Burlesque and Variety Legends, Icons, and Contemporaries Expected for this one-of-a-kind Festival.

WINSTON SALEM, NC – Camel City Burlesk is proud to announce the Burlesk Con of The Carolinas. This Inaugural 4-day Event will span from Thursday July 4^th through Sunday July 7^th, 2024. All shows and events will be hosted in community partnership with various Winston-Salem Art District businesses on Trade Street, and in conjunction with producers local to the Carolinas. There will be individual show tickets as well as all-show passes available. All shows are 18+, some shows are 21+.

Burlesque Legend Gabriella Maze will be joining the festival, performing on Saturday Night and will be featured on a Panel Discussion on the Sunday Brunch. Longtime North Carolina performer and producer Onca O’Leary , who founded and produces the Asheville Burlesque and Americana Sideshow Festival will be hosting Saturday night’s show and speaking on the Sunday Panel.

Thursday July 4^th - The Opening Night Show & Mixer @ Single Bros Bar: with performance /production group The Vixens, among others. This event will set the tone for the Weekender, featuring high energy acts, group choreography, and vocals; along with libations, laughs, and mingling. Produced by Kate Vixens and Camel City Burlesk.

Friday July 5^th – The Wiggle Room @ Dye Pretty Salon & Arts: honoring the twenty-two years of Burlesque featured at Winston Salem’s longtime beloved event Heavy Rebel Weekender (celebrating the rebels of rock-n-roll). The showcase will feature traditional burlesque acts - several from the days of the Wiggle Room. There will be a Competition component to this show, one like never before in this area. Burlesque Legend Gabriella Maze will assist in the awards. Produced by Miss Jessica of The Vixens, Ophelia PopTart , and Camel City Burlesk.

Saturday July 6^th – The Burlesque & Variety Showcase @ Hels Bar: Sideshow, Burlesque and Drag Spectacular. Featuring variety arts entertainment such as fire performances, aerialists, contortionists, nerdlesque, metalesque, and drag on the fringe. Emcee: Onca O’Leary. Special drinks just for the Con! Produced by Nikki Menagerie, May Hemmer and Camel City Burlesk.

Sunday July 7^th – The Burlesque & Drag Chillout Brunch @ Finnegans Wake: Brunch will be served up buffet style, the mimosas will be flowing. You can expect to commune, enjoy wonderful food, be in awe of a daytime show, and learn from a Speakers Panel about this history and future of burlesque, drag, and variety arts in the Carolinas. Produced by : Roy Farenheit and Camel City Burlesk.

The Burlesk Con of The Carolinas is the creative outcome of longtime burlesque performer/ producer, Selia d’Katzmeow, and other dedicated performers/ producers/stakeholders around the Carolinas. Selia d’Katzmeow is the owner/producer of Camel City Burlesk , featuring many shows per year; she began producing shows in 2007 and performing in 1995. After attending The Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender and Museum in Las Vegas for several years, d’Katzmeow and Peers recognized the need for a consortium of artists and art-lovers to create a space to share the uniqueness of the Carolinas’ history and contemporaries. Selia et al decided to revamp/reimagine what had been the Carolina Burlesque Festival (which d’Katzmeow co-founded, circa 2012-2013). This year’s Burlesk Con of The Carolinas will be in honor of Willa Mae Buckner, “Willa Mae Buckner performed under many names across her lengthy career: the Wild Enchantress, Princess Ejo, the World's Only Black Gypsy, and, most often, the Snake Lady. She was truly one of the most original performers the South ever produced.” http://archive.musicmaker.org/artists/willa-mae-buckner/

Burlesque, drag, sideshow, and variety performance arts will be featured throughout the Con, highlighting entertainers from and in the Carolinas. The mission of the Con will emphasize education, history, honoring contemporaries and legends, and, preserving the Artform through acknowledgment, affirmation, and inclusion. Through industry/community partnerships this is possible; thanks to the Winston Salem businesses’ support, along with experience and support of other local artist collaboratives including The Vixens, The Menagerie, House of Stardust, Glitter Ghoul Grindhouse, Yacht House Party, Haus of Monstrosities, Haus of Mayhem.

FB Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/375675358667293

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