If you have never driven up to South Burlington for a show at Higher Ground, put September 5 on your calendar now. The Pride Ball — Vermont’s annual queer circus production — takes over the Higher Ground Ballroom on Saturday night, and this is exactly the kind of event that rewards the trip.
About Pride Ball
Pride Ball is not a concert. It is a full theatrical production: drag performances, burlesque, sideshow acts, clown chaos, illusions, and dance — all packed into one night as part of Pride Vermont Week. This is a show built around spectacle, and it delivers.
The force behind it is Emoji Nightmare (Justin Marsh, they/them), a fifth-generation Vermonter from Cambridge who has been producing some of Vermont’s most ambitious queer performance events since 2015. Their producing company NIGHTPAGNE L3c puts this annual production together, and Emoji Nightmare took home the Seven Days Best Drag Performer/Group award in 2025. Past editions have brought in RuPaul’s Drag Race and Canada’s Drag Race alums alongside local and regional performers. The full 2026 lineup has not been announced yet, but if past years are any guide, expect something theatrical, completely unhinged, and totally committed to the bit.
About Higher Ground
Higher Ground is one of Vermont’s most trusted live music rooms — 750 capacity, strong production values, and a Ballroom configuration that handles theatrical productions as naturally as any touring band. It sits on Williston Rd just outside Burlington, which puts the whole Queen City at your disposal for dinner before the 7:30 doors. If you are driving up from Upstate New York, budget time to walk the Burlington waterfront before the show — Lake Champlain in early September earns the detour. Check out more shows happening across the North Country region while you are planning the trip.
Tickets & Details
Show time: 8:00 PM. Doors: 7:30 PM. This is an 18+ event. Tickets are on sale now — grab them while you can. Get tickets here or visit highergroundmusic.com for availability and current pricing.