What The Festival

What The Festival, an active celebration of all things Drag, Clown and Puppetry, is proud to announce programming for their second annual festival taking place September 25-27, 2025 in Youngplace at Sweet Action Theatre, Small World Music Centre, and Social Arts Studio Space. What The Festival is Toronto's wildest live theatre festival here to promote, produce and present the best in 'strange-making' live entertainment.

What The Festival will present work from notable strange makers in wonderful and award winning feature shows, two cabarets designed to delight, plus a workshop, a panel, and lovely lobby surprises. Audiences can expect endearing, eyebrow raising spectacles from the most creative minds in drag, clown, puppetry, circus, burlesque and beyond with unforgettable ideas, costumes, and DIY stagecraft.

STRANGE MAKER SHOWCASE
September 26 at Small World Music Centre
Hosted by Toronto’s premiere tragicomedienne Pearle Harbour, the Strange Maker Showcase is fueled by the best in clown, puppetry, and drag acts including Dyce 2 Watch Out 4 (Drag King), Christine Moynihan (Clown), Glinda Mercury (Burlesque), Kanna Worm (Drag/Cosplay), Jayden Gigliotti (Circus), Pinkity Twinkity (Drag Queen) and Jesse Buck (Clown).

THE [IM]POSSIBLE CABARET
September 27 at Small World Music Centre
Hosted by drag thing Anne Alien, The [Im]possible Cabaret will feature Cherry Bomb (Cosplay), Fox C Shanty (Drag Thing), Eric Cinnsealach (Clown), Conjunctivisis (Drag Queen), Carly Rae Stepson (Drag Thing), Jupiter Lightningstorm (Circus), and SPLAT (Drag Creature) with Joshua Bonnici and Goldy Yason (Burlesque).

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