ST. GEORGE — Drag show performers, protesters and supporters braved the 100-degree heat and made their voices heard at the Dixie Sunbowl late afternoon Friday.

The much-anticipated and highly publicized Southern Utah Drag Stars Allies and Community Drag Show drew residents of all ages and plenty of opinions as well. And while thoughts might have differed, the show went on without incident as those who either attended or protested had the opportunity to exercise their first amendment rights.

“I think we’re all just trying to do what we believe in,” said Mitski Avalox, CEO of Southern Utah Drag Stars, while addressing the media inside the arena before the event. “I guess they have their own beliefs, we have ours and you know, for us to be able to express that, I think that’s very important. I think that’s why we’re here today.

“I wish the best for them (the protesters),” Avalox stated. “Stay hydrated, please. It’s hot.”

Lypsynski, Avalox and others performed in the drag show proper to cheers and applause from attendees during each performance.

Avalox’s was among the first of the evening’s drag performances. As she crisscrossed the stage and made her way into the crowd and back, she danced away to the song while lip-syncing it.

Another early performance featured dances to Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All,” which the crowd appeared to enjoy.

Of those who attended the event, there were a handful of noticeable children and teens, with the remainder running the range of young adults, middle-aged residents and some senior citizens. All appeared to enjoy the event — with the exception of the 100-degree-plus heat.

Musical artists from the LGBTQ-plus community were also featured at on stage leading up to the drag performances.

Outside the Sunbowl, at least two groups of protesters, several of which chose not to answer questions from St. George News, also included residents of all ages. They lined the road and displayed signs in opposition to the drag show, sang religious hymns and shouted, “Stop the grooming” and “Shame on you.” Other slogans written on poster board read “Save The Children,” “Not In Our Town” and “#StGeorgeFightsBack.”

One group of protesters that declined to speak to St. George News was set up nearby the main entries to the Sunbowl, another along 100 South on the northern side of the rodeo grounds.

The show started at 5:30 p.m. with “Story Time,” as drag performer and event emcee Tara Lypsynki addressed the crowd.

“Reclaim your time and reclaim your peace because there’s always gonna be that in the world,” Lypynski said. “But if you leave with love, you will always be in the right spot. So on that note, I want everyone in here to yell ‘I love you’ to all the protesters out there.”

One protester, Henry Cole, told St. George News that drag shows “used to be only allowed in places that were for nightclubs and places zoned for strip shows. And now, I don’t know how this made its way into public areas like this.”

Cole also said he felt it was important to focus attention on children.

“They are kids. We want to raise them the way we want to raise them and we don’t want no outside influence we don’t agree with,” Cole said. “We’re protesting, but we’re staying civilized and just letting people know what’s going on.”

St. George resident Joey Allred also came to support the protesters at the drag show.

“We’re here to clarify that this town doesn’t support this kind of thing being pushed on to children,” he said. “We’re not against LGBT in anyway, but we don’t think that drag and material like that should be pushed onto children.”

Overall, the performance at the Sunbowl was rather tame as Lypsynki joked about keeping the event “rated PG” for the crowd.

While the event was primarily peaceful, Stacy Lee, who helped organize the drag show, said her daughter and granddaughters – 5 and 2 years old – were heckled by protesters as they left the event early to escape the heat.

“As she was getting my little granddaughters in the car, they (the protesters) started saying ‘shame on you,’ at my daughter.” Lee said. “They called her a bad mother. My daughter said, ‘Please get away from my car, I’m just trying to get in my car,’ and they said ‘You deserve this because you brought your kids to a drag show.”

Two women from the group approached Lee’s daughter, she said, while repeating the “bad mother” accusation and that she “should be ashamed of herself.”

“I don’t understand the persecution, where they think they can get off thinking that’s OK,” Lee stated. “My little grand kids were in tears.”

Lee said in her opinion, drag is a form of art that’s been around for thousands of years and is no different than seeing a play at the Tuacahn Amphitheater in Ivins.

There are more adult-themed drag shows, she said, adding that it is the same for any form of entertainment. Some forms are child-friendly while other parts are not.

The police presence was noticeable in and around the Sunbowl as officers patrolled the premises on foot and bicycle. Along the way they distributed water bottles to the crowd as the heat persisted.

An estimated 150-plus people attended the event, originally set for April. The date was changed to June 30 as a part of a federal judge’s order that shot down the city of St. George’s revocation of the drag show’s original event permit.

St. George officials opted to revoke the special event permit originally awarded Southern Utah Drag Stars stating the group conducted advertising the event before the permit was granted, which is a violation of city code.

However, it is also a code the city officials have acknowledged is unevenly enforced, with some events being denied due to the code violation while others are allowed to continue.

Last month Southern Utah Drag Stars, Avalox and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit against the city that accuses city officials of censorship and discrimination toward the drag show while also showing favoritism toward other events.

U.S. District Judge David Nuffer agreed and granted an injunction requested by Southern Utah Drag Stars forcing the city to allow the event to proceed without interruption. The city of St. George chose not to appeal the federal judge’s decision.

The drag show was nearly over by 7 p.m. Among those in attendance was St. George City Councilwoman Danielle Larkin.

“As a city councilor I work hard to attend as many events as possible that are held at city venues so I can speak first hand about events occurring within the city,” Larkin said in a statement sent to St. George News Saturday.

While Friday’s drag show is a win for Southern Utah Drag Stars and its supporters, the lawsuit proper continues with the both parties set to file documents related to the case by the end of July.

St. George News reporter Haven Scott and evening editor Vin Cappiello contributed to this report.

Ed. note: The article has been updated to include Larkin’s statement.

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