Drag queen & venue refuse to back down after bomb threat targets all-ages holiday brunch

A drag venue and its key performer aren’t backing down after someone threatened their all-ages drag brunch with a bomb threat this last weekend.

Drag performer Tara Hoot was five minutes into her final performance at a holiday brunch hosted by the MotorKat restaurant and bar in of Takoma Park, Maryland when police notified the venue’s general manager about the threat around noon local time last Saturday, The Washington Blade reported. Hoot told audience members to evacuate the bar for their safety.

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The drag queen led kids in a fun-filled conga line to a new location as police searched the area.

Police shut down the entire strip — which contains MotorKat as well as a farmer’s market, a home goods store, a hardware shop, a gift shop, a salon, and several restaurants — and brought bomb-sniffing dogs to inspect the area before reopening the strip around 2 p.m., MotorKat co-owner Seth Cook told the aforementioned publication.

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While Cook said he was disappointed by the closure because last weekend is usually one of the busiest before the end-of-year holidays, he added, “Takoma Park is a pretty proud and resilient community. I don’t expect people to lay down and be scared by this.”

Hoot mentioned the threat in a Sunday Instagram post, writing, “I couldn’t do what I do without the support of amazing venues and fans, in particular when my events continue to be targeted by bogus bomb threats.”

“MY STORY TIME BRUNCHES AND EVENTS WILL CONTINUE!” she continued. “And I can’t wait to see all of you gorgeous humans there! Onward, darlings! ❤️ 🤗 ✨ Thank you for your support, Takoma Park, MD!”

Hoot posted video of herself dancing in a Mrs. Claus-themed dress while lip-synching to Leslie Gore’s 1963 upbeat song “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows.” She showered the brunch crowd in bubbles from two bubble guns while brunch patrons sang along and children danced along excitedly at their tables.

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A post shared by Tara Hoot (@tarahoot)

Violent threats against drag queens and venues have increased as conservatives continue accusing performers of “sexualizing children.” Between late 2022 and early 2023, the LGBTQ+ media organization GLAAD counted 161 incidents of anti-LGBTQ protests and threats targeting drag events.

However, there have been many instances of community members holding massive counterprotests, venues beefing up security to protect their patrons and performers, and in some cases, queer community members chasing the haters away — showing that the queer community and its allies aren’t as easily frightened as others would like to think.