If Valentine’s Day brings out the worst, Columbia Kings ‘n Things wants to make people forget Valentine’s Day and celebrate Galentine’s Day. The drag group is hosting a brunch in West Columbia to mark the occasion.

The event is the latest in a series that Columbia Kings ‘n Things hosts monthly at The Hideout in West Columbia. The last event was in tribute to Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” album, and the February event celebrates all things Miley Cyrus, which drag king Han D. Mann is very excited about.

Han D. Mann, who said he prefers not to use his real name, hosts the event along with fellow drag king Marty McGuy. They will be joined by two other drag kings and a drag queen. Each person will perform three songs by Miley Cyrus and how they’re performed will be a surprise for everyone.

“A lot of times we don’t necessarily rehearse but we’ll rehearse privately on our own time,” Han D. Mann said. “We do run through with the DJ before the show starts.”

Columbia Kings ‘n Things formed toward the end of 2020 when Marty McGuy and Han D. Mann would perform at ladies nights at other venues. This is the same concept as those early events, except with drag kings and androgynous drag. The two got along so Mann asked McGuy to be his permanent host.

“We wanted to be a positive force for change and represent the community so we branded ourselves as Columbia Kings ‘n Things,” Mann said. 

Mann explained that the drag shows are about many things, including celebrating gender or destroying gender roles or celebrating being queer. 

“Culturally, a lot of misconceptions come from not understanding what drag is about. People get upset seeing drag in public. It’s important for all to understand that at its core, it’s a satire of the concept of gender,” Mann said. “We’re poking fun at gender roles and satirizing the idea that women exclusively love men, men love women, etc. It’s not inherently sexual. It is exclusively appropriate for adult audiences.”

Mann said The Hideout has planned some specialty drinks to serve, and the DJ is also a drag king who has a performance planned.

“I am going to give a prize away. I’ve never given [this] away before so that’s exciting. We’ve got good Miley hits planned. Anything and everything people see in a Miley show they’re going to get it,” Mann said. 

The show is for anybody that wants to come, he added.

“We always make friends and we love having newcomers,” Mann said.

The outfits are probably one of the biggest parts to plan for the show, he explained. There’s plenty of rhinestones and one of the drag kings makes his own outfits. 

All told, there’s plenty of sparkle.

“We also borrow or trade clothes,” Mann said. “ It’s like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants but with drag clothes,” says Mann.

All funds raised by the event go toward Soda City Queers Bash Back to distribute medical supplies to local members of the LGBTQ+ community in need.