In July 2022, Jason Lee and Meg Stroh opened the Big Brick Market, an event venue in Brundidge. The Big Brick Market is a self-described “handmade, upcycled, and vintage market in Brundidge, AL” that hosts “art classes, open mics, game nights, and karaoke” with “more things to come!”
Apparently, more things to come included multiple drag shows and pride month events. On March 11, the venue hosted “Freya’s Drag Spectacular,” featuring drag queen Freya the Dark in a “night of fun for all ages,” according to an event description.
@freyathedark last night was amazing!! don't miss our next show!! #drag #dragqueen #dragshow #alabama #brundidgealabama #freyasdragspectacular #dragking #gay #trans #lgbt #vogue #freyathedark #dragula #rpdr #babydragqueen #bouletbrothersdragula ♬ X-Cuse Me (Jonathan Peters Mix) - Gino
Another drag show, “Freya’s Garden Party,” occurred on May 20 and featured five different performers. Unlike “Freya’s Drag Spectacular,” an event flyer warns parents that some content may not be suitable for children, though children were allowed to attend with an adult.
For pride month, The Big Brick Market hosted a day-long event on June 10 featuring food trucks, vendors, face painting, flag painting and another drag show. Again, parents were cautioned on flyers that some material may not be suitable for children and informed that children had to be accompanied by an adult.
The event stirred controversy and created some division within the community.
“Our Drag Show that took place after our PRIDE pop-up event on June 10 was hosted by Victoria Jewelle, and family-friendly, meaning all our drag performers wore costumes that would be acceptable in a G-rated movie or something like a beauty pageant. The song choices were also appropriate for a general audience and did not contain any foul or explicit language. And their performances were not sexual in nature nor provocative in any way. The most energetic of our queens (Deja Amor) performed the equivalent of a dance routine for gymnasts, while others, like Terri Tianna and Victoria Jewell, wore elegant gowns.”
In addition to the general public, some of the pride festival's more notable attendees were Alabama Department of Health representative Jacky Snell, Reverend Lynn Hopkins from the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Montgomery, the Human Rights Campaign, and others.
1819 News contacted Jacky Snell of the Alabama Department of Health for comment, who stated that she would not respond until determining if "you [1819 News] are legitimate if you know what I mean."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email gnicktreglia@gmail.com.
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