Photos by Keith Johnson

It’s time for the “No Kings But Drag Kings” sign-holders to put their dollar bills where the boys are: Seattle’s international Emerald City Kings Ball is coming back this month.

It started with a passing comment in a greenroom between drag kings Faberg’ee Greg and Sherwood Ryder. “Wouldn’t it be cool if we had something like a players ball but for drag kings and super safe?” Faberg’ee Greg recalls saying to Sherwood Ryder.

It seemed like a good idea. At the time, there was only one local king show. They’d put on a two-day showcase of kings and “beings,” a gender-neutral term for performers, and “everybody’s feedback was that they wanted more of it.”

Now in its fourth year, the festival has expanded from its home at the Skylark Cafe into the much larger Langston

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