Mimosas and breakfast enchiladas weren’t the only things served at Sinker’s Lounge on Saturday, Sept. 20. Members of the community were lined up at the doors to get into the brunch, catered by Aunt Meka’s and hosted by Lil Kim Chi, who performed alongside TyWoo and Brihanna Jayde. 

The idea stemmed from former shows that had been put on at Manhattan Entertainment Co., where TreyMeka Dyke, the owner of Aunt Meka’s, previously worked. 

“We used to do a drag brunch about once a month at Manhattan Entertainment Company before they closed,” Dyke said. “It was always so much fun, and because I’ve been trying to get back into catering in Manhattan, since I’m located out of Junction City, I thought maybe getting in over here [Sinker’s Lounge] would be a lot of fun.”

Dyke had connections with previous drag queens who had performed at Manhattan Entertainment Co. and decided to create a group chat to see who would be interested in bringing a drag brunch back to Manhattan. 

“I think now, more than ever, with everything going on in the world, that we need to come together,” Dyke said. “I want people to have fun, to enjoy good food and to love each other.” 

Abigail Truschinger and Jason Mader were two of the Kansas State students in attendance. 

“Manhattan is a pretty progressive city, but there is still room for more progression,” Mader, a sophomore double-majoring in work culture and entomology, said. “I think something like this, especially opening it up, not only preordering tickets but having them at the door, it’s a big deal.”

Truschinger, sophomore in studio arts, hopes this event encourages Manhattan residents to express themselves. 

“I think things like this, events like this, make Manhattan one of those safe places,” Truschinger said. “I think the more events we have like this, it’ll help that.” 

For the performers, these kinds of community events are the most fulfilling.

“It’s seeing how many people come out to support, how many people are really supportive of LGBT rights,” TyWoo said. “People show up because they just want to support us. They know us because we’re in the community, and to come see us, in another light, it’s really fulfilling.” 

That sense of connection is what has helped the drag scene thrive for years.

“We get to just build a community that’s been long-lasting over 15, 20 years,” Lil Kim Chi said. “Hopefully, it just brings in more people that want to participate in that.” 

Drag queen Brihanna Jayde compared drag performing to another line of work that others would be familiar with. 

“The service industry and performing in drag, [they’re] like siblings,” Brihanna Jayde said. “It’s gonna be tough but at the same time, when you know you’ve given a good service and you know you’ve done your job and that you’re good at what you do, it makes us feel amazing.”

Beyond the performance itself, the brunch has deeper meanings for all involved. 

“It’s really important to have these things in order to have those spaces where people can feel like diversity actually matters,” Lil Kim Chi said. 

All involved parties aspire to host more events, with one already scheduled for December.