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Arts & Culture

The Best Looks at Oaklash, Oakland’s Drag Festival

Nastia VoynovskayaJuliana Yamada
Drag queens, kings and genderless entities showed out in eye-popping outfits.
Tokyn 666 poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, California, on Saturday, May 16, 2026. Tokyn 666 traveled from Denver to participate in the annual celebration of drag and queer performance. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)

Over the past nine years, Oaklash has grown from a humble, grassroots block party to a full-scale drag festival — not to mention an arts incubator that has put on some truly mind-melting performances.

On Saturday, May 16, hundreds of drag fans gathered in Old Oakland to watch dozens of performers on multiple stages. There were soul-stirring lip syncs, flawless fashion reveals, gravity-defying dance moves and lots of dollar bills flying through the air.

Local drag queens, kings and genderless entities frolicked alongside artists who flew in from all over the country, including RuPaul’s Drag Race star Aja, who headlined along with King of Drag’s King Molasses. KQED roamed the streets, documenting the most creative looks we could find.

“The inspiration was if Lil Uzi Vert was a highland cow,” said Tokyn 666. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Tokyn 666 stands in the crowd during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland on Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
“What inspired my look was very zebra, but also zebra with a fire, but it’s still being fierce throughout the fire,” Luismi Munster said. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Aja of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ performs during the Oaklash Block Party. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Bre’nae Bullocks-Benard, 21, and Zachary Lipsett, 20, cheer as Aja performs. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
People cheer in the crowd while waiting for the next performer. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
People dance in the crowd during the Oaklash Block Party. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Aurris Garçon takes tip money from the crowd as she performs her set. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Zachary Lipsett, 20, claps as drag quen Empress Astara does a flip during their performance. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Evian, aka Lashley, poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party. Evian is one of Oaklash’s artists in residence, and produced large-scale art installations for the festival. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Pei Pei Ma’Bilz stands for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
“I was going for business because Pei Pei, she means business but also she likes to clown,” Pei Pei Ma’Bilz said. “She just got plastic surgery, she’s still recovering.” (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Cake Bitch poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party . (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
“I recently made a troll porn with one of my best friends that’s in a couple local film festivals,” said Cake Bitch. “I’m a crazy troll collector. I have over 300 trolls and so does my bestie.” (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Cake Bitch poses for a portrait. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Henlo Bullfrog at the Oaklash Block Party. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
“This was very much, like, ‘corpse being reclaimed by nature,’” said Henlo Bullfrog. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Raya Light poses at the Oaklash Block Party. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
“I’m an all-American whore,” Raya Light said. “Can you say that on KQED?” (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Jupiter poses for a portrait. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
Jupiter has been doing drag since 1976: “You remember the ancestors and also do what’s up and coming and beyond.” (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
“I very much enjoy sci-fi. I’m very anti-AI, but I’m a very pro—body modification in the sense of supporting my trans family,” Mylique E. Fawcett said. “Humans have been into body mods since the beginning of time, it’s nothing new. So I just wanted to show my support in a different way.” (Juliana Yamada for KQED)
“This outfit was inspired by Rosalía at the BRIT Awards ceremony,” said Mudd the Two Spirit. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)

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