A Night of Glamour, Generosity, and Community Spirit Lights Up Downtown LA

Capping off back-to-back weekends of fundraising and community building, APLA Health once again brought Los Angeles together in spectacular fashion with the 2025 Best in Drag Show, held Sunday, October 5 at the historic Orpheum Theatre in Downtown LA.

Following the success of last weekend’s 41st annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles, the Orpheum came alive with a sold-out crowd of thousands who gathered for an unforgettable evening of comedy, camp, and compassion. The annual drag extravaganza supports APLA Health’s Alliance for Housing & Healing program, which provides essential housing and support services to people living with HIV across Los Angeles County.

Hosted by a team of volunteers and emceed by the ever-charismatic Salina EsTitties—who famously began her drag career on the Best in Drag Show stage—the event delivered everything audiences have come to expect from one of LA’s most cherished fundraisers: dazzling costumes, biting humor, heartfelt performances, and an atmosphere charged with energy, inclusivity, and purpose.

The celebrity judging panel lived up to the event’s reputation for star power, featuring 2025 Emmy Award winner Katherine LaNasa, Judy Greer, Camryn Manheim, Cheri Oteri, Dan Bucatinsky, Grant Show, Kathy Kinney, and Variety’s Marc Malkin. Together, they cheered, laughed, and celebrated the fearless artistry on display, contributing to an atmosphere that balanced entertainment with empathy.

The show’s format—a parody of traditional beauty pageants—gave contestants room to shine in categories including talent, costume, and interview, each act blending theatrical flair with unapologetic self-expression. Performers delivered everything from choreographed lip-sync spectacles to original comedy routines and couture-level fashion reveals, each one reinforcing drag’s role as both entertainment and empowerment.

Beyond its glittering surface, the event carried deep significance for APLA Health and the communities it serves. For more than three decades, Best in Drag Show has been one of Los Angeles’ cornerstone charity events. What began as a small backyard fundraiser in West Hollywood has evolved into a full-scale theatrical production that unites people from all walks of life under a shared commitment to compassion, creativity, and care.

Funds raised from this year’s event will directly benefit the Alliance for Housing & Healing, a vital arm of APLA Health that provides housing, case management, and supportive services for individuals and families affected by HIV. These programs continue to be a lifeline for many across Los Angeles County, especially at a time when housing insecurity and healthcare access remain pressing local issues.

This year’s event also underscored the interconnectedness of APLA Health’s flagship fundraisers. Coming just a week after the citywide success of AIDS Walk Los Angeles, Best in Drag Show symbolized the organization’s ongoing commitment to not only providing essential services but also cultivating spaces of joy, resistance, and belonging. Both events demonstrate how collective celebration can be a powerful form of advocacy—turning entertainment into action and art into awareness.

Over the years, APLA Health has grown from its roots as AIDS Project Los Angeles into a comprehensive healthcare provider serving more than 22,000 people annually through its network of Federally Qualified Health Centers. Beyond medical care, the organization continues to lead the way in community education, food distribution through the Vance North Necessities of Life Program, and the ongoing fight to end the HIV epidemic through prevention, support, and solidarity.

As the curtain fell on another unforgettable evening, the Orpheum’s stage glimmered not just with sequins but with the spirit of unity that defines the event’s legacy. The success of the 2025 Best in Drag Show reaffirmed what APLA Health has long embodied: that community care can be both deeply meaningful and wildly entertaining.

From the sidewalks of West Hollywood to the grandeur of Downtown Los Angeles, the message resounded clearly—when art, activism, and community intersect, everyone shines a little brighter.

For more information about APLA Health’s ongoing programs and upcoming events, visit aplahealth.org

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