EIU pride is hosting its annual drag show this upcoming Saturday.

The event lines up with national LGBT Center Awareness Day, a holiday to recognize the works of LGBT community centers from coast to coast.

The difference from this year’s show compared to last years is that professional drag queen performers and students are being added to the event, said Katie Gillespie, a junior English education major and the president of EIU pride.

Gillespie said the process for hosting the event started at the beginning of last year. One of the first things to check off the to-do list was to reserve the Grand Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr., University Union.

Allie Worman is a senior education major and the vice president of EIU pride. Worman played a role in having the event brought to the stage.

Worman reached out to professional drag queen Ceduxion Carrington to help them look for other professionals.

After the room was booked, members of EIU Pride had to figure out who was going to be involved in the show, and they had the idea to involve amateur student performers.

“We think its really important to reach out to the community in that way and let the students have involvement in the club and be able to put themselves out there in that kind of way,” Gillespie said.

Last year, there were plans on having student performers in the show, but due to lack of interest it didn’t happen.

Gillespie expects there to be a better show than last year with the student participation.

Annastasia Sparks, a former Eastern student, will host the event on Saturday. Presale tickets cost $7 and tickets at the door will cost $10.

The event will take place in the Martin Luther King Jr., University Union Grand Ballroom from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Prevail, an organization to support domestic violence victims.

Cam’ron Hardy can be reached at 581-2812 or at cahardy@eiu.edu.