The Whakatipu is being — unofficially — renamed ‘Kweenstown’ this weekend.

It’s in honour of drag artist Kween Kong, who was runner-up in the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under and later competed on RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars, who is winging her way to the resort for one night only, performing on Saturday night at Steamer Wharf’s Wharf Bar.

The ‘Nooks & Crannies’ event is being presented by Rehab, which has been formed to help fill the breach left by the Winter Pride festival. 

In May, Mountain Scene reported the annual LGBTQIA+ event was taking a hiatus this year, with director Sam Coulthard planning to rebuild and reset the event for the future.

Enter Rehab.

Its director Theresa Swain says the business, a production partner of Winter Pride, aims to ensure the rainbow community is not left without opportunities to come together through quality events.

Those are kicking off this weekend.

Tomorrow night, there’s an R18 men’s party, at The London — the theme is ‘underwear’ — from 9pm, before Saturday night’s inclusive event, which is also R18.

Swain says Kween Kong has become “one of the most recognisable drag performers to come out of Australasia’’ — she was the first Pasifika person to appear on RuPaul’s Drag Race — and has since gone on to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

“We are so incredibly excited to have her performing here in Queenstown.”

As to what Nooks & Crannies is, Swain says it’s all about creating something “a little different”.

“A space to dance, explore, connect and have fun — and having Kween Kong at the centre of it is going to make the night pretty special.”

Tomorrow night’s ‘I’m Not Gay (This Year) But $20 is $20’ men’s party kicks off at 9pm — tickets, via Humanitix, cost, as you would expect, $20.

Tickets for Nooks & Crannies, which starts at 9pm on Saturday, cost $50 plus fees, also via Humanitix.

tracey.roxburgh@scene.co.nz