New York Burlesque Festival: 24th edition on three stages – with guests from Australia
Three nights, three venues, performers from the Americas, Europe and Australia: the New York Burlesque Festival looks back on its 24th edition – one of the scene's longest-running events.
Archive image · Photo: Found5dollar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
The New York Burlesque Festival has wrapped up its 24th edition. From 2 to 4 October, performers appeared at three venues: Sony Hall – formerly Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe – the Brooklyn club 3 Dollar Bill and Le Poisson Rouge. As local news site Hoodline reported on 15 October, more than ten professional performers took the stage at each venue, some travelling from as far as Australia. The programme ranged from live music and comedy to circus arts and classic vintage-style burlesque numbers.
The festival opened on 2 October with a premiere party at 3 Dollar Bill, hosted by Maria Topcatt and Storm Marrero, with guests from places such as Seattle, Ohio and West Yorkshire in England. It closed on 4 October at Le Poisson Rouge with the Golden Pastie Awards – a tongue-in-cheek, Oscar-style ceremony with a red carpet, hosted by Sir Richard Castle and Veronica Viper.
The festival was founded in 2003 by Jen Gapay and Angie Pontani; Pontani stepped back as co-producer after the 2023 edition. More than 100 international performers regularly appear across its run. Hoodline also recalled that New York repealed its cabaret licence requirement for patron dancing in 2017.