TO WONG FOO TURNS 30 Celebration to Take Place at Chicago's Music Box Theatre
The event will take place on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
Chicago's historic Music Box Theatre will host a milestone celebration on Sunday, September 21, 2025, marking the 30th anniversary of the beloved, cult classic film "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar." This one-night-only event, produced in collaboration with Hoodbutch Studios, combines a special anniversary screening with live drag performances and a vogue mini-ball competition, creating an intergenerational and inter-communal celebration of queer culture and community.
The multi-part celebration begins at 5 p.m. with a VIP cocktail mixer featuring drag performances and sponsor activations, followed by the anniversary screening at 7 p.m. The main event culminates with a live Vogue Mini-Ball at 9 p.m., where ballroom legends, icons, and newcomers will compete for trophies and cash prizes across six incredible categories inspired by the film, judged by a panel of Chicago ballroom community leaders.
“I’m a child of the ‘90s’.” says Ian Damont Martin, founder of Hoodbutch Studios and lead event producer. “My mom was obsessed with Blade, and she started showing me those movies way earlier than she maybe should have. So years later, when I saw Wesley Snipes in To Wong Foo, something opened up in me. As I started reckoning with my identity, it was one of the first times I realized that the world might be a little bigger — and softer — than I’d imagined. That I might be okay.”
Released in 1995, "To Wong Foo" is an iconic cult-classic starring Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo as three drag queens on a cross-country road trip that ultimately transforms a small town — and themselves. Blending camp, comedy, glamour, and heart, the film helped usher drag culture into the mainstream during a time when queer visibility in Hollywood was exceptionally rare.
The evening's Vogue Mini-Ball will feature six competitive categories inspired by the film’s characters and aesthetics. Categories include: New Runway, New Performance, OTA Face, OTA Realness, OTA Runway, and OTA Performance. The celebration continues into the night with an official after-party at Charlie’s Chicago, featuring DJ sets and surprise performances.
Additional event highlights include limited edition merchandise and a curated silent auction throughout the evening, with proceeds supporting Hoodbutch Studios' community-driven creative initiatives. Red Bull, MISTR, Lula Cafe, Pretty Cool Ice Cream, and the Goddess and Grocer Catering join as supporting sponsors, with additional brand partnerships and sponsor activations to be announced.
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