Heading off to the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend!

.Off to Vegas I go!

Burlesque Hall of Fame, here I come!

One of the images from 2011's event

This year is the 55th weekend event and the 22nd annual Miss Exotic World Pageant that will decide the Queen of Burlesque for the year! It's being held at The Orleans Hotel and Casino.

I'm so unbelievably and extremely excited to finally be heading to Vegas. This will be my first BHoF, and my first Vegas experience! A little overwhelming...but luckily I've been so busy lately that I haven't even had a chance to worry about what I've gotten myself into (aside from the spastic flailings at showgirls who have gone, along the 'What do I pack?!' lines)Luckily, the BHoF site has this little gem of a guide:

Vegas for Burlesquers

I want to go to everything.

I will be heading there with he talented Toni Wallachy of Orangeroads Photography, and Pink Panther Studios, who you've seen images done by...everywhere. Including yours truly. She will be one of the official photographers of the weekend, so keep an eye on 21st Century Burlesque for almost instant photos of performances over the course of the weekend!

This year's image! That's Jennie Lee and Dirty Martini!

'What is Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend?' you may be asking:

The Burlesque Hall of Fame is the name of the burlesque museum that is now located on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. It was formerly located on the site of an abandoned goat farm in California and known as Exotic World. Dancer Jennie Lee started collecting burlesque memorabilia after she retired. After Lee's death in 1990, burlesque legend Dixie Evans took over the farm and turned it into The Exotic World Burlesque Museum. Disrepair and a host of other events eventually had it relocated to where it now sits on Fremont Street.


Dixie Evans started the Miss Exotic World competition in 1990 as a way to draw people to the museum. Queens of the past include Dirty Martini, Michelle L'amour, and more.

Indigo Blue, in chartreuse. Previous queen Roxi D'Lite in blue. Photo by Don Spiro, from BHoF 2011

The annual Miss Exotic World pageant is the first Saturday of every June. Each year a burlesque performer is crowned Miss Exotic World in a contest that is basically the Miss America of Burlesque, or the Superbowl of Burlesque. Winners receive both the title and a gigantic trophy. Last year Miss Indigo Blue of Seattle won, and the year before we had our first ever Canadian winner: Roxi D'Lite!

Roxi D'Lite. Photo by Don Spiro, from BHoF 2010

This year, who knows?

Off to...pack? Ick.

~Red