Chances are you’ve never seen bingo quite like this.

Drag Queen Bingo will be on March 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Banquet Rooms of the Oakland Center.

This event will be traditional bingo with a twist, led by two drag queens oozing with sass. It’s hosted by the Student Program Board (SPB) and co-sponsored by the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA).

It is open to anyone, but only Oakland University students with valid IDs can claim prizes.

There will be several rounds of bingo along with performances by professional drag queens. Students will be entered in a raffle with every game they win, and prizes will be drawn at the end of the night. Dinner and refreshments will be provided.

The drag queen fun doesn’t end there. April 14 is GSA’s 13^th Annual Drag Show, this year’s theme being Mardi Gras.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. in the Banquet Rooms. It’s free and open to all OU students, staff and faculty.

Both events started separately. However, SPB decided to partner with GSA for the bingo, seeking more insight into the subculture of drag.

“We’ve really realized that by working together, we can make both events so much better,” said President of GSA Jasmine Semma.

This is the third year the drag show will have a mixture of student performers and professional performers. Around 20 students auditioned, more than they’ve ever had.

Emceeing the event is the nationally known Hershae Chocolatae, who has performed on “America’s Got Talent.” The other professionals, Thrustin Bieber and Sabin, are well-known queens in Michigan.

Without any winners, the main point is to entertain the crowd and have a good time.

Semma said that besides events like SPB’s concerts or Grizz Gang games, this is the biggest event held by a student organization.

Over 700 people attended last year, and GSA needed to bring in more chairs after running out of room. Semma said there’s usually buzz about it before, with people coming from off-campus and alumni returning to enjoy the show.

It will be co-sponsored by many organizations on campus, including Student Congress, the Student Activities Funding Board, the Sociology Club and Voices for Choices, the pro-choice group on campus.

Semma feels these events are incredibly valuable as they promote inclusion and diversity, especially for the LGBT community, which is typically rated the least safe community on a college campus.

“We need to start promoting more LGBT-related events because it’ll increase knowledge outside of the community, and that can stem into more acceptance,” she said.

The GSA aims to connect with other on-campus resources to provide the best experience for all OU students and build a strong LGBTQIA community on campus, as stated on its website.

They welcome anyone to their events and weekly meetings, which are Thursdays at noon in Lake Superior A. If interested in learning more, check out the GSA website or Facebook page.

These two upcoming events help to promote their goal.

“They’re a great way to bring up the voices that are typically silenced in our society, especially on campus,” Semma said. 

Don’t miss out on all the outrageous fun!