Pokey’s returns: Legendary queer drag era revived at Victorian Pride Centre this Pride Month

This Pride Month, the Victorian Pride Centre (VPC) and Lifeview are teaming up to bring Pokey’s back to life by reuniting the performers who made it Melbourne’s most iconic queer drag institution.

Pokey’s: A Disco Tribute Night will take place on Saturday 14 June, 6pm–9pm, at the Victorian Pride Centre, just streets from where the original Pokey’s lit up Sunday nights at the Prince of Wales Hotel from 1977.

The event was sparked by a simple but powerful request: members of VPC and Lifeview’s +55 social club, a social initiative for LGBTIQA+ people aged 55 and over, wanted to relive a defining piece of their community’s history.

Between 1977 and 1992, Pokey’s became the beating heart of Melbourne’s queer nightlife. Co-founded by Doug Lucas and the late Jan Hillier, it grew from a casual Sunday gathering into a weekly phenomenon, drawing crowds of up to 1,000 people and welcoming a diverse audience across genders and sexualities- rare for its time.

More than a show, Pokey’s was a sanctuary. During the AIDS crisis, it became a vital space of connection and care, with performers raising funds for the AIDS Council and supporting early advocacy, changing the lives of many.

Now, the artists who defined that era return to the stage.

The evening will showcase a dazzling Tribute Show featuring Sharon Starr, Michelle Tozer, Judy Labonk and Connie Lingus, honouring the performers and rich legacy that have shaped generations of queer life in Melbourne. We’re proud to share that the iconic Doug Lucas will be in attendance, having given their blessing for this beloved tradition to carry on.

“Bringing Pokey’s back to life for a special tribute night has been incredible,” said Lifeview Events & Diversity Manager Annitta Macauley.

“To see the passion still alive after all these years in hibernation and members of the Pokey’s community come together again is so exciting to be a part of.”

For more than five decades, Pokey’s was a space where audiences could laugh, dance and feel truly seen. For many, it was where they first came out, or the first place they felt safe bringing their families.

“This event began with a request from our Plus 55 community to revisit a time and place that meant so much to them and that speaks volumes about the impact Pokey’s had. It reminds us that our histories are living, breathing things. Bringing these performers back together with their audience, is about honouring that legacy while creating a space for connection, celebration and pride today,” saidVictorian Pride Centre CEO, Paul Horwell.

Tickets are $7- a deliberate nod to the original door price and are available at.

https://pridecentre.org.au/event/pokeys-disco-tribute-party/. This event is open to all and forms part of the Victorian Pride Centre’s Pride Month program.

Event details:

Victorian Pride Centre, 79–81 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda Sunday 14 June
6pm–9pm

ABOUT THE VICTORIAN PRIDE CENTRE Australia's first purpose-built LGBTIQA+ community hub, the Victorian Pride Centre at 79-81 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda is home to over 14 community organisations, events, and programs serving Victoria's LGBTIQA+ communities and allies. VPC operates without recurrent government funding, relying on the support of individuals, partners, and the community.

ABOUT THE +55 GROUP +55 group is a social program for LGBTIQA+ people aged 55 and over, providing community connection, events, and belonging. The program is proudly supported by VPC founding partner Lifeview, with an aim to giving back to the generations that have come before.