Pageants | Southwest Virginia Pride

Embracing Diversity, Celebrating inclusion:
Every face, every voice, every story

The SWVA Pride Pageant is a gender-inclusive drag pageant for contestants who believe in the power and importance of community service. Our pageant winners are more than title holders. They live and breathe the Spirit of Pride. They envision a world in which all LGBTQIA+ people are affirmed, respected, and included — free from any discrimination, rejection, or prejudice. They commit their volunteer work, time, and energy to the SWVA Pride mission to enrich, empower, strengthen, and make more visible the lives and experiences of LGBTQ people in southwest Virginia and beyond.

All individuals can embrace who they are, can define their future, and can change the world.

Our Mission

SWVA PRIDE PAGEANTS 25

This year’s SWVA Pride Drag Pageant was held on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at Salem Civic Center's Community Room. We're happy to offer free general admission! As a component of the Pride FEST '25 on the Festival Stage, in order to increase community participation, encourage broader community awareness of drag art forms, and broaden exposure of the talented pageant contestants.

The SWVA Pride Pageant follows suit in-line with our commitment toward intentional inclusion and visibility. We have combined usually previously separate pageant contests, with each titled contest which will be open to all performers regardless of gender.

Up to Three winners will be selected and will equally reign as the SWVA Pride Court: Mx. SWVA Pride, Miss. SWVA Pride, and Mr. SWVA Pride.