Drag Ball wanes and grows

Event on historical upswing

Believe it or not, the Drag Ball wasn't always what most Obies now know it to be. Although most students on campus today probably weren't here to see it, the Drag Ball was once only a minor event in the social calendar of life at Oberlin.

That's certainly not true today, when the Drag Ball is indisputably The Event that attracts more attention and participation than any other single social function on campus. The event itself had been around for a long time but, as Double-degree student and organizing force behind the Drag Ball Mike Maccaferri says, enthusiasm for the ball had pretty much "died out" by the time the Ball of 1993 happened. In the spring of 1993, the Ball was held in the basement of South Hall and hosted only about 200 or 300 people. Nevertheless even in these early days, Maccaferri says, most of the participants showed "a definite level of creativity."

Not surprisingly though, the event did not draw crowds or attention in 1993 because before this year, it had been in Talcott Dining Hall and remained a very small-scale enterprise. In these years, the event, which has always been sponsored by the LGBU (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Union), was actually two balls, the Drag Ball and the Lesbutante Ball, the Drag Ball's lesbian counterpart. As the Drag Ball grew, the Lesbutante Ball faded away and blended into the increasing enthusiasm that was being generated around the Drag Ball.

This input of energy and creativity came from Maccaferri and some other members of the LGBU, who formed a special committee to re-vamp the Drag Ball's attitude and give it some style. The Drag Ball of 1994 took place in the 'Sco and this was the year when the crowning of king and queen began. Maccaferri recalls that in 1994 people focused more on dressing up in order to enjoy the Ball, but mostly participants still wore "trashy stuff from MiniMart."

Soon the 'Sco simply couldn't hold the Ball and it spilled out into the basement of Wilder. This year, like last year, Wilder Main is the official site of the Drag Ball. This larger space accommodated the continually-growing enthusiasm that was marked in 1995 by the outside publicity surrounding the event. Last fall the Drag Ball was featured in Rolling Stone as well as several local newspapers. MTV has been invited this year to increase coverage.

Although the outside publicity that the event received helped generate enthusiasm and pure curiosity, that's not what drew the crowds. As Maccaferri says, it was at last year's Drag Ball that "people really began creating a personality, and I am anticipating this year to be even better."