EAST PEORIA – Whether you’re looking for a chance to see Saturday night’s River City Pride Festival drag artists up close, or you want to meet more people, or you want to try something new, or you simply love painting, Megan Couri and Trevor Neff have something for you Sunday.
They’ll host a special edition of Drag N’ Paint, an experience that’s been happening since 2020 from Davenport and Burlington, Iowa, to Chicago and now St. Louis.
Miss Flo NoMo’ (Trevor Neff) and Megan Couri started Drag N’ Paint in 2020.
Sunday’s late morning Drag N’ Paint features seven of the performers that are part of Saturday night’s Showstoppers stage show at River City Pride Festival, including DiDa Ritz from RuPaul’s Drag Race.
“It’s really fun, and the paintings that we pick are kind of off-grid,” says Couri, a muralist and visual artist. “They’re unusual. A vase or a pumpkin? No … (at Drag N’ Paint) there’s always an element of inappropriateness, and I say that with great love.”
The canvas provided to those who attend will already have the day’s slightly inappropriate drawing lightly sketched. Couri and Neff will keep the crowd laughing, while a team of seven helpers keeps everything moving smoothly.
All the while, performers will gallavant around the painters as they apply acrylic to their canvasses, snack on brunch entrees, and sip drinks. The result is a relaxed atmosphere that can break through the anxiety people sometimes have when they try art, Couri says.
“It adds an element of freedom, and a feeling of inclusivity that I really can’t explain,” she says. “There are a lot of folks who kind of get anxious painting. So it breaks down the structure of emotions you might have. Some people get stressed, but get distracted by the drag queens.”
Couri first came up with the idea in 2019, when she felt the trend of paint parties had “stalemated.”
“I was trying to think of a creative twist to add,” she recalls. “I was driving by Club Diesel, and I was like ‘Bingo! We’ve got to get drag queens involved.’ “
A team helps Drag N’ Paint shows run smoothly.
She approached Neff, who has been performing as comedy drag queen Miss Flo NoMo’ for years and whose accolades includes being named Miss Gay Peoria and Miss Bloomington. Originally from Florida, “in the past ten years, Miss Flo NoMo’ has gone from a moo moo wearing mess to a beautiful well known legend,” writes the Drag N’ Paint website.
The two held their first event in fall 2020, six months after COVID hit, and have since hosted more than 100 Drag N’ Paint parties.
Drag N’ Paint was named Best Local Event by Peoria’s Best of the Best in 2022 and 2023. Couri and Neff also hold paint parties about every six months in Burlington, Davenport, Bloomington and Chicago. Soon, they’ll hold an event in Dubuque, and St. Louis.
Sunday’s event features, in addition to Dida Ritz: ARtemisia VanHo, Decevia Mann, Mae Daye, Penny Cost, and Victor VonVicious. The 10:30 a.m. event features a discounted $35 ticket ($10 off the regular rate, which covers all supplies) and space for up to 130 painters.
Click here to reserve your spot. The event is happening at Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino, 21 Blackjack Blvd,, East Peoria. It’s offered in collaboration with Peoria Proud, organizer of the River City Pride Festival happening from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at Peoria Riverfront.
Limited spots remain as of Saturday morning, and Couri said sales will end around midnight Saturday. You can also check out Drag N’ Paint’s upcoming events in Bloomington July 26; Burlington, Ia., Sept. 21; and more.
