Best Burlesque Shows on East Coast And More

A celebration of self-expression, defiance, and community.

Burlesque dancer on a stage with a microphone

Here is a list of the best burlesque shows on the east coast the embodies a strong community. The modern burlesque revival is a vibrant, inclusive space, and at its heart lies a powerful queer community. Queer burlesque is an extension of the art of the tease that challenges conventional notions of gender, sexuality, and beauty, often blending traditional burlesque with a modern, political edge. It provides a platform for performers to explore their identities and create a safe space for audiences to celebrate unapologetic self-expression.

Best Burlesque Shows on the East Coast (2025-2026)

Discover the hottest burlesque, drag-burlesque, and LGBTQ+ variety shows along the East Coast. From classic striptease to modern neo-burlesque and drag performances, these venues and festivals showcase the best in entertainment.

Massachusetts

Provincetown, MA

Boston, MA

New York

New York City

  • The Slipper Room - NYC's iconic Lower East Side burlesque venue since 1999, featuring neo-burlesque, drag, and variety shows nightly
  • Company XIV - Cocktail Magique & Théâtre XIV - Brooklyn-based opulent burlesque, ballet, circus, and opera productions (21+)
  • Red Velvet Burlesque Show NYC - Vibrant dinner show in Manhattan's theater district with burlesque performers and cabaret entertainment
  • House of Yes - Bushwick venue famous for extravagant parties and avant-garde burlesque shows
  • Nurse Bettie - Lower East Side bar with free Wednesday and Thursday night burlesque shows
  • The Slipper Room - PJ Adzima's Variety Show - Monthly neo-vaudevillian mix of musical theater, comedy, drag, circus, and burlesque
  • Switch n' Play at Branded Saloon - Park Slope's bi-monthly queer drag and burlesque performances
  • Club Cumming - Lance Horne's wild night of singing, drag, and burlesque in the East Village

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

  • R&D Cocktail Bar - R&Divas - Monthly burlesque drag show hosted by Iris Spectre and Bear Trap (cover benefits The Attic LGBTQ+ youth center)
  • Fabrika - Interactive dinner theater with burlesque on Thursdays and variety cabaret shows, including Eric Jaffe's Sunday drag brunch
  • Tabu Lounge & Sports Bar - Daily LGBTQ+ events including drag shows, burlesque, trivia, and pageants
  • Tattooed Mom - Features drag murder mystery parties and Balena Canto's themed drag and burlesque shows
  • Franky Bradley's - Four pillars of entertainment: drinking, dining, dancing, and deviation with DJs, burlesque, and drag
  • Red Velvet Burlesque Philadelphia - Burlesque brunch and dinner shows

Maryland

Baltimore, MD

Washington DC

Virginia

Richmond, VA

  • RVA Burlesque Festival - April 10-12, 2025. Three-day festival at multiple venues including Strangeways Brewing, Ember Music Hall, and The Byrd Theatre. Features 40+ burlesque artists nationwide (LGBTQ+ inclusive, body positive)

North Carolina

Asheville, NC

  • Land of the Sky Burlesque Festival - June 27-29, 2025. Three-day festival featuring "Geektastic" at The Grey Eagle, "Just a Peak" at Wortham Center, and Burlesque Brunch. Combines cabaret, variety, performance art, and burlesque

South Carolina

Georgia

Atlanta, GA

  • Atlanta Pride Festival 2025 - October 11-12, 2025. "Rooted in Resistance" theme featuring The Candybox Revue burlesque, Chaka Moment with AJA from RuPaul's Drag Race, Sweet Tea Queer Variety Show, and Starlight Cabaret (LGBTQ+ event)
  • Red Velvet Burlesque Atlanta - Burlesque shows and entertainment

Florida

Miami, FL

Additional Resources & Festivals

Drag and Burlesque: An Intertwined History

Drag and burlesque have a shared history rooted in vaudeville and variety entertainment. Both art forms use parody, exaggeration, and elaborate costumes to challenge societal norms and create larger-than-life personas. The two genres often appear at the same events, and the lines between them have blurred to create a new hybrid art form known as "draglesque."

A drag show typically focuses on lip-syncing, gender impersonation, and a theatrical presentation, while burlesque centers on the "art of the tease" and the choreographed reveal. However, many performers today seamlessly integrate elements of both, with burlesque performers incorporating lip-syncing and drag artists adding striptease to their acts. The fusion of these two forms amplifies their shared goals of self-expression and community-building.

Strippers, Burlesque, and Go-Go Dancers

While often confused, these performance styles have distinct differences, yet many performers move between the spaces fluidly.

  • Stripping: Is fundamentally about commerce. The primary goal is to arouse the audience and make money. It is a form of work that is based on the immediate exchange of money for a private or public erotic dance. Dancers like Michael At Your Place Charleston work independently or male troupes like Thunder Down Under in Las Vegas!
  • Burlesque: Is the "art of the tease." It is a choreographed, satirical, or comedic performance that uses striptease as a key part of storytelling, not as the end goal itself. The focus is on the performance, persona, and reveal, rather than full nudity or a monetary transaction for the dance.
  • Go-Go Dancing: Is a form of free-form dancing, often performed on a stage or platform in a nightclub or at an event, with the primary goal of entertaining and energizing a crowd. While it can be sexy and is often performed for tips, it typically does not involve the choreographed striptease central to burlesque.

It is important to note that many performers have a foot in all three worlds. A stripper can be a burlesque performer and a go-go dancer. The key difference lies in the context, intent, and artistic expression of the specific performance. The queer community, in particular, embraces all of these forms as valid and powerful expressions of identity and sexuality.

Drag and Burlesque: Culture and Expression

Sex workers, burlesque performers, and strippers represent an important part of the entertainment community, using their artistry and bodies as forms of creative expression and empowerment. These performers create spaces where sensuality, confidence, and theatrical performance intersect, allowing individuals to express themselves authentically while celebrating body positivity and personal freedom. For many in this community, performance becomes a powerful platform for challenging societal taboos, reclaiming agency over their own narratives, and building supportive networks that honor their craft. Whether through the elaborate choreography of burlesque, the athletic artistry of pole dancing, or the intimate connection of other forms of adult entertainment, these performers demonstrate that self-expression and entertainment can take many forms, all deserving of respect and recognition.