The Crown Room ( 205 N.W. Fourth Ave) hosts the first-ever Miss Portland Pin Up contest Sept. 12 Doors open at 9 p.m., and sign-ups are at 9:30.
But this isn’t another Bikini Coffee, the girls of pin-up have always been a bit more diverse and interesting and this particular contest promises to even more wild and worldly ladies. According to party planner Miss Renee,
I started Grand Trine Productions because I had become very weary of the divisions between my gay friends and my straight friends and the fact that both parties tend to cling for dear life to the same old tired track when it came to going out and having fun…. It is my hope to see a fair amount of drag queens and trans sisters in the competition
In Portland this mixing of genders and sexualities has always seemed natural. We’ve always had Stark Street as a starting place for queer nightlife but never a gayborhood so much. Queers live throughout this city and help fill up nearly every bar, club, art venue, show space and eatery throughout the city.
So for the bolder, brasher, burlesque performers and admirers among us, Miss Portland would seem to create a sexy thematic night that can be appreciated by all Portlanders. Whether you’re more apt to check out bio or trans girls, 40s style fringe debauchery is sure to make a heated and fashionable display.
The event will feature Portland calendar girl Cherry Dollface as mistress of ceremonies; swing and rockabilly goodness by DJ Drew Groove; rock ‘n’ roll by Portland bad boys Mars Needs Women; burlesque by Miss Charlotte Truese, Miss Euphemia Fox, Leda Loveless and Baby Le’Strange; and swing dancing by Miss Melissa Roane and friends of Viscount Dance Studios. First prize is a gorgeous Swarovski Crystal Crown and a photo session with world-renowned photographer Mark Gamba (Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, Esquire).
