San Francisco and the nation’s first Drag Laureate D'Arcy Drollinger has reached the end of the two-year tenure of that position, but dig in your heels, because the city is on the verge of announcing our next SF Drag Laureate.

We kind of flipped our wig while watching Tuesday’s San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting, as who should show up but San Francisco's (and the world’s) first ever Drag Laureate D'Arcy Drollinger. That Drag Laureate position was established in 2023 by the SF Human Rights Commission’s LQBTQIA+ Advisory Committee, and the tenure was supposed to be 18 months long. Drollinger’s reign ended up lasting two full years, though is now coming to an end.

“D’Arcy, you have brought unmitigated queer joy, and you are leaving behind a very difficult set of heels to fill,” Supervisor Rafael Mandelman said, before presenting Drollinger with an official city Certificate of Honor. He noted that as Drag Laureate, Drollinger established the San Francisco is a Drag public performance program, and is of course well-known for owning the SoMa nightclub Oasis and for playing Betty White’s Rose Nylund character in Golden Girls stage shows.

“As the first Drag Laureate of San Francisco, and of the world, this is deeply humbling and really a powerful moment for me, as my two years serving in the capacity have come to an end,” Drollinger said upon accepting the Certificate of Honor. “We’re celebrating today something that’s bigger than me. We’re honoring the art of drag, the strength of queer culture, and the legacy of a city that has always dared to lead with love, creativity, and radical inclusion.”

“Thank you from the bottom of my very full and glitter-encrusted heart.,” she added.

So what happens now that D'Arcy Drollinger is no longer Drag Laureate? San Francisco will simply get a new one.

The city has already posted its application to be the next San Francisco Drag Laureate. Unfortunately, the deadline for applications already passed on May 15, so you can no longer apply. Responsibilities may include throwing a first pitch at a Giants game, ringing the ball at the occasional Warriors game, and emceeing on the Pride stage.  

It’s now a three-year position paying a $105,000 stipend, basically $35,000 a year. But you will not be reimbursed for any wig or ballgown investments required.

There is no public timeline for the announcement of San Francisco’s next Drag Laureate, but we imagine this announcement will come over the course of June's Pride Month festivities.

Related: San Francisco Names Its First Drag Laureate In a National First, and It's D'Arcy Drollinger [SFist]

Image: Rafael Mandelman via Facebook