ABOUT
© Photo by Jessye Herrell
WHAT WE DO
Drag Story Hour NYC (formerly Drag Queen Story Hour NYC) produces storytelling and creative arts programs for children and teens, presented by local drag artists, in libraries, schools, and other community spaces in all five boroughs of New York City, and virtually. Through fun and fabulous educational experiences, our programs celebrate gender diversity and all forms of difference to build empathy and give kids the confidence to express themselves however they feel comfortable.
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NAME CHANGE!
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For many who are familiar with our organization, we used to be “Drag Queen Story Hour NYC,” but we have renamed ourselves “Drag Story Hour NYC” to better represent the drag community as a whole. NYC drag is incredibly diverse and should be celebrated; no type of drag is better than the other! Drag, like people, is not a binary art. There are infinite ways to be a drag artist, regardless of gender, identity, age, or style.
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Drag kings and things have been here since the beginning, but are often left out of the mainstream idea of what drag is–they should have the same platform as all drag artists! Not seeing artists like these represented in history, media, and even in our own community can be discouraging to those who do not identify as a "queen". It is important to say things like "Drag Artists" or "Drag Entertainers", instead of just "drag queens" or even "drag kings" to show how beautiful and expansive our community can be. Your identity is who you are and drag is what you do. "Drag Story Hour NYC" suits our whole drag community to include drag creatures, kings, queens, things, and everyone in between! All kinds of drag artists deserve recognition, respect, and to be equal among all.
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Thank you for your continued support throughout our shifts and changes! To read more, check out Oliver the Place's Storyteller Spotlight here.
HOW WE DO IT
In our original 45-minute Drag Story Hour (DSH) program designed for children ages 3-8, local drag performers trained by children’s librarians read picture books that touch on themes of diversity and difference, sing songs, and do craft activities. In learning about drag as a form of dress-up and play, children learn to see beyond the pink and blue gender binary and celebrate difference in themselves and others.
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Over the years, we've expanded our programs to include bilingual DSH programs in Spanish, Cantonese, and French; DSH for neurodiverse kids, DSH middle grade and YA book clubs, drag makeup tutorials, storytelling workshops for seniors, and more! You can find our full program descriptions and learn how to book here.
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WHERE WE DO IT
Drag Story Hour events take place at libraries, schools, museums, festivals, parks, open streets, bookstores, play spaces, workplaces, cultural and community institutions around the city, and virtually. In 2021 we produced 67 in-person programs and 141 virtual programs, serving 863 children in person and thousands more virtually. The vast majority of our programs are free to attend. We are approved vendors with all three public library systems in the city as well as the New York City Department of Education. See our Events page for a comprehensive list of our partners.
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HOW TO BOOK
WATCH ONLINE
Read more about our programs, rates, and how to book.
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You can bring Drag Story Hour right into your home via our YouTube channel! Check out our fabulous storytellers reading some of their favorite books here and subscribe so you won’t miss when we post new ones
You can also check out this short video to get a taste of Drag Story Hour in action!