller gathering at Montrose dance club ReBar.

If this had been a competition, newcomer “A’Maya Jackson Ross” would have won the RuPaul Drag Race award for the energy, the floor split, the gyrations, the whirling locks and the looks that had those not in the know wondering if this performer was actually male or female. Which, of course, at the end of the day doesn’t matter.

For the record, this he was a convincing she on stage. Among those taking bows for their turns in the lip sync spotlight Nikki Hanson, Guanders Larue, Regina Dane, Aurora Briar and in street attire Michael G. Clayton mastering Justin Timberlake’s Can’t Stop the Feeling.

The clutch of 80 revelers, sponsors at the $500 level, that made the La Griglia scene (while some 100 tuned in from home) fulfilled their roles with general tomfoolery inspired by various party props including plastic guns shooting faux dollar bills.

While it wasn’t quite the same as in past years when the performers were in person and able to encourage greater giving, the watch party raised $46,000 for Legacy’s work as a complete health care provider, which includes comprehensive HIV/AIDS care.

Leading the merry band were Mint Julep chairs Yvonne Cormier, Richard Werner, and Tony Bravo and honoree Jani Lopez.

PC Seen: Legacy CEO Katy Caldwell, Legacy chief development officer Chree Boydston, Rufus Cormier, Richard Werner, Cyndy Garza, Diane Frels, Ed Finger, Rayne Jackson, Bobby Smith, Sharon Land, Kenneth Raymond, Lisa Harper, John Middleton, Michael Holloman, Ricardo Guajardo, Steven Wagner, and Shelly Kennedy.