PHOTOS: “Rupaul’s Drag Race” Queens Work It at the National Mall

The National Mall transformed into a runway on Monday when the cast of Rupaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 9 showed up in red, white, and blue looks. (Category is: star-spangled fashion.) Ahead of the season premiere on May 17, the queens posed in front of the monument and shared their thoughts about visiting DC’s iconic landmarks in full drag.

Gottmik

“I haven’t ran around DC and seen the monuments since I was in eighth grade, and a lot has changed since eighth grade. I’m super excited to be back and take it all in. If I saw this when I was in eighth grade, it would be over!”

Nina West

“The last time I was here, I was on the the tour of Hairspray. Me and the cast, we all got scooters late at night. What’s kind of wonderful about DC is it’s really quiet at night, and you can do your own self-guided nighttime tour of the monuments. We were able to see everything at night, and it was so peaceful and somber. It provided an opportunity for me to think about the gravity and the weight of this city. It’s overwhelmingly powerful.”

Angeria Paris VanMicheals

“I am really ready to see the White House. I’ve never seen all of this up-close. Even being here right now, I’m gagging, but I will gag at the White House. I’m always just so infatuated with politics. Just to be in this place, it feels amazing. I want to soak up all of the history while I’m here.”

Jorgeous

“It means so much being here, especially in this political climate. It’s so bad right now. The fact that we’re here, in drag, in daytime, doing it—it means so much. I love this place, so the fact that I’m here, showing off these looks for ya’ll, it’s sickening, not going to lie.”

Plastique Tiara

Roxxxy Andrews

“It means a lot to be in DC, especially in an election year, to be representing what we love to do. Being here, I’m most looking forward to just being able to spend this time together with all the girls.”

Shannel

“I love Washington DC. I love the history and the beauty and the greenery. I’ve been in this industry now nearly 30 years, and I think at that point in time, and that many years in the industry, to feel like you truly have a voice and to be able to have a voice in the most prolific and most important part of the United States…I don’t know if magical is the word? Surreal maybe.”