PHOTOS: 6th Annual Ohio Burlesque Festival

Bob Perkoski Thursday, August 11, 2016
Leena Allure from Detroit, MichiganBob PerkoskiLeena Allure from Detroit, Michigan

Last weekend, the 6th Annual Ohio Burlesque Festival rocked the Beachland Ballroom with three glittering nights filled with more than 65 vaudeville, burlesque, drag and variety acts.

The event has been officially sanctioned by the State of Ohio and the City of Cleveland many times, most recently by Mayor Frank Jackson in an Aug. 4, 2016 Proclamation that states in part, "Whereas the 2016 Ohio Burlesque Festival is a proud supporter of The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Greater Cleveland and … showcases Cleveland's truly inclusive and welcoming community."

While Cleveland's Burlesque Queen and event director/producer Bella Sin stresses that the annual festival is "presented by local businesses, most of them women-owned – everything we do or anything we need comes from Cleveland," she is quick to add that the event itself knows no borders.

"Our participants came from as far as Bogota, Colombia, London, UK, Canada and all over the United States. Our age demographic is from 18 to 89. Our goal is to have the most diverse, inclusive and talented cast in the country."

For our readers who missed all the fun, Fresh Water's managing photographer Bob Perkoski offers this photo recap.

<span class="content-image-text">Miss Jenna Beth from Fort Lauderdale, Florida</span>Miss Jenna Beth from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
<span class="content-image-text">Auralie Wilde from Iowa City, Iowa</span>Auralie Wilde from Iowa City, Iowa
<span class="content-image-text">Eliza DeLite from United Kingdom</span>Eliza DeLite from United Kingdom

<span class="content-image-text">Dimples Diamond from Columbus, Ohio</span>Dimples Diamond from Columbus, Ohio
<span class="content-image-text">Boylesque performer James and the Giant Pasty from Toronto, Ontario CA</span>Boylesque performer James and the Giant Pasty from Toronto, Ontario CA
<span class="content-image-text">Intermission at the Beachland bar</span>Intermission at the Beachland bar
<span class="content-image-text">Harlow Holiday from Syracuse, New York</span>Harlow Holiday from Syracuse, New York
<span class="content-image-text">Kater Tot from Kasas City, Missouri</span>Kater Tot from Kasas City, Missouri
<span class="content-image-text">Muza De La Luz from Bogota, Colombia</span>Muza De La Luz from Bogota, Colombia
<span class="content-image-text">Intermission outside of the Beachland Ballroom</span>Intermission outside of the Beachland Ballroom
<span class="content-image-text">Crimson Lace Cabaret from Columbus, Ohio</span>Crimson Lace Cabaret from Columbus, Ohio
<span class="content-image-text">Vivi Valens from Chicago, Illinois</span>Vivi Valens from Chicago, Illinois
<span class="content-image-text">Red Velvet from San Fransisco, California</span>Red Velvet from San Fransisco, California
<span class="content-image-text">Mama Disco from Chicago, Illinois</span>Mama Disco from Chicago, Illinois
<span class="content-image-text">Boylesque performer Hank E Panky from Kansas City, Missouri</span>Boylesque performer Hank E Panky from Kansas City, Missouri
<span class="content-image-text">The Doll Carousel from Phoenix, Arizona</span>The Doll Carousel from Phoenix, Arizona

<span class="content-image-text">A glittery celebratory toast at the Beachland bar</span>A glittery celebratory toast at the Beachland bar
<span class="content-image-text">Lottie LaRouge from Albuquerque, New Mexico</span>Lottie LaRouge from Albuquerque, New Mexico
<span class="content-image-text">Cleveland Drag Queen Lady J Martinez</span>Cleveland Drag Queen Lady J Martinez
<span class="content-image-text">Mimi MaShuga from Boise, Idaho</span>Mimi MaShuga from Boise, Idaho
<span class="content-image-text">Rose Marie from Nashville, Tennessee</span>Rose Marie from Nashville, Tennessee


The 6th Annual Ohio Burlesque Festival was presented by Le Femme Mystique Burlesque, Beachland Ballroom, Visual Grammar, Fear's Confections, In The 216 and Melt Bar and Grilled, with special thanks to Bryan Mravec, Katie White, Nathan, Marissa and Constantinople.

Proceeds benefit the LGBT Community Center of Cleveland.
Bob Perkoski
Bob Perkoski

About the Author: Bob Perkoski

Bob is managing photographer with FreshWater as well as a Cleveland freelance photographer. His photographic approach is rooted in the art of storytelling. Whether freezing the energy of an event, encapsulating the magic of a performance, or astutely anticipating the decisive moments, his work displays an innate ability to distill the essence of any scene or subject into a single frame or series of work. In addition, Bob is the official photographer for LAND studio and Holden Forest and Gardens and has worked with various Cleveland organizations. In 2019 he published a book of his photos Rust Belt Burlesque. He's had work published in other books like LGBTQ Cleveland by Ken Schneck, Rust Belt Chic: The Cleveland Anthology, Rust Belt Chic: The Pittsburgh Anthology and Moon Cleveland by Douglas Trattner. Previously he was co-founder/art director for Balanced Living Magazine. You can view his versatile portfolio of work, which includes news coverage, portraiture, architectural and fine art at Perkoski Photography. Originally from Conneaut, Ohio, Perkoski now lives close to the city in Parma. He has been Fresh Water's managing photographer since the publication's September 2010 inception.

See all of Bob Perkoski's Articles