What can attendees expect at DSH’s anniversary event?

We’re going to have drag artists from the Bay Area, Indigenous Drag Story Hour, and all around the country. We’ll have story hours, dancing, and vendors, and we’re working with the Friends of San Francisco Library on book giveaways. The second drag laureate of San Francisco and first drag queen ever to read for DSH, Per Sia, is a creative lead. Lil Miss Hot Mess will feature her three books, DSH founder Michelle Tea will give away copies of Tabitha and Magoo Dress Up Too, and Panda Dulce will be one of our special guests.

In addition to launching author careers, how has DSH changed over the decade?

In the beginning, DSH was as simple as a drag performer at a library or bookstore reading a book. The bigger things got, the more organized we got, and the backlash led us to build in a de-escalation practice called Shields Up. We have a ginormous portal for our affiliates, with resources from bomb-threat management to curriculum to arts and crafts ideas.

What developments do you foresee in 2026?

We’re expanding our multilingual offerings and recalibrating how we work with publishers and libraries during this political shift. This is our first year of programming for adults, too. For January, our virtual book club pick will be The Lilac People by Milo Todd, a harrowing tale about trans men and queer communities in the Weimar Republic. If you don’t have a children’s bookstore or children’s
section, we have adult, yet queer, drag programs you can bring in.