Red Hot Annie

Multiple venues
July 20—23
Various times

For four fierce days in July, Pittsburgh will be at the epicenter of burlesque art and performance.

Fierce! International Queer Burlesque Festival
Burlesque performer Red Hot Annie. Photo by Vavoom Pinups Chicago.

Spanning six shows, four days and multiple venues, the Fierce! International Queer Burlesque Festival is back in the Burgh for its fab fifth anniversary.

This year’s edition boasts 150 burlesque and performance artists from around the U.S. and Canada. Produced in Pittsburgh bi-annually by burlesque performer, Viva Valezz, the unique festival travels to cities in the U.S. and Canada every other year.

Fierce’s most renowned headliner is Indigo Blue, the first openly gay performer to win the Queen of Burlesque title, the highest honor earned at Las Vegas’ Burlesque Hall of Fame competition.

Additional headliners include award-winning Los Angeles-based performers Egypt Blaque Knyle and Tito Bonito, Nina La Voix and The Incredible, Edible, Akynos from NYC and Chicago’s own Red Hot Annie.

Venues include the Ace Hotel Pittsburgh and James Street Ballroom and Speakeasy. On July 20, don’t miss the Karaoke Kick-off Party at There Ultra Lounge.

Showcasing gay culture and burlesque spectacle, the diverse festival aims to celebrate the art, creativity, passion and talent of LGBT-identified performers and allies.

Buy tickets.

For more events, go here.

Jennifer has worked at the Mattress Factory, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Dahesh Museum of Art and is co-author of Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. She also is co-coordinator of Handmade Arcade. Musically, she is in a band called The Garment District and is a founding member of Brooklyn's The Ladybug Transistor.