Honky Tonk Queen
Every year at the IAGSDC convention, a new Honky Tonk Queen is chosen. The judges evaluate contestants on deportment, personality, dress sense and talent. Most years they find none of these qualities in any contestant, so the winner is chosen by rolling dice.
More detailed write-ups of the HTQ Contest and traditions (such as they are) can be found here:
- Guide_Chapters_25-26#Honky_Tonk_Queens
- The Honky Tonk Queen History
- Honky Tonk Queenː The 2nd Decade
- Honky Tonk Queen: The 3rd Decade
A crown (a spray-painted, Christmas-tree-lighted, western boot), sash, "sceptre" and various other adornments are bestowed on the winner and kept in The HTQ Suitcase which travels with the reigning queen from one convention to the next.
List of Honky Tonk Queens
Photos
A bunch of Old Queens. Photo by Greeley Walker
The Baldtwin Sisters, Oy and Vey, outside the HTQ ballroom at Belles Run 2019
Back: Jim Bishop (aka Ucanleime Amy, HTQ 2000), Aaron Wells (aka Iona Doublewide, HTQ 2008), Guy Brassard (aka Davy Jones of The Zombie Entourage, HTQ 2012), Kevin Randall (aka Lesley Gore-Tex, HTQ 2011), Paul Asente (aka Gypsum Rock Lee, HTQ 2003), Freeman Stamper (aka Steffany; not a HTQ) Front: Pauline Plummer (aka Curlique, HTQ for a day in 1992)
Back: Guy Brassard (aka Davy Jones of The Zombie Entourage, HTQ 2012), Fernando Brito (HTQ?), Ed Wilson (aka Diamond Lane, HTQ 2017) Front: Paul Asente (aka Gypsum Rock Lee, HTQ 2003), Kelly Shortandqueer (aka Olive de Bottom, HTQ 2014), David Moffat (aka Jayne Dawn de Lyon, HTQ 2018), Erick Blakely (aka Freeda Evryone!, HTQ 2016)
Tony Lewis (Pam Demonium, HTQ 1988(L) and Alan Josephson (Carmen Epstein, HTQ2022)(R). Photo taken in 2022
Videos
Honky Tonk Queens in the time of COVID-19, created by Tami Wynotte.
2008 video commemorating 25 years of HTQ Contests.
2019: Belles Run Honky Tonk Queen Pageant (2019). Courtesy of David Moffat.
2018: Circle Back to Seattle: Honky Tonk Queen Pageant (2018). Courtesy of Ken Siebert.
2016: Diamond Lane and the Rest Stop Romeos at the 2016 Honky Tonk Queen Contest.
2009: Curlique and Her Boys: "Get This Party Started".
2008: Iona Doublewide's winning lipsync performance.
2007: Brief clip showing an HTQ square in Denver.
2004: Gypsum Rock Leet hosting the contest in Phoenix.
1992: Honky Tonk Queen Contest - Entrance of Dominique de Fontainebleau.
1989: The Ronda Fox Show IAGSDC Honky Tonk Pageant (1989).
