“THE OSCARS OF IOWA DRAG”
Chanelle Rosé embarked on a journey in 2021 to celebrate and acknowledge Des Moines’ vibrant drag community, initially launching the East Village Drag Awards. As interest surged from neighboring parts of the state, she expanded the scope in 2022, renaming it to the Iowa Drag Awards. The event quickly outgrew its initial venue necessitating a move to a larger space in 2023.
Realizing the need for a larger venue and additional organizational support, Chanelle collaborated with 11 Eleven Productions and Drag King DSM in early 2023 to scale up the event, which subsequently witnessed a near tripling in size. This rapid growth earned the event the moniker, “The Oscars of Iowa Drag.”
The 2023 edition of the Iowa Drag Awards marked a significant milestone, with the ceremony attracting almost 12,000 nominations statewide, highlighting 80 nominees across 16 different categories with 3 national headliners, including RuPaul’s Denali. The event proudly served its first major sponsor as well as an array of local small businesses throughout the state, effectively managing a major budget of $10,000. These achievements underscore the Iowa Drag Awards’ critical role in showcasing, uplifting, and celebrating the diverse and rich drag talent in Iowa, reinforcing its growing prominence in the cultural landscape of the state.
