This luxury hotel in downtown Portland hosts its first drag ‘Skyline Soirée’

It was all glitz and glam at the Ritz on Saturday afternoon.

The

Ritz-Carlton

hotel in downtown Portland hosted its “Skyline Soirée: An Elegant High Tea Celebration” event.

A Portland drag favorite,

Poison Waters

, hosted the afternoon. She brought out not only friends but fellow members at

Darcelle’s XV

& Company, Ilani E. Nova and Meesha Peru. The queens sashayed throughout

Bellpine

, the hotel’s luxury restaurant on the 20th floor.

A crowd of 15 gathered for the hotel’s first-ever drag event. Guests enjoyed high-class bites and Pride-themed cocktails over a spectacular view of the city. The menu consisted of tea sandwiches and bite-sized desserts.

As a surprise, Poison & Co. walked around pouring butterfly pea gin into glasses of fresh lemon prosecco. Once it turned purple, it was fittingly called a “poison water.”

While most attendees were local, a few travelers from Vancouver, B.C., and Palm Springs got to experience an elegant slice of Portland.

Among the high tea goers were locals, Dr. Shaina Maxey Pomerantz and her mother, Donna Maxey.

“My mom first brought me to a high tea when I was a little girl. We got all dressed up. … I’m 49, she’s 76. And so I was like ‘Hey, we did this when I was a kid. Let’s do it again,” said Pomerantz.

After a meal and a show, the queens changed into a third outfit and posed for photos with attendees.

Poison Waters has been performing for over 30 years. Though most famously at the Darcelle XV showplace, she also performs in a variety of events around the Pacific Northwest. Much of her work revolves around fundraisers and benefit shows. In 2023, The Oregonian/OregonLive

named her one of the inspiring people of that year.

“This is such a strong part of the culture of Portland that we felt like it was important for us to be part of it, important for us to partner with someone like

Poison Waters

who has such a great following but also has such gravitas in this market cause she does such good,” said Ritz-Carlton General Manager Marie Browne.

Browne calls the soiree a “prelude” for the

Darcelle XV plaza

. The lot near the hotel that was once O’Bryant Square is in the middle of being renovated. Once complete, it will pay tribute to Portland’s legendary drag queen, Darcelle, who died in 2023.

“It’s a great partnership and when the park opens it’ll continue,” Browne said.

If you go: July 20, 1 p.m.- 3 p.m.,$130 per ticket, The Bellpine, 900 SW Washington St, Portland, OR 97205, https://www.opentable.com/r/bellpine-at-the-ritz-carlton-portland