Gay charity event expands reach
The deadline is approaching to enter a charity pageant in Merced that features men, women and drag queens.
The annual glamour and talent pageant – which used to be called the Mr., Ms. and Miss Gay Merced Pageant – will now draw contestants from Merced, Stanislaus, Tuolomne and Calaveras counties. So it’s been renamed the 3M Quad-County Pageant.
The show has already lined up nearly 30 contestants, but there is still time to jump into the competition, co-organizer Rick Regur said. “We have about 27 altogether, so it’s going to be a huge show,” he said. “The biggest ever.”
The show, which this year is themed “Burlesque,” is presented by Modesto-based Owl Empire of Stanislaus County Inc.
Regur said it can be difficult to organize shows like the pageant in nearby mountain towns, so the Merced show invites people to make the trip into town.
The pageant has been known to draw a diverse audience of nearly 200 people. “We get a lot of the community here,” he said.
Contestants are required to participate in fashion and talent shows, and write a short essay. This year’s topic is, “How can you raise awareness and reach out to your communities dealing with bullying within the LGBTQ community?”
Regur said the event will also serve to educate people who have questions about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender communities as well as other sexual orientation subjects.
“It’s just out there,” he said. “We talk about the LGBTQ community throughout the entire night.”
To compete, contestants must submit an application, pay a $25 fee and prove with a valid ID that they are 18 or older and live in one of the four counties. The deadline to enter is June 2. Contestants are also required to conduct some fundraising for charities of their choosing.
The pageant itself begins with a dinner at 5:30 p.m. June 6 at Merced Women’s Club House, 707 W. 22nd St. Tickets are $15 ahead of time and $20 at the door.
For more on entering the contest or to buy tickets to the show, call Regur at (209) 631-0078 or Dixie Paul at (209) 756-5598.
Thaddeus Miller: 209-385-2453, @thaddeusmiller
AT A GLANCE
3M Quad-County Pageant
What: Pageant for men, women and drag queens
When: 5:30 p.m. June 6
Where: Merced Women’s Club House, 707 W. 22nd St.
Cost: $15 beforehand, $20 at the door.
This story was originally published May 20, 2015 at 1:34 PM with the headline "Gay charity event expands reach."