# Evolution Wonderlounge

> Your Gay Bar!

> Contact: evolution@yourgaybar.com

### Posts

#### ‘It is emotional’: Closing time for Edmonton LGBTQ2S+ bar 
An Edmonton bar that was, for years, one of the city’s only LGBTQ2S+ nightclubs is having its last dance on Saturday night – but it’s not gone for good.

Evolution Wonderlounge’s 103 Street location has been open since 2013. Although the beloved bar is closing, its owners are simply focusing their attention on their newer Jasper Avenue location, Evo, which opened in April.

“It is emotional. It’s the end of an era,” said co-owner Rob Browatzke. “But every era, when it ends, it’s just the beginning of a new one.”

Read the full story by CTV News:By Hannah KavanaghPublished: November 08, 2025 at 6:57PM MST

https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/article/it-is-emotional-closing-time-for-edmonton-lgbtq2s-bar

#### A long-standing Edmonton gay bar is relocating…
A long-standing gay bar in Edmonton will be moving to a new location, with Evolution Wonderlounge finding a new space right along Jasper Avenue.

Daily Hive’s Dished spoke with Rob Browatzke, co-owner of Evolution Wonderlounge, regarding the move and what patrons can expect at the new spot.

Browatzke says it will be undergoing a minor name change and will be known as Evo, setting up shop on Jasper Avenue and 115 Street in a space that formerly housed Reign Bar and Lounge.

Check out the full story on Daily Hive Edmonton at this link:

https://dailyhive.com/edmonton/evolution-wonderlounge-edmonton-new-location

#### Edmonton drag festival forced indoors by wild weather – DRAGNADO
A festival celebrating Edmonton’s drag artists was forced to find a new location with only a few hours notice due to wild weather.

For the news video on CTV Edmonton click this link:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/video/2025/06/02/edmonton-drag-festival-forced-indoors-by-wild-weather

#### Edmonton to have 2 LGBTQ bars this summer as Evolution Wonderlounge begins move
By Kabi Moulitharan Global News

Posted April 3, 2025 6:11 pm

For the first time in nearly a decade, Edmonton will have two gay bars this summer.

Evolution Wonderlounge will open a new location on Jasper Avenue and 115 Street, as its downtown location on 103 Street near 102 Avenue winds down operations.

“It forced us to start looking around so we found this space, so we’re like, let’s just do both at once until the lease runs out,” Evolution Wonderlounge co-owner Rob Browatzke told Global News.

Edmonton to have 2 LGBTQ bars this summer as Evolution Wonderlounge begins move

#### Evolution Wonderlounge gearing up for a ‘two gay bar summer’
Edmonton’s only gay bar is going to be out and proud in a new Jasper Avenue location this spring.

Evolution Wonderlounge, on 103rd Street downtown, will remain in operation until the end of October, while the new location — with a shorter name Evo — will set up shop this spring in Wîhkwêntôwin, the neighbourhood formerly called Oliver. 

Evo will bring extended hours, a food menu, new programming, greater accessibility.

To read the full story please visit this link on CBC News:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/evolution-wonderlounge-gearing-up-for-a-two-gay-bar-summer-with-new-location-owner-says-1.7489457

#### Jasper Avenue bar owner says Edmonton’s patio rules will affect business
Jasper Ave bar owner facing patio problems with Edmonton City Hall

A bar along Edmonton’s Jasper Avenue is facing patio problems with the city. Elliott Knopp/CItyNEWS reports reports.

Rob Browatzke, co-owner of Evo, is frustrated his bar won’t be allowed to build the patio he envisioned when he relocated to Jasper Avenue last year.

Last summer, while the area was taken over by construction crews, the sidewalks were being expanded.

He thought the wait would be worth it and was ready to pay the city’s new fee for a patio big enough to take up the entire patch of sidewalk in front of the bar and the walking path closer to the road.

But the city is only approving a much smaller patio which he says would be a tight squeeze for customers and employees.

“The city just really needs to get their act together, and they need to communicate clearly what their vision is,” says Browatzke.

By Edmonton CityNews StaffPosted April 24, 2026 4:45 pm.Last Updated April 24, 2026 7:36 pm.

Full story on CityNEWS:https://edmonton.citynews.ca/2026/04/24/jasper-avenue-bar-owner-patio-problems/

#### Looking Back on 2025
What a year it was! I mean, we could say that every year, because truly, y’all make sure things are always festive, fun, and so very joyful, but this year is definitely one for the record books!

When this year started, we were actively looking for a new space. We knew that 2025 was going to be our last year in the basement at 103 and this was frustrating, very much not our choice, but we were taking it as a challenge to find a space that could deliver the things our OG space couldn’t. Things like happy hour and full food, things like seven days a week programming, things like increased accessibility. We thought we were starting the year with a deal in place but it fell through. Luckily for us, we learned about the recently vacated Reign space on Jasper, and so began our two gay bar summer. 

That had never been the plan, you know. We wanted to be opening one as the other closed, but again, through no choice of our own really, here we had another opportunity to rise to the occasion and give y’all something we hadn’t had in Edmonton for a while: multiple gay bars! (Don’t get us wrong though, what we love about this city is that its overall so progressive that there are many queer-friendly straight spaces that are super inclusive. Counting those, Edmonton has more queer space than other cities our size. We love this city!)Our new space opened in April, just in time for a gay curling nationals sneak peek – and ironically, our old space closed in November, just in time for a gay curling bonspiel! We love our curlers, for sure! Also ironically, the year that started with plans to move out of a dark basement dance space is ending with us opening a dark basement dance space – just this time, it’s one floor of three!

But what else happened in 2025? We hosted our fourth Winterruption event, this time with Utica! We crowned Alberta’s newest Drag Superstar, Lethbridge’s Francheska Dynamites. We celebrated Black History Month with performers, vendors, and DJs. We crowned our new EVOs: Sir Papi and Emmonia, and crowned our first and only Miss Wonderlounge, Sister Mary Clarence. We were honored to be an emergency venue for Edmonton’s Drag Fest when the dragnado hit the Square and blew them all our way. Queer Raves with Feral Hearts continued to fill the space with peace, love, unity, and respect. We got to enjoy a shuttle between venues during Pride Fest, filling both our spaces with joy. We celebrated 12 years as #yourgaybar. We celebrated our trans and gender expansive family with TWO wonderful appearances from the truly angelic Angelica Ross. We celebrated queer history with book launches and video presentations from local icons. We drank and drew; we made pour decisions; we karaoke’d; we tested our trivia skills; we tested our Mario Kart skills; we played bingo; we learned to salsa; we got gothy with Velvet Prairie; we listened to Chappell Roan; we watched the Oilers almost get the cup; we played board games with the Community League; we enjoyed live music; we danced; we danced more; we were queer. Most of all, we got to expand our EVO family, not just with the new team for the space, but also with all the incredible people who have been able to enjoy EVO programming that weren’t interested in what the OG space had to offer. Our family has expanded so much this year, and we are so blessed. We couldn’t do it without each and every one of you. And we couldn’t do it without community partners like the ISCWR, FAB, ELEN, RaricaNow, Curling with Pride, Team Edmonton, Edmonton Vocal Minority, Rainbow Story Hub, Edmonton Queer History Project, and SO MANY MORE.

We start 2026 with hearts filled with the deepest and most profound gratitude. Already, we have months of exciting programming planned, programming that elevates and uplifts our queer and trans performers, our non-profits, our community. We are at a vital moment in our time together, but if you continue to support, we will continue to provide. We love you Edmonton.

#### Meet Mr EVO 2026 Tanner Steele
Tell us about your first time at EVOWhile I can’t remember the exact date that I visited EVO for the first time, I do remember the night. My (then) girlfriend and I were taking her friend out after she experienced a breakup and she wanted a night of fun. I remember walking into the very foggy bar and staring at the videos playing on the TVs around the bar (IYKYK). After moving past that shock and awe, I was excited to see members of the community from all walks of life. I remember seeing some of my trans friends that I had met over the last while at various other events. I remember how much the community wrapped our friend in their arms while she shed away her grief and danced the night away. I remember thinking that this felt like a MUCH more comfortable space than the bars my girlfriend and her friends dragged me to every weekend (I will never miss Knoxvilles). And most importantly, I remember the feeling of the bar being very different than Buddies and Upstairs.

Tell us about your first time performing at EvoNow this I remember much more vividly. My (then) girlfriend and our friend Charley attended Sunday Revues regularly for 3-4 months but had never seen a king in a show. My friend and I had done one show in November 2014 with Queer Royale, but I didn’t really put a ton of thought into performing more until my friend said, “I booked us a meeting with Rob to talk about performing at EVO”. After our meeting, Rob booked us for Rosell Kristina’s monthly show on March 1st, 2015. I was TERRIFIED. Rob was hyping up the debut of kings on social media. I picked my song and a duet with my friend (who performed under the name Oliver Hart) and spent all my free time practicing the words repeatedly. I remember stepping on stage trying to act like I had all the swagger in the world but could feel my legs SHAKING the entire time. The performance itself is a blur, so I had to go back and watch the video on Dragging Our Heels. I’m laughing at myself because I can just see the nerves all over my face. BUT it did just show me a full circle moment. I forgot that the first person to ever tip me was my counterpart, Ms. Evo Christy! The show was so much fun. Backstage and audience were super welcoming to us, and clearly my drag career didn’t end there.

Share some favorite Evo memories:

Performing with Tiara Manila at my first ever Stilettos WEEKS after my debut

Working Security for Lady Bunny and getting pelted with nickels and dimes

Meeting Raja in my pup gear and her excitement

Opening for Tiffany with the boys

Producing Kings vs Queens with Divina

Producing Creed tribute show (with the bonus engagement announcement!)

Working the Evo block parties

The Evo closing night party at EVO103What did being crowned as the First EVOs at the new space mean to you?Honestly, it felt like a long time coming. Both Christy and I have been staples of Evo both on the stage and behind the scenes for a very long time. But It feels like an honor to be recognized for all we gave to old Evo, in the new space. It felt like an appropriate way to honor old EVO in the new space, tying the two eras together. And most importantly, it means the world to me to be crowned with Christy. Christy has been there for me since I entered the scene. She was the first person to tip me and befriend me in this community; she put a roof over my head when I had to start over and was way too lenient with giving me time to pay my rent to her over that time as well. I wouldn’t be able to continue with drag in this community if Christy hadn’t stepped up for me. So, this crowning means the world to me for a multitude of reasons.

What advice would you give to new drag performers reading this?I could write a novel on this, but this is a blog post and not a book, so I invite any newer artist to come have a chat with me if they want some guidance on how to navigate this community and be a leader within it. But I can leave a few tidbits here.

The best artists in the city are not the ones with the best make up, the best costumes or the best dancing ability. The best artists in the city are the ones who continue to improve their craft, while not tearing down the people around them. I’m not booked because I bring the best of the best of king drag, I’m booked because I try my best to be nice to everyone I work with, work towards bettering the community with everything I’m involved in, and just staying away from the drama.

Go out there, listen to the critiques and advice from the people who came before you, and hold the door open for the people who come after you. AND LEARN YOUR DAMN WORDS.

What advice would you give queer or trans kids reading this?This is incredibly cliché, but it does get better. Before entering the community, I quite honestly didn’t think I was going to live long enough to find it. But, once I did find it, I was able to find myself and start living authentically as the proud Transman that I am.Even if you don’t drink, you can and WILL find community in a queer bar. You will find your chosen family, you will find a safe space. There is people out there that understand you, and we are waiting for you with open arms.

What’s next on deck for you as a performer?This is tough for me to answer at this moment. I’ve had a very emotional, draining year. And this came after a very emotional, draining year the year before. I do hope to produce more of my tribute shows. I really enjoy exploring the type of music that we don’t see as often on stage, and the songs that go back to my childhood.I’m also hoping to regain inspiration by involving myself in shows that push me to be more creative. I have ideas for costuming I want to try and accomplish, performances that have been sitting in the back of my brain that I want to try and bring alive. I guess all in all, now that I have more free time and trying to regain my excitement for drag, I’m hoping to push Tanner Steele to new heights. And maybe, just maybe, earn myself a performance-based stiletto award nomination!

Any predictions on who’s going to fill your shoes come end of January?This is even tougher to answer! The EVO management team has different reasons each year for who they choose to represent them. We’ve spanned the spectrum of strictly performance based to community leadership based. Every week the answer could change!If we want to talk about supporters of the bar and community leaders, there is one person that I think stands above the rest in my mind, and that is Ladonna Cree. If we want to talk kings? Gabe Autmn brings such a unique perspective to drag, and I think inspires many performers, including myself. And if we want to talk pure kindness, Billie Eyelash is one of the biggest supporters of the Edmonton performer community and would represent proudly.

But who knows, Rob doesn’t usually know until the night of 😉.

Catch some old Tanner Steele moments here

#### Meet Ms EVO 2026 Christy Heely
Tell us about your first time at EVOI think I was at the second weekend Evo was open. I was probably too scared to go to a busy opening. I know, me scared? It was still so early in my gender journey that I was honestly always scared back then. Once I was in the space though it didn’t take long to feel that I was welcome and safe. I was also bewildered by so many different kinds of people and expression. I was living a pretty closeted life and all this queerness was wonderfully shocking. I had lived for about 40 years as a very different version of myself and it was going to take time to figure a lot out but what didn’t take much time was feeling like I was home.

Tell us about your first time performing at EvoI went to Sunday revues for a while and was in awe of the confidence and charisma of the performers. I can remember Rob asking many times ‘where’s your music?’. It was a constant but gentle nudge so of course one day I said I wanted to try and he put me in the Cherry Poppin’ show. I did one number, High School Confidential, because I knew it so well and it wasn’t a dancing tune! It’s also a lesbian anthem which would day prove so fitting. Bambi and I kept that show going annually for 5 years! Tanner mentioned the blur and the shakiness in his answer and I cannot agree more.  I just remember coming off stage and just being proud and relieved and so unbelievably happy. The crowd and the dressing room are something that can’t be matched to this day.

Share some favorite Evo memories.1. House of Homocidal shows and the way they pushed boundaries2. Back room Drag Race viewing parties3. A performance of the year nomination for a vulnerable number and a standing O that gave me more strength when I wondered if I still had enough4. Building the stage with Christine and people signing the underside of it5. Singing High School Confidential live in drag at Sapphic Panic6. Opening for Kameron Michaels with my incredible backup dancers and then her telling me she admired that I showed my muscles instead of hiding them7. Destroying the stage in a number and the place going nuts and then finding all those signatures the next day when we did the demo8. Gabe’s proposal to me – Just watch my reaction

What did being crowned as the First EVOs at the new space mean to you?Being crowned the first Evos at the new location really felt like coming home again and sharing the year with Tanner feels more right than I could have dreamed. We have both been there for a long time as customers, performers, fixer-uppers, and employees (I did security a few times lol). He holds a special place in my heart. As for the bar, I have felt like part of that family for ages so when I heard my name I was honoured and thrilled. I can still feel it now.

What advice would you give to new drag performers reading this?I think my first word of advice for new performers would be leave the diva/attitude on stage. It can be powerful when performing but please be humble after. Then I would say learn the basics like knowing your words and not pacing the stage, as nervous as you might be. Stop and sing a few lines in one spot to the person with the biggest smile maybe? These things were taught to me and have served me well. I know I am not a dancer and don’t do big looks but I try to live in the moment of the song. Try to be supportive of everyone else in the show in the dressing room too. It takes a lot of guts for most of us just to get up there.  Also, nobody is really the best because everyone in the audience likes different things in a number.  It’s not a competition. Okay sometimes it literally is but you get my meaning. 

What advice would you give queer or trans kids reading this?If you are into drag? It was a great way for me to discover more about myself. I had never been on stage before and found some serious courage and then I carried that with me into the rest of my life. I also found it a powerful way to express my femininity in a safe space. It gave me more confidence than ever. It’s also a welcoming community. If you are still younger there are all ages shows you can go to and get into when you are ready. If performing isn’t your thing that’s okay too. Just come out any way you want to. Support isn’t just for performers but for all queer and trans kids finding their way.

What’s next on deck for you as a performer?I really want to try to dance a little better and add to my looks more. More rhinestones, more glitter, more movement. It’s going to take effort but nothing worth doing is easy. I have really enjoyed adding burlesque elements to my drag at times and hope to do more of that too. Oh, and I am finally producing and hosting a show again after many years away from that and I am very excited!

Any predictions on who’s going to fill your shoes come end of January?Who might be the next Evos? Celine Dejion, Grand Masala, Mister Risqué, Wanda Lust, Georgiie Street… Who knows? It’s always a lovely surprise!

Visit some vintage Christy on Dragging Our Heels!

#### Meet The Team
Did you know Evolution Wonderlounge is a family-owned business? This uncles-and-nephew team have been running things at #yourgaybar since the summer of 2013 when it opened!

Murray and Scott met in 1985, at legendary Edmonton gay club Flashback. It was love at first sight, but they soon did what so many 80s prairies gays did and relocated to Vancouver. There, they built themselves a wonderful west coast life until the opportunity came to move to Palm Springs and take over a pair of gay hotels there. They rechristened these LaPosada hotels as Helios, with the website yourgayresort.com (sound familiar?). While running Helios, Murray and Scott and their partners Drew and Gord made a lot of connections in the circuit party and adult film industries, because let’s be honest, that’s what Palm Springs is all about. Those connections would prove useful when it came time for Evolution though.Murray’s nephew Rob meanwhile grew up just outside of Edmonton, visiting his uncles in Vancouver usually once a year. Obviously having gay uncles meant a nice support for Rob’s own 90s coming out, and  soon enough, Rob was visiting them in Vancouver and now they got to hit up Davie Street locations like Denman Station and Little Sisters together. After a few years in Lethbridge, Rob moved to Edmonton and got involved in local gay nightlife here, working at multiple locations over the years.

In the summer of 2012, Rob’s current employment at Junction bar and eatery was winding down; the owners were closing the business. At the same time, Murray and Scott were selling the hotels and moving back to Canada due to the economy down south. Would you like to do something together, they asked Rob, who immediately said yes.

You may not know this but the plan was originally to open in Calgary. They looked and looked, but couldn’t find the right place at the right price, and so they soon expanded their search to Edmonton. There, they found a nightclub for sale: The Warehouse, formerly Buffalo, formerly gay club Play. The location was right – right in what was going to be Edmonton’s exciting new Ice District – even though it was going to be another basement bar. (If you were at EVO in those first years, the white everywhere was designed to combat the basement).

EVO opened in the fall of 2013, using Murray and Scott’s Palm Springs to connections to bring in some porn stars plus international drag icon Chi Chi LaRue, and using Rob’s local gay connections to bring in community partners. Right from the beginning, EVO was about family – both biological and found. 

Team EVO, 2014

#### Meet the Team: Brian
Q: What was your first gay bar experience like?

A: My first experience at a gay bar was so many things, terrifying, exhilarating, a maelstrom of nervous energy, beautiful, and glorious. I was pretty self aware of my sexuality at a fairly young age. I grew up in Red Deer in the 80s, raised with both Mormon and Catholic ideals, so those early years carried a lot of shame; a lot of guilt. But stepping into Flashbacks that first time, all of those other emotions aside, I felt free. Seeing a room full of people who were also like me was pure magic.

Q: How did your life pre Evo prepare you for this?  How did it not?A:  I have been an out and active member of the Alberta community for 35+ years, and have witnessed a lot of changes to the community in that time. For the last 16 years I have worked directly in the gay/queer night life scene. My time at Twisted Element and the Texass lounge in Calgary provided me with differing ideations of what night life is or can be in the community ( one all about the party, the other about engagement and connecting with your customer). 2SLGBTQIA spaces have always been necessary, but I think the thing I wasn’t prepared for after 16 years in this industry was the political shift and rising anti LGBTQ sentiment that is making queer spaces more necessary than ever.

Q: What are your three most special Evo memories?A: There have been a ton of great memories for me over the last 10 years but the standouts are meeting and chatting with Chi Chi DeVayne, though I don’t remember our exact conversation, I do remember her kindness and the fact that she never lost her small town southern charm. My last performance as Dushawna doing Kate Bushes This Woman’s Work. It was cathartic and a fitting end to that character.  But I think my most special memory is the first night back to work after my partner passed away, the overwhelming outpouring of love and support from coworkers, management, friends and patrons is something I will never forget. It truly gave me an understanding of chosen family and it restored some hope in me when everything felt hopeless.

Q: Shout out to a former staff member you miss, and why?A: So many to choose from but I would have to say Jason G.  I make acquaintances quite easily, but friendships are harder for me, Jason broke into that friendship area. Though we have drifted since he has moved on I still hold great value in his friendship and miss him being around. 

Q: What has the last 10 years taught you?A: I don’t know, in a community that is ever changing and evolving, to be honest I think I’m still learning, maybe that’s the take away, never be set in your ways and never stop learning. 

Q: What advice do you give the next generation of queer nitelife goers?A: Live life authentically, be loud, be proud, share your stories, seek out the stories of others, build connections, make memories, value the friendships you forge, have fun, and dance. Life is fleeting make every second count. 

Q: Shout out 2-3 current performers you love and say why?A: Omg this question is killing me, there are so many performers in this city that I love and respect, so I’m breaking the rules a bit. 

Classic queens: Vanity Fair, GoDiva, Tequila Mockingbird, twiggy. All amazingly talented, serve the drag I grew up loving. They are my sisters and definitely family.

The Dance Divas: Karly, Pepper, Jizz Elle leave me gagged and gooped every single time

And finally the “now for something completely different”: Emmonia, Stretcher, Steak and Beau. From costume and character creations, to comedic gold, and all out gender fuckery these four always leave me wanting more and more and more.

Q: What is your favorite regular event and why?A: I would have to say the Glow Party. It always brings me fond memories of someone truly special. 

#### Meet the Team: Murray
Q: What was your first gay bar experience like?A: Mine was scary. My first gay bar was in Regina the day my semester of bible school ended. I somehow found the listing in the phone book at a public telephone (those are not a thing anymore). I walked up and down the street for over an hour before I went because I was terrified and dealing with a whole lot of religious guilt. Finally went in. It was a small place and every single person turned to look at the new person. I stood standing there frozen and a waiter came up and asked if I wanted a drink…a female voice came from behind me, ”no he won’t drink…bring him a coke”. There behind me was another student from bible school. She was a few years older than me and my first thought was to run, but she just said, “it’s cool” and went to play pool. The rest of the story I’ll tell you when you are older! Hehe

Q: How did your lives pre EVO prepare you for this? How did they not?A: Our lives have been so multi-faceted. We have lived in Edmonton, Vancouver, Palm Springs, Calgary then Edmonton. I have managed a program for 300+ kids with disabilities and their families. Worked on special Ed in Schools, then Scott and I were foster parents for 10 years. From there we went to Palm Springs and bought a couple of clothing optional men’s resorts with our partners Drew and Gord. We did that for a dozen years and met so many amazing people in the dance, dj and adult entertainment scene. It was in PS that we learned how to throw a party and people would travel from lol over the world to attend. From there we moved back to Calgary and looked for opportunities there. Rob moved down and we were looking at a few different options there. When nothing came together we saw the space where Evo is now listed and came back to Edmonton. The rest is history!

Q: What are some of your most special EVO memories?A: I loved our opening weekend event with ChiChi and a bunch of porn stars. At the very top of the list though I would have to put having the incredible Leslie Jordan at the club for a one man show. Just incredible…CoCo Peru was also an amazing night. So talented and such moving stories. I was awe struck…the other thing that always comes to mind is our first All Ages Show at the club. Seeing the kids there with their parents, dancing and laughing and Vanity hosting and everyone dancing to We are Family at the end…I could hardly imaging a more beautiful scene. Pure love and joy and family. Still makes me tear up!

Q: Shout out a former staff member you miss, and whyA: Bet ya can’t pick just one! This shout out goes to all our our originals. You helped us create something that wasn’t done before in a club in this city. You each brought your own magic and helps us create magic. You stuck with us through our growing pains and a big learning curve. Big thanks to all of you.

Q: What has ten plus year taught you?A: Landlords are a pain in the ass…insurance is insanely expensive…neighbours can be a challenge…that we always need to keep learning…pandemics are as scary when they are over and you are trying to rebuild when you did all you can to keep the doors open as the virus was….mostly though that through everything…this community is amazing and the people are worth all of the tears, fears and jeers along the way. PS. The love has always been greater than all the other things!

Q: What advice do you give to the next generation of queer nightlife goers?A: Remember that you deserve to have fun and you get to love as freely as you do because of the generations that came before you and fought to make spaces like this for you. That you have a lot to teach those who came before you but do it with patience. To treat the staff and management at any place you go because they are busting their asses to give you a good time. To support the businesses that support you all year. Running a business like this is crazy expensive and no one is getting rich off you so support gay business, your local bar and the talent –  especially the local talent that are world class even though you see them all the time!

#### Meet the Team: Rob
Q: What was your first gay bar experience like?A: Picture it. Edmonton. 1996. The Roost. There was a stripper. That’s all I really remember about it. Had I know the role gay bars would play in my future, I might have paid more attention, but I was a nineteen-year-old gay kid just happy to have found my own people. I was living in Lethbridge at the time, and the nearest gay bar was Calgary, so for “scene”, I had to travel. Then, as now, it was less about the space and more about the connections, so shout out I guess to Chris and Ed for taking my gay bar virginity on a long distant Tuesday.

Q: How did you life pre EVO prepare you for this? How did it not?A: My professional life has been Edmonton gay nightlife since 1999. Over the years, I worked at past gay bars like Boots, The Roost, Buddys, Woodys, Prism, Junction, and a load of other gay businesses. This work experience sure gave me a strong sense of community, and an awareness of the importance of gay bars. You went to gay bars because other spaces weren’t safe. What I didn’t anticipate was the time when that wasn’t the case. Buddys taught me the thrill of hosting the party everyone wanted to be at; nothing prepared me for the constant stress of always needing to achieve that.

Q: What are three of your most special EVO memories?A: Three? Out of ten-plus years? Nearly impossible. Shangela perfoming “Halo” with a packed house waving their arms along with her stands out for sure. Vanity Fair at maybe our first all-ages show, the stage packed around her with kids dancing, and the beaming faces of their queer/allied parents who got to share the space with their kids for the first time. There was a moment at first block party when the sun peaked through the crowds and everyone in the street turned their faces towards it, after hours of dancing in a midsummer chill, and everyone glowed golden.

Q: Shout out a former staff member you miss.A: Again, so many. Over the decade, we have probably had 150 staff on the team. We had an amazing and varied group of folks right from the beginning. Let’s give this one to Cody-lee though. He always had a disarmingly charming energy that made everyone smile. 

Q: Shout out 2-3 current performers you love.A: Again, this is a hard one, because there is so much talent in this city. There’s some who have been with us since the beginning and before, and there’s so much history together. That being said, Artasia, Pepper, and Karly are that special combination of talented, appreciative, popular, and stunning queens. But pretty much every performer who graces the stage brings something wonderful and magical. 

Q: What is your favorite regular event and why?A: Even after so long, I don’t know the magic formula for what makes one event a success one time, and less a success the next time, but consistently, our Glow parties are just pure queer joy. It took us a while until we hosted our first; the space didn’t have any UV lights up regularly, so it just felt like a daunting project. But Josh Brown kept at me until I finally said yes, and it was a magical night. Why don’t we do them more often? Sometimes, you want it more if you have to wait for it.

Q: What has ten plus years taught you?A: Whether there’s forty people or four hundred, they’re there for fun. Make sure they have it. Jim Brown, Jim Schafer, Tracey and Deborah, they all taught me a business is built one customer at a time, so make one customer feel special and it’s a good night.

Q: What advice do you give to the next generation of queer nightlife goers?A: Go out intending to have fun; chances are you will. It won’t always be Pride-busy, but trust me, some of the best nights of my life were sitting in a near empty dance club having a couple drinks and many laughs with good friends. Gay bars still matter, in weird, wacky, and wonderful ways that you might not appreciate yet. One day, you’ll wake up and realize that there’s people you’ve shared a dance floor with for years, and that kind of longevity is special. Strangers on a Saturday can be friends by Sunday, and family by the Friday after. Life is short; smile, laugh, dance.

#### Meet the Team: Tugs and Rexy
Every year since 2015, we have crowned ourselves some drag ambassadors, to represent the bar inside and outside the space. The new title holders are decided by management and announced at our annual Stiletto Awards. In 2023, we crowned Tugs and Rexy, and so, just before they step down, we wanted to let you get to know them!

Q: What was your first time at EVO like? T: It was joyful! My earliest visits to Evo were at a time in my life when I wasn’t super active in my own queerness. Although I identified as bisexual back then, I felt outside of the queer community and wasn’t sure how to immerse myself. Evo was (and still is) incredibly welcoming and exciting, but back then I was too anxious about taking up space that I felt I wasn’t gay enough for. Obviously this was my own internalized homophobia and trauma response coming through, with some social anxiety sprinkled in there. Sure glad I got past all that! R: My first time at Evo was a trip. I moved here from a small town in the Northwest Territories, and as far as I knew I was the only person who even dabbled in drag in the whole province (whether I’m right about that or not is another story). I was so excited to see all the amazing performers, but still so scared to talk to anybody. A very friendly drag queen had recognized me from social media and came up and spoke to me. A couple weeks later, this performer had told me to come to the next show in drag to potentially be booked, so I did and I was booked the next week.

Q: When was your first Evo performance?T: My Evo debut was King Itchy’s Frat House in the fall of 2021. My drag dad Colin Bae helped me prepare for my entrance into the local drag scene and had gifted me a lace front goatee. I was giving the unclest uncle vibes to ever uncle that night, holeh. That’s how the Uncle Tugs nickname came to be.R: Following the multiple interactions I was booked on May 10th, 2015. And with that performance I was booked in a newbie show two weeks after that, which also happened to fall on Rob’s 38th birthday.Q: What did getting crowned mean to you? R: Getting crowned to me meant a lot. I was at a point in my career where I wasn’t feeling seen. I felt like people didn’t connect with me anymore. With the crowning I felt like I was on someone’s radar, and the response was so overwhelmingly positive that I felt seen again.T: I’m still humbled to have been crowned! I honestly was so surprised when Rob called my name out on the microphone. I think you can visibly see the shock on my face on the DOH video  It felt so affirming to be recognized as not only an artist but as an honoured member of our community, which is something I hold in high regard. To be seen in my identity as a masculine of center 2 Spirit drag artist was just so meaningful to me. It was a humbling experience.

Q: Name a couple evo memories that stand out, from your reign or before T: Oh geez there are so many now! One of my favourite memories was the night of Trina’s birthday last year. It was supposed to be the Lady Camden night but she had rescheduled. The show went on anyway and we stayed after to celebrate Trina. That night will always bring cherished memories of queer joy with some of my favorite people. The family I found through Evo is truly beautiful. Other favorites are opening for Ilona Verly, Evah Destruction, and Kita Mean, three very different drag artists that have each influenced my own passion for the artform in their own way. There have been countless epic local drag shows and dancing nights at Evo!R: One specific memory that stands out to me over the years is Chelsea Horrendous Stapling $10 bills to her body… I was GAGGED it was so good… also ow… but so good! Another memory that made me so happy because it was so funny was Lourdes the Merry Virgin performing Sarah Silverman’s cover of “We Didn’t Start The Fire”, with the cover consisting of the most searched themes from Pornhub… I laughed so hard I almost keeled over!

Q: In what ways is Edmonton’s queer scene moving in exciting and promising directions? R: I love the direction that the Edmonton scene is going in, particularly in the diversity of performance styles. We got queens, kings, things, creatures, and monsters from every walk of life!T: Despite the tense political climate surrounding drag and queer and trans identities, our community is still pushing through and finding new ways to take up space. I hope to see more queer owned businesses and queer led initiatives, as our community has so many talented, motivated, and intelligent humans. The amazing thing about Edmonton queers is their fierceness. We here baby! And we’re making waves!

Catch the stepdown of Tugs and Rexy, Sunday February 18, at the 2024 Stiletto Awards!

#### Meet the Team: Twiggy
Q: What was your first gay bar experience like?A:  I remember the very first time I went to a Gay Bar, it was called Boots & Saddle on 106th. street in Edmonton. I was with a friend who was 19 and I was 15! I didn’t know places like this existed, I hoped they did and so when he suggested we go I was thrilled, excited, nervous and petrified! I honestly didn’t know what to expect and the feelings and emotions were electric. We arrived around 2 in the afternoon and the front door which you needed to be “buzzed in” was propped open so there was no one checking ID’s. We went up to the bar and I asked for a coke in a small rocks glass and my friend got a bottle of beer. there were about 15 or so guys spread out around the room and a pool table at the back. The bartender was very effeminate and balding wearing a silk matching outfit that looked like something I Dream of Genie would wear in Lavender. Everyone called him Deidre even though after that his actual given name was Ken. The bar was long and thin and the room had stucco walls and wagon wheels throughout. There was a saddle placed on one of the railings separating the bar from the seating area so we sat there. I was so nervous and worried that I would do or say something wrong and we would be kicked out so I went to the bathroom quickly to have a pee and when I returned there were 7 Black Russian drinks on the table! My friend laughed and said to me; well. you are young, blond, thin and blue eyed what did you expect!? I was so freaked out by the attention (I was painfully shy) I took my straw out of my coke and had a sip out of all 7 drinks and then told my friend we had to go! and that was my introduction to the gay bars. Still to this day I drink my drinks in a small rocks glass.

Q: How did your life pre EVO prepare you for this? 

A: I have worked and/or been around Edmonton’s gay bars for over 40 years. In those “training” years I learned many things that of course would come into use being a part of the “Evo Crew” from sound, DJ’ing, Blocking, lighting, Theater direction, choreography, Graphics, poster design, Theme building, show promoting, suggestive selling, blah blah blah, the list goes on!  not all of my talents are recognized or utilized but I know what I know and I’m just not Pushy about it. so every day can be something new.

Q: What are three of your most special EVO memories?I always say I’m Proud all year long but, Pride Events and Pride itself are always special to me. Let’s put it this way, There is an 18th. birthday EVERY DAY, and someone who is unsure or nervous or excited will want to come to the Gay Bar and we will always try to make them feel welcome and Invited like we were just waiting for them to arrive! The Stiletto Awards. in it’s infantcy (sp) it was pretty simple, nominate the memorable and acknowledge them. later, it became obvious that there needed to be more categories as our community and diversity was growing and changing! Kings! Trans! Non Binary! Asexual! Allies! Supporters! It has become one of our biggest Edmonton Community Events to include more than just those at Evo but, those who inhabit and thrive in the City as a whole! and of course the next Evo representitivesQ: Shout out a former staff member you miss, and whyIn My time at Evo there have been many characters and personalities that have graced the Evo Staff List, I have a shout-out to 3 of my favorites Bobby C (Creative, Moody, and just a little Mad Dahling.) Mindy W (Cool, Kind, and a Punk Ass Bitch!) Liam H (Shady AF. Charity Case.)

Q: What has your time at EVO taught you?A: 10 years goes by so fast! it has taught me that we are all still constantly Evo-lving! you can learn something new every day and it doesn’t cost a thing to be nice to new friends.Q: What is your favorite regular event and whyA: Favorite regular event? Glow Parties! cause I can’t see anything.

Q: What advice do you give to the next generation of queer nightlife goers?A: Advice for the next gen of queer nightlife goers? Wash your hands after you pee. Throw your gum and papertowels in the garbage and Tip your servers.  seriously? Live your best life, be respectful, Dance, Party, Live and be who you are!

Q: Shout out 2-3 current performers you love and say whyA: 1. Lilith Fair for being an “Actress” and a “Star”. 2. Voula Callas for understanding and acknowledging the Art of Female impersonation at such a young age and completely “nailing it”. 3. There are Soooooooo many Talented people in Edmonton it is almost Impossible to bring it down to 3 but if I have to, I’ll say….. You Know who you Are.

#### Out of the basement and into the streets
“The amount of vandalism we’ve had to deal with in the last five years is ridiculous.”

Author of the article:Zac Delaney

Published Mar 24, 2025  

Edmonton’s last remaining gay bar, Evolution Wonderlounge, is on the move from its current home of 12 years on 103 Street to Jasper Avenue, hoping to take advantage of the new space to expand its community.

“The other space was a dance club and show bar, and it’s been amazing for 12 years, and it was all that we could be,” said Evolution co-owner Rob Browatzke.

It will also get a name change to just EVO and is set to land at the former location of Reign Premium Lounge and Kitchen, 11508 Jasper Ave., in April.

Read the full article on the Edmonton Journal website at this link:

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/edmontons-gay-bar-moving-jasper-ave

#### Performance Review: “Wipeout” drag competition
‘Wipeout’ was peak chaos and entertainment.

Never had I thought I’d see the day that the classic 2010s TV show Wipeout and a drag competition would come together. But here we are. “Wipeout,” the drag show at Evolution Wonderlounge, didn’t just have great drag performers — it had shenanigans. Including a big red ball.

Read the full story online at The Gateway…..

Leah HennigThe Gateway 2025-26 Editor-in-Chief

https://thegatewayonline.ca/2025/06/performance-review-wipeout-drag-competition

#### Popular Edmonton gay bar moving to Jasper Avenue
‘We can’t define ourselves in basements’: Popular Edmonton gay bar moving to Jasper Avenue

It’s the first time since 2016 basically that there’s been a two gay bar summer. The community is very very excited. Everybody has really been wanting somewhere that they can hang out in the afternoons, they can have something earlier for people that don’t wanna just go out at 11 o’clock at night.

Edmonton gay bar opens new location on Jasper Ave. Co-owner tells CityNews Edmonton will have two gay bars this summer for first time since 2016.

News StoryNew gay bar opening on Jasper Avenue

https://edmonton.citynews.ca/2025/04/06/new-gay-bar-opening-on-jasper-avenue

Video Interview‘We can’t define ourselves in basements’: Popular Edmonton gay bar moving to Jasper Avenue

https://edmonton.citynews.ca/video/2025/04/06/we-cant-define-ourselves-in-basements-popular-edmonton-gay-bar-moving-to-jasper-avenue

#### The Search for Alberta’s Next Drag Superstar
The time has come again to crown Alberta’s Next Drag Superstar! In 2022, Pheromone Killz and Dayna Hart faced off in the final lip sync for the crown – and Pheromone killed! She took home the Grand Prize, but now, the time has come for her reign to end! This year also marks the ten-year anniversary of this celebration of provincial drag excellence so we thought, what a perfect time to look back over it!

In a way, our connection to the contest pre-dates EVO. Back in 2011-12, with Ru Paul’s Drag Race still growing in popularity, OUT TV felt the time was right for a series of provincial contests – and reached out to local bars to source out interest. One of the bars they contacted was the Junction (Edmonton’s Junction Bar and Eatery closed in 2012. Learn more about it here). Rob Browatzke was bartending at the time the call came in, and even though the idea seemed intriguing, neither he nor owners Tracey Smith and Deborah Chymyshyn had seen the show or heard of this JuJubee queen OUT TV wanted them to book. Junction passed on the project.

A couple years later, and EVO was open, and Pure Pride approached us about working together on the contest. They’d done one the year previously, just Calgary-focussed, where Deva Dave was crowned Calgary’s first Drag Superstar, but it was time to make the contest provincial. Rob sat down with Edmonton icon Miss Bianca and planned out how the show should look – a format still in play ten years later. Finalists would be judged on performance, yes, but they also had to prepare a fantasy wear look, and have an evening wear look for a QnA portion. 

The EVO team, with Courntey Act

That first year, queens from across the province fought their way into the finale, with special guest judge Courtney Act. Eventually, it was narrowed down to a top two (but only after the audience erupted in boos and jeers when Chanelta Shanaynay was eliminated after spinning in a hoop above the EVO stage!) The finalists were both from Edmonton drag troupe, the Queens of the Orient. Rosell Kristina and Tiara Manila lip sync’ed for their life – and Tiara Manila took the crown!

Tiara Manila passed away in 2023. Rest in power, queen <3

Rosell Kristina

Tiara Manila

Chanelta Shanaynay

In 2015, EVO took over production of the contest entirely. The format stayed the same though, and both here and at Cowboys in Calgary, a new crop of contestants started the battle all over again, ending with Tiara Misu squaring off against Vanity Fair to the Pointer Sisters before taking the crown.  Our second crowned Tiara would pass off the title to Lilith Fair the following year, with special guest judge, Jackie Beat. 2016 also saw us crown Edmonton’s Drag Superstar, Gogo Fetch; she’s technically still reigning since we’ve never done that again, but anyone who has ever been to one of her bingos or shows isn’t surprised to learn she’s a superstar!

Lilith Fair and Tiara Manila

Drag herstory lesson – at this time, there was still a distinction drawn between drag queens and who were then called bio queens, or faux queens, or hyper queens (basically women performing female-presenting drag). Shamefully, we had been gatekeeping the contest to drag queens, and in 2017, Sucreesha Minorah of the House of Homocidal was having none of that. She had proven herself on the stage, and she demanded her spot in the competition. And she fought her way right to the end, before Divina Diefor snatched the title away. Her role in smashing that glass ceiling was instrumental in her 2023 induction into the Stiletto Hall of Legends.

Divina Diefor and Sucreesha Minorah

The next year, it was the battle of the AFAB performers, as Kat Marlowe Minorah faced off against Calgary’s Duke Carson in the final lip sync. Special guest judges that year were Derrick Barry and her partners.

Duke Carson

Kat Marlowe

Mo B Dick

In 2019, we gave away the biggest prize ever. Not only was the cash prize doubled, the prize included a trip to Vancouver for a gig with Alma Bitches. It was an intense battle, and in the end, it was Ivy League versus GoDiva for the crown – and GoDiva took it. GoDiva’s 2020 step-down was cancelled due to COVID though, and so she reigned, and reigned, and reigned, because even 2021 didn’t let us have another contest. In 2022 though, ANDS was back, and GoDiva passed on the crown to Pheromone, who would also reign for two years; 2023 saw the first ANDS All-Stars, not a contest, just a stunning celebration of some past winners and runners-up.

Runner up 2019 Ivy League and her boys

Runner up 2022 Dayna Hart

And now it’s time again. Already, the dragoons are registering.  Who’s going to take this year’s cash prize – the biggest ever? $2500 is up for grabs as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of this contest, and we KNOW the performers are going to turn it out. All of this year’s judges are going to be past winners and other title holders of note, so it truly is peer-reviewed, but don’t worry, you the audience still gets to vote!

Special shout-outs to venues like Cowboys, Twisted Element, and Dickens for hosting in Calgary over the years, and shout-outs to sponsors like GayCalgary.com, Pure Pride, Sweet Carousel Corsetry, Stoli, Amped Accessories, Beam Suntory, Hymen Designs, and more, for helping support drag artistry in Alberta.

#### The Stiletto Awards
In 2015, we hosted our First Annual Stiletto Awards, a night of pomp and glamour designed to recognize the best of the best in the previous year’s drag. Our weekly show, the Sunday Revue, was about to celebrate its first anniversary, and it seemed fitting to have a night showcasing the evolution of Edmonton drag.

Here are some highlights of those first awards. Chanelta Shanaynay was recognized for her dazzling, spinning hoop performance during 2014’s Search for Alberta’s Next Drag Superstar; “All The Lovers” nabbed her Best Choreography AND Performance of the Year. Tiara Manila, who won that first ANDS, won Best Costumes. Empress 14 Leah Way and Empress 15 Twiggy were the first inductees into our Stiletto Hall of Legends. The Show of Shows 2, a massive night featuring all the active houses in group work, took Favorite Event. Ruby Hymen won Favorite Out of Town Guest; maybe that’s why she moved here, because Edmonton loved her then and loves her still! And ANDS2014 Runner-up Rosell Kristina took home the big award of the night: Performer of the Year, AND then she was crowned our first Miss Evolution.

Nominees for the 2014 Awards

Tequila Mockingbird, Best Face 2015

Team EVO on the rainbow carpet, 2016

The 2016 Awards now had more to build on. We knew we’d be crowning a replacement for the irreplaceable Rosell, but that meant we needed to build a step-down performance for her into the night too. The scene was expanding ever more, as evidenced by the sheer talent in Breakthrough Performer; future Canada’s Drag Race star Melinda Verga lost that award to Divina Diefor. Her endless five-more-minutes-on-the-mic landed Sister Mary Clarence the Best Host Stiletto, after she’d won the previous year’s Most Missed Queen before moving back. Lilith Fair‘s hilarious “Turn Down For What” took Performance of the Year, and Alberta’s reigning Drag Superstar Tiara Misu landed Performer of the Year.  As for Rosell’s replacement, there was only one choice: our very own Twiggy!

The 2016 Stiletto Awards  nominees, performers, and presenters

2017 was the year of the House of HOMO-CIDAL, with Lilith Fair taking Funniest Performer, for the second time, Chelsea Horrendous winning Best Face, JBR winning Best Host, Eeden winning Breakthru Performer, Goblynn Dixx winning Most Theatrical, Mask4Mask winning Favorite Drag Event, Kat Marlowe Minorah winning Performance of the Year for “Reasons to Vote For Me”, and Sucreesha Minorah winning Performer of the Year. To complete the sweep, Lilith Fair ended the night crowned as the next Miss Evolution! Lilith had also just stepped down as Alberta’s Drag Superstar, so it was truly the year for her!Another important highlight was Dragging Our Heel’s Knight and David winning the Drag Supporter Stiletto that would eventually be named for them!

Miss Evolution 3, Lilith Fair

Rob with Miss Evolution 4 Vanity Fair

2018 was brought to you by the letter “V”. Voula Callas took home Breakthrough Performer AND Performance of the Year for “Mommie Dearest”. Vanity Fair took home Best Host, and she and Lilith Fair (no relation) snagged Favorite Duet for their amazing “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?”.  Rosell of the Queens of the Orient and Lilith of HOMO-CIDAL joined the Hall of Legends, after Godiva, Tequila, and Vanity all were inducted in previous years. Drag was definitely starting to get to be too much to be contained in one bar though; Sister Mary was bringing it all over the city, even snagging the Favorite Non-EVO event for Hail Mary and Have Mercy. 

And Vanity Fair took home the crown, as Miss Evolution 4.

2019 saw Ivy League, Most Improved the year before, crowned the next Miss Evolution. Gogo Fetch‘s Yellowhead Drag Brunch took Favorite Non-EVO event. Imagine a time when Drag Brunches were a rarity? Now, they have their whole own category!

The ISCWR’s Moulin Rouge won Favorite Event, while HOMO-CIDAL’s “Archie’s Weird Mysteries” took home Favorite Group Performance. And Performance of the Year? Kat Marlowe Minorah knocked out another one, with “Taking Up Space.”

Miss Evolution 5 Ivy League with Vanity

The 2019 Stiletto Awards nominees, performers, and presenters! We’re gonna need a bigger bar!

2020 shook things up. 

We had already had years and years of burlesque amazingness happening at the bar and we decided to try recognizing that by combining both drag and burlesque in that year’s Stilettos; it didn’t really work though, and the plan for 2021 was to have two separate awards. At the time of that decision though, we had no idea what the rest of 2020 would bring.

2020 shook things up for Ivy too though. After losing ANDS only to be crowned EVO, Ivy swept the awards, getting Performance of the Year for her ANDS number “I Want That Trophy” as well as Performer of the Year before passing on her EVO crown to Bambi Dextrous.

And then the whole world crowned Miss Rona. But in one of the many relaunches, we doubled up our EVO crowns, giving Bambi a partner in crime who was already her partner in life, Mr EVO 1 Ferris Fair.

As the world tried to find it’s new normal, we took the opportunity to recognize that drag that kept us entertained during the pandemic, whether it was rare in person inside, park shows , or Zoom shows. And we crowned ourselves some new EVOs: Audrina Linn and Helluva Thing, who was our first Mx EVO. Even if we had to wait another year to catch our new titleholders unmasked!

And sweeping the awards was not-new-to-Edmonton but new-to-Edmonton-now Pepper, back from Ontario and slaying the scene!

The PartyQueens team at the 2023 Stiletto Awards

By 2023, things were as close to normal as they can be, but in a world where drag is ever more under attack, celebrating the talent and pageantry of our local artists never felt more important. Edmonton drag is a diverse, wonderful, and ever evolving scene, and the nominees and winners in 2023 made that clear. From the classic pageantry of Favorite Drag Event Eleganza Xtravaganza, to the growing king scene (Brad Diesel winning Favorite Out of Town Guest), to alt drag like Best Costumes winner Emmonia, to mainstream festivals embracing drag leading to Favorite Group Work for Legs and Dairy at K-Days, drag was BACK in Edmonton. Not that it ever truly left. 

Mx EVO Tugs with Miss EVO 8 Rexy

And the crowning of Miss Evolution 8 Rexy Resurrection and Mx EVO 2 Tugs  really drove home what the title, and the night, are all about – unconditional support of Edmonton drag in all its forms. That, combined with kindness and a certain degree of drama-free participation in the scene, is what the EVO titles stand for.

(Which honestly is why this year’s winner or winners felt like an easy choice – but if you wanna know who’s next to be crowned, you need to be at the 2024 Stiletto Awards, happening Sunday February 18 at #yourpridebar!)

Congrats to all 2024’s nominees and eventual winners!

#### The Sunday Revue
Sunday night was always drag night. 

Back when one of our owner-management team was just coming out, that was just simple truth. Whether at Edmonton’s Betty Ford Recovery Show (The Roost, hosted by their reigning Prom King and Queen), or in Calgary at Boystown or Detour, or in Vancouver at the Odyssey’s Feather Boa, Rob always knew that Sunday shows were a guaranteed good time.

Small wonder then that when EVO opened in 2013, rebuilding the Sunday drag scene in our city was one of his first goals. Sunday drag in Edmonton had ebbed and flowed over the years (read about one of the peak moments that happened with the Stardust Lounge here) but aside from long weekends, there hadn’t been a regular weekly show for a few years. In the spring of 2014, that changed with the launch of the Sunday Revue.

You could tell there was a renaissance happening in Edmonton drag. Houses like the Queens of the Orient and Homocidal were growing in popularity and raising the bar (albeit in very different ways). The Playgirls (less a house and more a troupe of incredibly talented friends; later the EVOgirls, and then Les Girls) were still the standard of drag excellence. Edmonton’s ISCWR wasn’t a drag house but Court queens were still hugely active in our space. And there was a growing group of artists who were starting to exploring their drag but needed the platform. Talk to Twiggy and she’ll tell you that back in the day, it wasn’t easy to get into bar shows; you had to pay your dues. The Sunday Revue though, it was a new show, and EVO itself was a new venue still, having only opened the September previous. We were going to grow together, the bar, the show, and the performers.

April 27, 2014, we held our first Sunday Revue. The cast was small: Tequila Mockingbird, Gogo Fetch, and Jesse Hannibal (prior to Jesse joining Homocidal). The audience was mostly out-of-drag dragoons, but Sunday drag was back in Edmonton, and the shows and audience continued to grow.

Tequila, Jesse, Gogo, and Rob, cast and host of EVO’s first Sunday Revue

That first year, our stage saw so many performers. Back then, this was an unpaid show, free to attend, and still really was just about the drag community finding its footing and supporting itself. In the spring of 2015, with almost a year of Sunday shows having happened, and of course, other shows other nights and other venues, Tequila said to Rob, you should do a Stiletto Awards, celebrating the year in drag, and we did. The 2015 Stiletto Awards saw Rosell Kristina not only win Performer of the Year but get crowned the first ever Miss Evolution.

Nominees and more at the First Annual Stiletto Awards

Some changes happened over the next few years. To pay the performers, Sunday cover was first $2, then $5, then $10. To encourage new performers, we had a period where we had two shows every Sunday, a 9pm free show for noobs, then the later paid show for the more established. Rob had hosted most, if not all, of the first year, but soon, performers were clamoring to not only host but produce. Different theme shows were held: comedy, country, battle of the divas, etc, and eventually, showcases focussed on trans/non-binary artists or drag artists of color. Check out a gallery of some Sunday Revue images here!

Now, here we are in 2024, and suddenly, it been ten years since our first ever Sunday Revue. From a scene of maybe thirty regular drag performers, we now have a thriving scene of easily over a hundred. And that’s in part due to this little Sunday show. And in part due to the amazing audience and community that loves and supports their dragoons and their little gay bar.

#### Your Karaoke Bar?
When EVO opened in 2013, the plan was to be a seven-days-a-week space. That didn’t last long. The one weeknight event that did have the longest run though was karaoke.

Being a kitchenless basement space, we know our weeknight programming options are limited, especially when coupled with noise restrictions thanks to an ancient building and difficult neighbors, but for years, karaoke was an event we could run that was an alternative to dance nights or shows for the folks in our community that aren’t into that. 

One of our first karaoke nights was part of a “Community Tuesdays” program, where different community groups took over our space on Tuesday nights, did whatever entertainment they wanted, and worked the bar themselves to make some money for themselves. Participating groups included the Pride Centre, Womonspace, and the ISCWR, who organized one of those early karaokes

Initial success for karaoke lays squarely on the shoulders of one of our original team members, Bobby, aka Dwight Trash, aka Trudy Looking Glass. (Fun fact, Bobby was also instrumental in introducing burlesque to our space but that’s a post for another day!) Post-Bobby, infamous Edmonton karaoke duo Jadie and Kendra also hosted for long run.  (Not a lot of pictures taken on karaoke nights, but luckily, Bobby also hosted some Monday open mic nights, letting us share some images of these great parts of our EVO family)

Bobby, at Open Mic

Jadie and Kendra, at an open mic night

The success of our annual Drag Superstar contest inspired the idea for a Karaoke Superstar contest. What a way to bring some friendly competition into our weekly event, while showcasing some of the amazing singers that Edmonton has. We ran this for a few years in January, and boy did it bring some singers down to the space! (And since it was partially voted, they brought their friends, and that meant busy Wednesdays, which, let’s be honest, is the goal; Ice District rent isn’t cheap!)  We don’t think this is the complete list, but shout outs to some of our Karaoke Superstar winners: Jadie (2015), Nava (2016), Layla (2017), Kyle (2018 – maybe!), Shannon (2019), Kyle and Charity (2020). After Charity’s 2020 win in February, we promised a summer edition, but well, we all know how 2020 went!

Karaoke Superstar wasn’t the only cash contest we tried during karaoke. We had a run of our MYSTERY SONG contest too, where we posted hints about a song, and people had to sing the answer. Whoever submitted and sang, won! 

But mostly, karaoke is just about good times with friends, singing some songs. And that sure came through, especially during holidays (some of which included little community potlucks where all the karaoke regulars brought down food for everyone to share!)

Noah’s 2018 turkey

Post-COVID, we started Drag Queen Karaoke with rotating hosts. Some of your drag faves like Ferris and Bambi, Twiggy, Gemma, and Natrasha brought their drag stage energy to hosting. But also in that post-COVID world, we had to be a little more sustainable than before, which karaoke isn’t always. Sadly, we put karaoke on pause in 2023.

That is, until we got the chance to partner with the Edmonton Lesbian Event Network last October for a one-off Scary-oke. The response was so good, we brought it back as a monthly event, and we look forward to keeping it like that for a while. Not everyone wants to be in a loud dance club, and not everyone wants to watch a show, and maybe, just maybe, all they really want is a few drinks, a few songs, a few laughs, and Karaoke at EVO has that covered.

Twiggy on board the love boat at karaoke

### Pages

#### Drink
Drink @YOURGAYBAR
    
      Online menu and pricing may not be up to date. What’s on location always takes precedence.
    
  

Tap or click a button to jump to that section.

  
    
      On Tap
      Happy Hour
      Bottles & Cans
      Non-Alcoholic
      Cocktails
      Wine
      Spirits
    
  

  

    
    
      On Tap
      
        
          Brand16 oz60 oz
          
            Tilt by Phillips$7.00$20
            Canadian or Coors Light$8.25$24
            Sapporo$8.75$26
            Blue Moon$8.25$24
            Prairie Fairy or Wolf$8.75$26
            Wild Rose Red$8.25$24
            Electric Unicorn$8.75$26
            Dino-Sour$8.75$26
            Michelob Ultra$9.25$26
            Heineken$9.25$26
            Strongbow Cider$9.25—Not available
            Shiddy’s Orange$8.50—Not available
            Slamonade$8.50—Not available
            Rotationals$8.75$26
          
        
      
    

    
      
      
        Happy Hour Daily until 7
        
          16oz Pint of Tilt$5
          1oz Well Highball$5
          Happy Shots$5
        
      

      
      
        Bottles & Cans
        
          Bud and Bud Light$7
          Shiddy’s Whisky Lemonade or Peach Pie, EZ Tea, Somersby Pear Cider$9.25
          Corona, Smirnoff Ice, ESA, and White Claw$8.50
        
      
    

    
    
      Non-Alcoholic
      Fountain drinks: one free refill with food only
      
        
          Fountain Pop or Juice$3
          Pepsi, Pepsi Zero, 7-Up, Ginger Ale, Soda, Tonic. Cranberry, Mango, Orange, Pineapple.
        
        
          Monin and Soda$4
          Desert Pear, Dragonfruit, Watermelon, Vanilla, Lavender, rotating flavours.
        
        
          Mixed Mocktails$3.50
          Shirley Temple, Virgin Caesar.
        
        
          Sparkmouth Canned Mocktails$5
          Ask for flavours.
        
        
          Grizzly Paw Canned Sodas$4.25
          Ask for flavours.
        
        
          Red Bull$5
          Ask for flavours.
        
        
          Non-Alcoholic Beer$7
          Corona Cero or Straight Edge.
        
        
          Coffee (non-refillable)$3
        
        
          Bubly or Brisk Iced Tea$3
          Ask for flavours.
        
      
    

    
    
      Cocktails: Popular Premium
      1 oz $8.252 oz $15.00
      
        Pornstar
        Tequila Sunrise
        Sex on the Beach
        Jolly Rancher
        Blue Hawaiian
        Caesar
        Dirty Shirley
        Long Island Iced Tea
        Broken Down Golf Cart
      
    

    
    
      Shaken & Stirred
      2 oz $17
      
        Amaretto Sour
        Pisco Sour
        Whiskey Sour
        Hennessy Sour
        Classic Sidecar
        North of the 49th
        Cosmopolitan
        Tequila Spritz
        Something Pink
        Japanese Gin Tonic
        Hornitos Margaritas
        Irish Old Fashioned
        The Red Mule
        The Shanghai Market
      
    

    
    
      Martinis (2.5 oz)
      
        
          Martini$17
          Smirnoff, Tanqueray
        
        
          Martini$19
          Belvedere, Hendrick’s
        
      
    
  

  
  

  
    Wines
  

  
    
    
      House Wines
      
        
          Brand6 oz½ litre1 litre
          
            Viña Santa Carolina ChileCabernet Sauvignon, Merlot$7.25$16$31
            Paul Mas Valmont Red FranceGrenache, Carignan, Syrah, Merlot$7.25$16$31
            Paul Mas Valmont White FranceGrenache Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Mauzac, Chasan, Vermentino, Sauvignon Blanc$7.25$16$31
            Côte de Mas Rosé FranceGrenache, Cinsault, Syrah$8.50$18$34
          
        
      
    

    
    
      By the Glass & Bottle
      
        
          All bottles 750 mLGlassBottle
          
            Red Wines
            Paul Mas Estate Malbec France—Not available$36
            Perrin Réserve Côtes du Rhône Villages France—Not available$39
            Beni di Batasiolo Barolo Italy—Not available$66

            White Wines (6 oz glass)
            McGuigan Black Label Pinot Grigio Australia—Not available$36
            Paul Mas Viognier France—Not available$36
            Kim Crawford New Zealand$9.25$37.50

            Rosé Wines
            Studio by Miraval France—Not available$40
            M de Minuty France—Not available$62

            Sparkling Wines (5 oz glass)
            Veuve de Vernay Brut France$8$38
            Veuve de Vernay Brut Rosé France$8.50$41

            Champagne
            Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial France—Not available$165
            Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial Rosé France—Not available$195
          
        
      
    
  

  
  

  
    Spirits
  

  
    
      
        Brand1oz shot1oz drink2oz
        
          Vodka
          Banff Ice$6.25$7.25$12
          Smirnoff Regular, Blueberry, Raspberry, Pink Lemonade, Vanilla$7.25$8.25$15
          Belvedere$8.25$9.25$17

          Gin
          Gordon’s$6.25$7.25$12
          Tanqueray or Tanqueray Sevilla$7.25$8.25$15
          Roku, Hendrick’s, Peddlers Salted Plum$8.25$9.25$17

          Rum
          Lamb’s White or Dark$6.25$7.25$12
          Captain Morgan White, Dark, Spiced / Malibu$7.25$8.25$15
          Bumbu, Bumbu XO$8.25$9.25$17

          Whisky
          Alberta Premium$6.25$7.25$12
          Crown Royal, Reifel, Jameson$7.25$8.25$15
          Jameson Black Barrel, Toki$8.25$9.25$17

          Scotch
          Auchentoshan, Deacon$8.25$9.25$17
          Highland Park 12yr, Bowmore Sherry Cask 12yr—Not available$11—Not available
          Laphroaig Quarter Cask—Not available$12—Not available
          Macallan 12yr—Not available$15—Not available

          Cognac
          Hennessy or Villon$8.25$9.25$17

          Tequila
          Sauza Gold$7.25$8.25$15
          Hornitos, Nodo, 1800, Chica Chida Hornitos (Plata, Pineapple, Cucumber Habanero), Nodo (Coffee), 1800 (Coconut), Chica Chida Peanut Butter$8.25$9.25$17
          Patrón Silver$11$12$22
          Patrón El Cielo$18—Not available—Not available
        
      
    
    
      Monday Zero Alcohol Gin and Whisky available.
    
  

  See our food menu

#### Eat
Eat @YOURGAYBAR
    
      Online menu and pricing may not be up to date. What’s on location always takes precedence.
      V Vegetarian   GF Gluten-free
      We are committed to a welcoming experience for all. Substitute any protein for a premium plant-based patty, or ask for a gluten-free bun or dairy-free cheese.
    
  

Tap or click a button to jump to that section.

  
    
      Shareables
      Burgers
      Handhelds
      Salads
      Mains
      Pizzas
      Late Night
    
  

  

    
    
      Appetizers & Shareables
      
        
          Sliders$18
          Cheese, burger sauce, lettuce, onions, pickles with either chicken OR beef and bacon.
        
        
          Chicken Tenders$18
          All white meat breaded chicken, choice of dip, with a side of fries.
        
        
          Chicken Wings$20
          Crispy chicken wings fried fresh with choice of sauce. Half off Monday and Wednesday.
          Flavours: Hot, Teriyaki, Honey Garlic, BBQ, Hottiyaki, Valentina, Lemon Pepper, Chipotle Mango, Nashville Dry, Maple Bacon, Cowboy, Caribbean Jerk, Orange Chipotle, Garlic Parm, Hot-BBQ, Cajun, Salt and Pepper
        
        
          Nacho Supreme VGF$20
          Fresh corn tortilla, cheese, queso cheese, jalapeño-pepper-onion mix, olives, cilantro, served with sour cream and salsa.
          Add chicken or beef$7
        
        
          Cauliflower Bites$16
          Crispy, bite-sized cauliflower florets tossed in your choice of a bold, savory sauce and served with a cool dip (see wings for options).
        
        
          Crispy Calamari$16
          Served with lemon wedge and La Bomba aioli.
        
        
          Combo Platter$22
          3 mozza sticks, 3 chicken tenders, rings, and Cajun fries, choice of dip.
          Make it a Deluxe Platter$39
        
        
          Hummus and Naan V$11
          Red pepper hummus with naan wedges for dipping!
        
        
          Mozzarella Sticks$16
          Freshly fried 8 cheese sticks, marinara dipping sauce.
        
        
          Truffle Parmesan Fries V$11
          Crispy, golden fries tossed in rich, earthy truffle oil with a dusting of parmesan cheese.
        
        
          Sea Salt Fries$7
          Crispy, golden fries tossed in sea salt.
          Upgrade to poutine$5
        
        
          Yam Fries VGF$12
          Crispy, hand-cut sweet potato batons fried to a vibrant golden-orange.
        
        
          Onion Rings$10
          Golden, thick-cut onion rings dipped in a crispy, savory batter and fried until they have a perfect, satisfying crunch.
        
      
      
        Dip selections: Garlic Aioli, Marinara, Plum, La Bomba Aioli, Honey Mustard, Honey Garlic, Tartar, Ranch, Burger Sauce, Beer BBQ, Bourbon BBQ, Salsa, Sour Cream, Honey, Vinegar
        
          Extra dip $2
          Guacamole $3
          Gravy $2
        
      
    

    
    
      Burgers
      
        
          The Cheese Burger$20
          6oz chuck patty, cheddar cheese, burger sauce, white onion, dill pickles.
        
        
          Bourbon Cheese Burger$22
          6oz chuck patty, cheddar, burger sauce, lettuce, white onion, bourbon glaze, pickles, onion ring.
        
        
          Bacon Cheese Burger$22
          6oz chuck patty, cheddar, burger sauce, lettuce, tomato, white onion, bacon, pickles.
        
        
          Crispy Chicken Burger$23
          Spicy buttermilk fried chicken, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, burger sauce, and cheese.
        
        
          Veggie Burger V$20
          Cheese, lettuce, tomato, burger sauce, onion, pickles.
        
        
          Happy Burger (4–7 only)$15
          Comes with miso sauce, onions, pickles, plus fries and carrot cake for dessert!
          Just the burger$10
        
      
      
        All burgers and handhelds come with a choice of fries, house salad, or Caesar. They’re available on their own too — ask your server for the price!
      
    

    
      
      
        Handhelds
        
          
            Buffalo Chicken Wrap$20
            Crispy chicken tenders tossed in buffalo sauce, nacho cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, ranch, internal fries.
          
          
            Chicken Bacon Wrap$22
            Achiote chicken, guacamole, applewood smoked bacon, nacho cheese, ranch and internal fries.
          
          
            BLT$16
            Bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo on hoagie bun.
          
          
            Chicken Club$20
            Grilled chicken, with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on hoagie bun.
          
          
            BBQ Chicken Melt$20
            Crispy chicken basted in Beer BBQ sauce, served with mayo, onion, cheddar on hoagie.
          
        
      

      
      
        Salads
        
          
            Caesar Salad$6 / $12
            Crispy romaine, kale, anchovies, bacon, parmesan, fresh croutons, house dressing.
          
          
            House Salad$6 / $12
            Marinated greens, gem tomatoes, cucumber, assorted peppers, raspberry vinaigrette.
          
        
      
    

    
    
      Mains
      
        
          Crispy Tofu Bowl$23
          Crispy tofu with mango, avocado, edamame, papaya slaw, jasmine rice.
        
        
          Spaghetti and Meatballs$22
          Spaghetti with balls of pork and beef, plus garlic toast.
        
        
          Truffle Rigatoni Alfredo V$17
          Rigatoni pasta tossed in a rich, creamy Alfredo sauce infused with the savory flavour of truffles.
        
        
          Classic Mac & Cheese$17
          Tender pasta shells smothered in a rich blend of melted cheeses.
        
        
          Rigatoni with Calabrese Sausage$21
          Fresh tomato sauce, La Bomba relish, oven-roasted onion and peppers, crumbled pork sausage, basil and fresh chilli.
        
        
          Fish & Chips$16
          Beer battered, crisp fries, tartar sauce, lemon wedge.
        
        
          Chicken Rice Bowl$23
          Teriyaki chicken served on a bed of rice and vegetables with water chestnuts, wonton and more.
        
        
          Butter Chicken$20
          Butter chicken served on jasmine rice with naan.
        
      
    

    
    
      Pizzas
      
        
          Margherita$17
          Chunky tomato basil sauce, fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil.
        
        
          Achiote Chicken Pizza$20
          Spiced shredded chicken, white onions, mozzarella cheese, cilantro.
        
        
          Pepperoni$19
          Chunky tomato sauce, mozzarella, sliced spiced pepperoni, extra virgin olive oil.
        
        
          Loaded Veggie$19
          Fried onion and jalapeño, olives, peppers, mushrooms, parsley.
        
        
          Tropical$20
          Sausage crumble, pineapple chunks, fried onion and jalapeño.
        
      
      
        Add-ons: extra cheese, fried onion and jalapeño, peppers, mushrooms, olives (all veg $3 each), chicken $6, beef $6, pepperoni $4.
      
    

    
      Ask your server for the special of the week
      Ask your server about our rotating feature dessert!
    
  

  
  
    EVO at Night
    Mezzanine Menu 10 PM – 12 AM
    
      
        Mozzarella Sticks$16
        Freshly fried 8 cheese sticks, marinara dipping sauce.
      
      
        Truffle Parmesan Fries$11
        Crispy, golden fries tossed in rich, earthy truffle oil with a dusting of parmesan cheese.
      
      
        Sea Salt Fries$7
        Crispy, golden fries tossed in sea salt.
      
      
        Yam Fries$12
        Crispy, hand-cut sweet potato batons fried to a vibrant golden-orange.
      
      
        Onion Rings$10
        Golden, thick-cut onion rings dipped in a crispy, savory batter and fried until they have a perfect, satisfying crunch.
      
      
        Chicken Tenders$18
        All white meat breaded chicken, choice of dipping sauce, with a side of fries.
      
      
        Cauliflower Bites$16
        Crispy, bite-sized cauliflower florets tossed in your choice of a bold, savory sauce and served with a cool dip.
      
      
        Chicken Wings$20
        Hot, Teriyaki, Honey Garlic, Honey Mustard, BBQ, Salt and Pepper, Lemon Pepper, Chipotle Mango, Nashville.
      
      
        Party Platter$22
        Combination of Cajun fries, rings, tenders, and mozza sticks, served with choice of dip.
      
      
        Deluxe Platter$39
        Combination of Cajun fries, rings, tenders, and mozza sticks, PLUS wings.
      
    
  

  See our drink menu

#### News
URL: https://yourgaybar.com/news/

#### Perform
We are always looking for new talent — DJs, drag artists, burlesque artists, live music, and more! We are also always open to working with outside producers on events in the space. Reach out at perform@yourgaybar.com to get the conversation started!

CALL FOR SUNDAY SHOWS

We are looking for engaging ideas for performance based programming with dynamic hosts from a variety of producers.

At this time, we are still not charging outside produced events rental fees — but there is an expectation of a minimum fifty attendees or our staffing costs will need to be covered from door sales.

Advance $10 and Door $15 otherwise are 100% retained by the producer to split however they agree with their casts.

Venue supplies door staff, tech, and photographer.

What we look for in a proposal: well-thought out concepts, well-rounded casts… we also look at things like previous show successes, how often you and your cast are at other people’s Sunday shows, etc

We will help promote your shows but the main onus remains on the producer to ensure their cast is promoting. Promotions should be begun a month in advance at the latest.

At this time we are ONLY taking proposals for Sunday shows (doors 6 show 7). We also need to reserve the right to have guests in the space that don’t have tickets as we are open for dinner but will seat those tables away from the main stage and seating area to ensure your ticketed guests have the best views.

Pitches or questions can come to perform@yourgaybar.com

While not everything can be approved, we remain committed to giving opportunities to newer or inexperienced hosts, producers, and performers, and will only gatekeep a little. (But our expenses have also tripled at the new space so we do always need to keep capitalism in mind)

#### Subscribe
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#### The Original Evolution Wonderlounge
10220 – 103 StreetEdmonton, ABOur last dance for this location was November 8, 2025. 

We thank the Edmonton community and the many visitors that came through our door for being a part of this amazing journey.Serving the 2SLGBTQ+ community year round, Evolution Wonderlounge provided an unparalleled night out since 2013. Whether you were coming out for one of our amazing drag or burlesque shows, or looking for a night on the dance floor with one of our rotating DJs, you knew a night here was a night like no other.The club has hosted guests like Chi Chi La Rue, Leslie Jordan, Lady Bunny, Alyssa Edwards, Bianca Del Rio, Amanda Lepore, Cazwell, Rocco Steele, Brent Corrigan, Brent Everett, and more. But no matter who the guests are, the local talent is what continued to wow and dazzle.Evolution Wonderlounge was proud to be active in the community. Since opening in 2013, over $500,000 has left the venue to go back into groups and causes such as the Red Cross, Canadian Mental Health Association, cancer research, HIV Edmonton, GSAs, and more.

Check out our Gallery for pics from the many past events that were held in this spaceGalleryPlease come see us at our new location – EVO11508 Jasper Avenue

Main Bar July 2013Before Opening

Main Room July 2013Before Opening

Outside 103 Street Location

4th AnniversarySept. 16, 2017

Closing night Nov. 8, 2025

#### Welcome!
11508 Jasper AvenueEdmonton, AB

Open seven days a week at 4pm, EVO has so many of the features our original space couldn’t accommodate. This accessible, street-level space is flooded by sunlight in the evenings, making it a perfect place to meet your friends for drinks and eats.Yes, the new space has a full kitchen! Burgers, wraps, pizzas, rotating entrees, and a wide variety of appetizers feature prominently on the menu. Weeknight music is dictated by you, with our TouchTunes jukebox, controllable by an app right from your table! Weeknight programming includes Karaoke every Monday and Wednesday, Trivia every Thursday, drag shows every Sunday, with open mics, live music, bingo, socials and mixers, and more happening all the time!

Friday and Saturday late night, DJs take over and the dance floors are open! That often means three floors of fun, as there’s the EVO Underground to give you those OG vibes.

Check our event calendar for upcoming events at this location and who will be playing the music you have come to expect from us.

NOW OPEN — Welcome to the UNDERGROUND Dance Room!We’re taking it downstairs. Our new UNDERGROUND Dance Room brings back the raw, electric vibe of EVO’s original (OG) dance floor. Open primarily on weekend nights and special events and some nights featuring its own DJ separate from the main floor, this space is built for dancing late and dancing hard — just like you always have.

Please note: the UNDERGROUND Dance Room is located in the basement and is not wheelchair accessible.

UNDERGROUND Dance Room

Check out information on our OG (original) space that opened September 13, 2013 and closed November 8, 2025 at this link:https://yourgaybar.com/og/

#### Work
Do you want to work in an exciting and inclusive venue? Available positions could include front of house like bartenders and servers, back of house like barbacks and cooks, and support staff like security and coatcheck. While we may not be hiring now, we hold onto resumes for three months from receipt in case a position you are interested in comes up.We do prefer hiring from within first, whether that’s expanding the duties of existing staff or promoting regular guests to staff.  We aren’t saying you need to be a regular customer to get hired, but it definitely bumps your email up the list if we know who you are!

Email us now at work@yourgaybar.com

Requirements: We do need all Front of House staff to have AGLC’s ProServe and ProTect training. All kitchen staff must have FoodSafe. All staff are encouraged to have things like First Aid, including Naloxone training, and Bystander Intervention.

Join our team today.

### Events

#### 7 Deadly Sins – Drag Show
Are you feeling Sinful? So are we Come down to Evo on October 11 for a show full of sin, featuring 7 of your favourite drag artists leaning into their dark sides.
Lust  Wrath  Greed  Envy  Sloth  Vanity  Gluttony 
Which Sin are you feeling the most? Maybe you can’t decide  Perhaps you’re guilty of them all.
Get your tickets now for this night of debauchery, all for a good cause!Majority of proceeds will be donated to the charities of the ISCWR’s 51 Reign, with the rest going to performer compensation.
So come on and sin with us. We won’t judge 
Doors: 6 PMShow: 7 PM
Tickets: $10 In advance / $15 At the door

Advanced Ticket
$10
Tickets purchased in advance.
Door Ticket
$15
Tickets purchased at the door.

#### Canada Day Karaoke
Vote yes to karaoke and wings
Vote NO to everything else. ✔️
 

#### CUNTRESSAS Canadian Tour
From RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World Season 3, the intergalactic Cuntressas are landing in Edmonton for the first time ever!
Your Intergalactic CUNTRESSAS are coming up north!From RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World Season 3, we’re bringing you an out-of-this-world lineup never before seen in Canada:The fashion mannequin, Sminty DropThe Filipina goddess from the UK nation, Zahirah ZapantaThe mother of the season, Mariah BalenciagaAnd your reigning queen of the mother-tucking world, GAWDLAND
Serving you the ultimate fantasy with electrifying group numbers, jaw-dropping solos, iconic duos, exclusive meet & greets, local performers, special guests and so much more…
Hosted by Emaan La’Belle and Canada’s Drag Race Season 6 Runner-Up Eboni La’Belle.

Early Bird General Admission
CA$59.91
incl. CA$4.91 Fee
Sold out

General Admission
CA$71.62
incl. CA$5.62 Fee
Sales end on Nov 6, 2026
VIP Package
CA$106.77
incl. CA$7.77 Fee
Sales end on Nov 6, 2026
VIP Package includes:
General Admission Ticket, Pre-Show Meet & Greet w/ Entire Cast, Early Access to venue, Exclusive Signed Print
Meet and Greet
CA$27.96
incl. CA$2.96 Fee
Sales end on Nov 6, 2026
Includes Pre-Show Meet and Greet w/ Entire Cast!
DOES NOT INCLUDE ADMISSION TO EVENT.

#### Dark Masquerade // CIRCUIT FRIDAYS
You’re invited to the hidden ballroom beneath the city.
SO/C.Music x Evolution Wonderlounge present:THE DARK MASQUERADE
Featuring The Heather Network.
SET TIMES10PM — Jake Asher11PM — WAV~Shaper12AM — The Heather Network1AM — RAINE
House | Tech House | UKG | Bass House
Step below street level and into a darker kind of ballroom.A basement transformed into an underground masquerade where the music runs late.
Dress for the dark.Disappear into the crowd.
MASKS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
All are welcome.Built for those who stay late.
18+ ONLY

<SO/C>
ENTRY + EVENT CONDITIONS
Zero tolerance policy in effect.
Government-issued ID is mandatory at the door.
 A valid wristband is required for entry into The Dark Masquerade. No wristband, nobasement access.
Coat check available.
This event will use strobe lighting, lasers, theatrical smoke/fog effects, and low-light conditions.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/dark-masquerade-circuit-fridays-tickets-1999805053749

All-Access Pass // ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
CA$15.00
Sales end on Oct 23, 2026

#### ElectroQueer Rave Night – House for the Holidays
EQ Volume 5 is coming Saturday Dec 19th – and this time we’re gonna gift you with a night full of house music and hyperpop just in time for the holidays.
Join us as we turn the Evolution Underground into our homo for the holidays with a night full of afrohouse, bass house, tech house and hyperpop.
$5 advance tickets are only available until Friday October 2nd, then they go to $10 in advance, and $15 at the door.
Stay tuned for performer announcements next week!
Hosted by Evolution Wonderlounge resident DJ Otter Nonsense – with special guests
$5 Early bird tickets on sale now until Friday October 2nd$10 in advance$15 at the door

Early Bird Ticket (Only until Friday, October 2, 2026)
$6.10
$5.00 CAD + $1.10 Fees
Advance Ticket
$11.30
$10.00 CAD + $1.30 Fees

#### FAB Monthly Social
Join us for our monthly FAB Bear Social at Evolution Wonderlounge (Jasper Ave).
This is your chance to eat, chat, and chill with fellow bears, cubs, and admirers in a relaxed and welcoming space. Whether you’re new to FAB or a long-time MemBear, come connect with community and kick back with friends.
Let’s make the night full of good vibes and great company!
 #iamFAB

#### FAB Monthly Social
Join us for our monthly FAB Bear Social at Evolution Wonderlounge (Jasper Ave).
This is your chance to eat, chat, and chill with fellow bears, cubs, and admirers in a relaxed and welcoming space. Whether you’re new to FAB or a long-time MemBear, come connect with community and kick back with friends.
Let’s make the night full of good vibes and great company!
 #iamFAB

#### FAB Monthly Social
Join us for our monthly FAB Bear Social at Evolution Wonderlounge (Jasper Ave).
This is your chance to eat, chat, and chill with fellow bears, cubs, and admirers in a relaxed and welcoming space. Whether you’re new to FAB or a long-time MemBear, come connect with community and kick back with friends.
Let’s make the night full of good vibes and great company!
 #iamFAB

#### FUR 2 FAB
The annual FUR-2-FAB is back in a partnership between the ISCWR, FAB and EVO to raise money for the LJ Steele Bursary.
This year we are going back to the Bear Necessities, with a Disney themed extravaganza! Come out and support us while we crown the next bear as Fur2Fab 2026.
This is guaranteed to be a magical night where dreams for a special bear will come true, because what Disney Princess is complete without a crown?
Location: Evolution Wonderlounge
Doors: 6 PMShow: 7 PM
Tickets: $15 in advance / $20 at the door
Please come out and support our cause, with all proceeds going the LJ Steele bursary fund.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/fur-2-fab–2026

Advanced Ticket
$15
Door Ticket
$20

#### FURequency
Edmonton, it’s time for Furry Rave 2.0!! =^.^=
With a full bar takeover at Evo – we’ll have an action packed night with 2 floors of incredible DJs, vendors, dancers, a costume contest with cash prize, and a community built for you.
Get your howl on before Howl!
This is a queer and kink pawsitive event, bringing together people of all walks of life – you do not need to be furry whatsoever, you do not need a fursuit or gear to be a part of this amazing night – but rather come as you are and make new friends!! And who knows, maybe you’ll learn something new about yourself…
Our wildly talented DJs are: caraboo SapphoDal alien dawg Otter Nonsense Miss Kitty Pengwen rave cat
Vendors to be announced, so get ready to break the cold snap and come shake your tail with us!!

https://www.showpass.com/furequency/

Advance
$10.79
$10.00 CAD + $0.79 Fees

#### General Knowledge Digital Trivia
 General Knowledge Trivia – Are You Smarter Than the Room? 
Tipsy Trivia runs one of Edmonton’s most competitive General Knowledge Trivia Nights at EVO — and the regulars don’t mess around.
Expect fast-paced questions, real-time phone scoring, and a live leaderboard that keeps everyone locked in from the first round to the last. Topics range from pop culture and sports to history, music, and current events.
 Planning to join us?Eventbrite registration helps us track interest, but it does not reserve a table. To secure seating, please call EVO directly to book your table.
 Interactive phone gameplay Music + energy all night Prizes for top teams
Free to play. Arrive early. Bring your A-game.
#TriviaEdmonton #CompetitiveTrivia #QuizNightEdmonton #TipsyTrivia

Registration Link:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/edmonton-evo-general-knowledge-digital-trivia-oct-15-7pm-tickets-1998652171447

#### General Knowledge Digital Trivia
 General Knowledge Trivia – Are You Smarter Than the Room? 
Tipsy Trivia runs one of Edmonton’s most competitive General Knowledge Trivia Nights at EVO — and the regulars don’t mess around.
Expect fast-paced questions, real-time phone scoring, and a live leaderboard that keeps everyone locked in from the first round to the last. Topics range from pop culture and sports to history, music, and current events.
 Planning to join us?Eventbrite registration helps us track interest, but it does not reserve a table. To secure seating, please call EVO directly to book your table.
 Interactive phone gameplay Music + energy all night Prizes for top teams
Free to play. Arrive early. Bring your A-game.
#TriviaEdmonton #CompetitiveTrivia #QuizNightEdmonton #TipsyTrivia

Registration Link:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/edmonton-evo-general-knowledge-digital-trivia-oct-22-7pm-tickets-1998652204546

#### Halloween Friday: Monster Party feat. ELEN
When it comes to Halloween, there’s no place better than your gay bar!
Two floors of fun and cash prizes!
DJ Roamn on Main$500 Cash Prize for “BEST MONSTER LOOK”
in partnership with ELEN

https://www.showpass.com/halloween-friday-monster-party

Early Bird Tickets
$7.55
$7.00 CAD + $0.55 Fees
Advance
$10.79
$10.00 CAD + $0.79 Fees
Day Of
$16.18
$15.00 CAD + $1.18 Fees
Partnership with ELEN
$5.39
$5.00 CAD + $0.39 Fees

#### Halloween Horror Digital Trivia
 Horror & Halloween Trivia Night  Think you know what goes bump in the night? Prove it.
From iconic slashers and supernatural scares to creepy classics, cult favourites, monsters, villains, haunted houses, and Halloween legends — this is a trivia night built for people who actually love spooky season.
Expect a fast-paced mix of famous horror moments, sinister characters, memorable kills, twisted details, and questions that’ll have your whole table arguing over the answer.
Some will be easy. Some will be brutal. And some will make you wonder why your brain decided to remember that.
 Planning to join us?Eventbrite registration helps us track interest, but it does not reserve a table. To secure seating, please call EVO directly to book your table.
As the rounds go on, the questions get tougher, the room gets louder, and bragging rights become deadly serious.
 What to expect Horror & Halloween trivia across movies, characters, villains, monsters & more Play live on your phone — no paper, no waiting Prizes + giveaways throughout the night Play solo or assemble your own terrifying team Free to play
Horror fans show up for this one. Grab your crew, call the venue to reserve your table, and don’t be the person who hears about it after everyone else has already survived the night.

Registration Link:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/edmonton-evo-halloween-horror-digital-trivia-oct-29-7pm-tickets-1998652427212

#### Halloween Saturday: Party Monster
Halloween at your gay bar is always the best time – and this year is no exception! DJ Pengwen will keep you bouncing on main, DJ Ravecat will keep you sweating in the EVO Underground

Cash Prizes for Best Costume:$500 for Best Duo or Group$500 for Best Overall Look

https://www.showpass.com/halloween-saturday-party-monster

Early Bird Tickets
$7.55
$7.00 CAD + $0.55 Fees
Advance
$10.79
$10.00 CAD + $0.79 Fees
Day Of
$21.58
$20.00 CAD + $1.58 Fees

#### HARD RUSH // Circuit Fridays
You’re invited to a harder side of the underground.
SO/C.Music x Evolution Wonderlounge present: HARD RUSH.
Featuring WrklessΛRelentless. Formally known as DJ CRUNCHBERRY. (Hard Attaq Music)
Fast. Loud. Relentless.
 SET TIMES 10PM — DocWaters11PM — DJ G.I.R12AM — WrklessΛRelentless1AM — WAV~Shaper
Hard House | Hardstyle | Hard Techno | Hard Dance
Four hours of harder sounds, faster BPMs and underground energy built for a dance floor thatdoesn’t quit.
All are welcome.Built for those who stay late.
18+ ONLY

<SO/C>
EVENT DETAILS + TICKETS
Event details and tickets available through Eventbrite.Advance sales begin 10.01.
ENTRY + EVENT CONDITIONS
 Zero tolerance policy in effect. Government-issued ID is mandatory at the door. A valid wristband is required for entry into HARD RUSH. No wristband, no basement access. Coat check available.
 This event will use strobe lighting, lasers, theatrical smoke/fog effects, and low-lightconditions.
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/hard-rush-circuit-fridays-tickets-1999848247944

Tickets On Sale October 1, 2026

#### Inspire – Intl. Day of Pink
This year, the Day of Pink INSPIRE Tour travels across Canada, bringing over free events directly into classrooms & community spaces to celebrate 2SLGBTQIA+ trailblazers and inspire the next generation.

From classrooms to community halls, queer and trans voices have always driven change. This tour honours that legacy, marking two pivotal anniversaries in Canadian history:
The 50th Anniversary of the Montreal Olympic Raids
The 55th Anniversary of the ‘We Demand’ Protest
But this tour is not just about the past—it’s about history as an active tool to build a respectful, equitable, and affirming tomorrow.

 What to ExpectThe INSPIRE Tour is an immersive experience featuring a brand-new play by Lawrence Aronovitch, short documentary screenings, and interactive discussions.
Our tour brings history to life through art and multimedia—sharing stories of intersectional solidarity and brave activism that laid the foundation for federal equality.
This is not just a show. It’s a movement to inspire action.
INSPIRE TOUR (FREE event) / TOURNÉE INSPIRE (évènement GRATUIT)
SELECT THE EDMONTON EVENT – Oct 21 / 21 Oct – Edmonton

#### Leather Social
Join Edmonton Leather Men and other kinksters for a monthly social on the meazzanine – no cover, no dress code, no pressure – just a chance to connect!

#### Leather Social
Join Edmonton Leather Men and other kinksters for a monthly social on the meazzanine – no cover, no dress code, no pressure – just a chance to connect!

#### Leather Social
Join Edmonton Leather Men and other kinksters for a monthly social on the meazzanine – no cover, no dress code, no pressure – just a chance to connect!

#### Monday Karaoke
Doubling your singing pleasure with karaoke Mondays and Wednesdays!
The best part about Monday? It’s Wing Night!

#### Monday Karaoke
Doubling your singing pleasure with karaoke Mondays and Wednesdays!
The best part about Monday? It’s Wing Night!

#### Monday Karaoke
Doubling your singing pleasure with karaoke Mondays and Wednesdays!
The best part about Monday? It’s Wing Night!

#### Papi’s Ghoulos
Sir Papi is back – and things are getting much more ghoulish.
Don’t miss this terrifying and tantalizing night of drag – with Mx B Haven, Damien Ghoul, Meatsack, Helluva Thing, Clarke K, and Dante Ghoul — and of course, Sir Papi!

Advance $10 / Doors $15Doors 7 / show 8
Tickets include three floors of fun after with DJ AK on main and the sweatbox team in the Underground

Early Bird General Admission
$10.79
$10.00 CAD + $0.79 Fees

#### Phoenix Rising Presents Landon Cider
Phoenix Rising Presents Landon Cider (hosted by Tugs)
The King is Back in Edmonton!
Join us at the new EVO for the return of Landon Cider, alongside local faves like Tanner Steele, Raw Angus, Charli Darwin, and Gabe Autumn
With your host, Tugs!
Pre-show meet and greet tickets come with reserved seating / must be there at 7:30 for meet and greet
Other seating is first come first serve, so think about coming early and grabbing dinner before the show
After show beats on main floors curated by DJ Roamn (Ticketed event in the basement)
Early bird until Friday Sept 11: $10Advance: $15Doors: $20Meet and Greet: $30
Just coming to dance after? Cover is only $5 after 10

Meet and Greet
$32.37
$30.00 CAD + $2.37 Fees
Advance
$16.18
$15.00 CAD + $1.18 Fees

 

#### Red October with AK + sweatbox
Wear Red and Party with AK and sweatbox
$10 Doubles but only if you’re wearing red
$7 cover in effect includes all three floors
Come early for Papi’s Ghoulos and you can stay and dance for free

#### ROCK & REVEAL BURLESQUE CABARET
Turn it up and let the tassels fly!Rock & Reveal is a high-voltage burlesque spectacular celebrating the biggest anthems, legendary artists, and unforgettable eras of rock music.
From classic rock and glam to punk, alternative, and heavy metal, this electrifying production blends jaw-dropping burlesque, dazzling costumes, theatrical storytelling, and powerhouse performances into one unforgettable night. Expect air guitars, leather, lace, glitter, attitude, and plenty of rock ‘n’ roll rebellion.Whether you’re a die-hard rocker or just love an incredible live show, Rock & Reveal delivers the perfect mix of music, comedy, sensuality, and spectacle.
So throw on your band tee, tease your hair, and join Razz Ma Berries Productions for an evening where the music is loud, the performances are bold, and every reveal earns an encore.
Date: Saturday, October 17Time: 8:00 PM, Ticketed event seating will begin at 7 pm.Venue: Evolution Wonderlounge (EVO) 11508 Jasper Avenue
About the venue:Evolution Wonderlounge (Evo) is a lively 2SLGBTQ+ bar and performance venue. It’s a two-level, street-level space with a full kitchen, offering burgers, wraps, pizzas, and cocktails. Open from 4 pm daily, Evo mixes dining and nightlife—hosting drag and burlesque shows, karaoke, trivia, and bingo. With large windows, warm lighting, and flexible seating, it’s designed as a welcoming community hub for both early-evening meals and late-night entertainment.
General Admission seating only. Smaller parties may be seated with others.
Rock hard. Reveal harder.
No Minors / No Refunds
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/rock-reveal-burlesque-cabaret-tickets-1994108407928

General Seating
CA$22.63
incl. CA$2.63 Fee
Sales end on Oct 17, 2026

#### Saturday with Otter Nonsense
$7 cover after 10 (free before!)

#### Steele the Stage: a Nickleback Sunday Revue
STEELE THE STAGE: VOLUME 2A Nickelback Drag Tribute
You asked for more. We gave you Nickelback.
Tanner Steele is back with Volume 2 of the Steele the Stage Drag Tribute Series, and this time we are heading straight into the world of frosted tips, questionable tattoos, leather pants, power ballads, and songs that somehow everyone knows all the words to.
On November 1st, Evolution becomes the home of everything Nickelback as five incredible performers take the stage to answer the question nobody asked but everyone secretly needed answered: What if Nickelback… but drag?
Hosted by Tanner Steele and featuring performances by Sir Papi, Tilda WorldEnds, Audrina Linn, and Dante Ghoul.
Expect big hair. Big vocals. Bigger feelings. And probably at least one moment where you look around the room and realize you absolutely know every word.
November 1stDoors at 6pmShow at 7pm

https://admitone.com/events/edmonton/community/arts-culture/sunday-revue-steele-the-stage-nickleback-tribute/6N4N4X

1 x Advance

$10.00

Service Fee:

$1.00

Processing Fee:
$0.32

Total (CAD):
$11.32

#### Sunday Revue: Scream Royale
Registration opens Sept 12 for this years SCREAM ROYALE — open to any and all performers who think they’re ghoulish enough to win the glory!
But wait! There’s a catch! Spots are limited so on September 20, we will randomly pick the contestants

The show features each contestant doing their absolute ghastliest, hosted by outgoing Ghoul The Red Silence, and only one will win the cash and the title!
https://www.showpass.com/scream-royale/

Advance
$10.79
$10.00 CAD + $0.79 Fees

#### The Reigning Witches Tour ft. Van Goth and Bones
Screenshot
Two reigning queens. One wicked night.
Drag Race UK Season 7 winner BONES and Canada’s Drag Race Season 6 winner VAN GOTH join forces for a spellbinding live show. Expect dazzling performances, gothic glam looks, devilish games, and some surprise witches joining the coven every night.
Come dressed to be bewitched.
The Reigning Witches are coming to save Halloween!

https://www.universe.com/events/the-reigning-witches-edmonton-ab-tickets-QL051J

GA – Basic Witch
CA$27.37
CA$25.00 + CA$1.12 fees + CA$1.25 taxes
VIP – The Coven
CA$48.79
CA$45.00 + CA$1.54 fees + CA$2.25 taxes
Early Access, Exclusive Gift, and a Meet and Greet before the show!

#### Wednesday Karaoke
Doubling your singing pleasure with karaoke Mondays and Wednesdays!
The best part about Wednesdays? It’s now also a Wing Night! (September 4, 2026)

#### Wednesday Karaoke
Doubling your singing pleasure with karaoke Mondays and Wednesdays!
The best part about Wednesdays? It’s now also a Wing Night! (September 4, 2026)

#### Wednesday Karaoke
Doubling your singing pleasure with karaoke Mondays and Wednesdays!
The best part about Wednesdays? It’s now also a Wing Night! (September 4, 2026)

#### Wednesday Karaoke
Doubling your singing pleasure with karaoke Mondays and Wednesdays!
The best part about Wednesdays? It’s now also a Wing Night! (September 4, 2026)