By Kevin Ferrisi –

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT – Connecticut drag had a moment in the national spotlight on Saturday, October 3, when BUTT TOOT KING brought its 2026 Halloween tour to The Webster in Hartford, bringing RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17 favorites Lydia B Kollins, Suzie Toot, and Kori King, to Connecticut with a nationwide opener contest putting local drag talent center stage. Alongside the highly anticipated headliners, the Connecticut stop showcased local drag king Dom Parinyon, who earned the opportunity to open the show through a nationwide contest designed to spotlight drag performers in every tour city.

A drag king known for comedy, music and theatrical showmanship, Dom Parinyon was selected as the Hartford tour stop’s local opener after a nationwide search for performers. Dom Parinyon, the champion of Drag Duel season 2, represented Connecticut’s vibrant drag community on a stage shared with some of the franchise’s most recognizable recent personalities. Hartford’s audience got to see a Connecticut performer help kick off the evening before the headliners took over.

The local-opener competition invited drag queens, kings and other drag artists in all 21 tour markets to compete for the opportunity to perform in their hometown. The process began with a social media campaign. Participating artists downloaded a promotional graphic customized for their tour city, added their photograph, and posted it to Instagram using the hashtag #BTK2026OPENER. Entrants also had to tag Fiercely You Entertainment directly in the graphic and encourage their supporters to vote.

Voting opened August 12 and closed at midnight Eastern time on August 24, with the winners announced September 4. But the contest wasn’t simply a popularity competition. Public voting gave performers a chance to rally their communities and build excitement around their entries, while the three headliners, Lydia B Kollins, Suzie Toot, and Kori King, ultimately selected one winner for each city.

The response was substantial. According to the tour’s September announcement, the nationwide contest drew more than 300 submissions and 16,000 votes before 21 local openers were selected. For emerging performers, opportunities like this can mean reaching audiences who may not regularly attend local drag shows, making new connections and sharing their work beyond their usual venues. For the tour, the contest brought a distinct local identity to each stop.

The 2026 BUTT TOOT KING tour returned with an all-new Halloween-themed production, building on the success of its 2025 run. The previous tour sold out in 18 of 21 cities, according to the production’s announcement, and the event subsequently expanded internationally with dates in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The new tour traveled through 21 U.S. markets, beginning in Washington, D.C., on October 1 and continuing across the country before its Halloween-night finale in Pittsburgh on October 31.

At the heart of BUTT TOOT KING are three performers whose different approaches to drag combine to create a show built around personality, spectacle and humor. Lydia B Kollins kicks off the trio with an alternative, offbeat aesthetic and a flair for absurdist humor. After competing on season 17, Lydia returned for RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 10, advancing to the top three. Kori King, the Boston-born comedian and digital creator, is known for her bold humor, inventive character work and energetic personality. Suzie Toot brings vintage theatricality, vaudeville-inspired comedy and musical performance to the stage.

For fans who wanted an experience beyond the main show, VIP ticket holders had the opportunity to meet Lydia B Kollins, Suzie Toot, and Kori King during a special meet-and-greet before the performance. The event listing scheduled the meet-and-greet for 6:00 p.m., ahead of the 7:00 p.m. doors and 8:00 p.m. show. The opportunity gave VIP guests a chance to greet the performers and enjoy a more personal connection with the artists before the evening’s onstage spectacle began.

Costumes were encouraged at every stop, and each city featured a costume contest that invited audience members to become part of the spectacle. That interactive spirit is part of what makes the production more than a traditional performance lineup: the audience is encouraged to contribute to the atmosphere, whether by arriving in an elaborate Halloween look, cheering on local performers or participating in the night’s festivities.

The Hartford stop demonstrated how a national drag tour can celebrate both established names and the communities that support drag locally. Lydia B Kollins, Suzie Toot, and Kori King brought the star power, while Dom Parinyon gave Connecticut a performer of its own to cheer on. For Connecticut drag fans, seeing Dom Parinyon chosen to represent Hartford was a reminder that local performers belong on big stages, too. And for those who filled The Webster on October 3, the night connected the excitement of a nationally touring production with the creativity and talent of Connecticut’s own drag scene.