Bonanza is once a month at the bar near Highgate tube station

HIGHGATE’S only queer night, a glitteringly camp rodeo for LGBT+ people and allies, reflects on their first year bringing cowboy-themed nights to Archway Road.

One Thursday every month, The Boogaloo pub transforms into a Western saloon, filled with sequinned stetsons, cabaret and neckerchiefs – set to the beat of Dolly Parton’s discography.

Sophie Ward is the founder of Bonanza, the queerest hoedown north of the river. She walked the New Journal about how the wild ride began.

She said: “The Boogaloo is my local and I’d go there all the time and have loads of fun there. The guy who owns the pub, Gerry O’Boyle, he’s a bit of an icon. He wanted to start a queer night because he realised that there really aren’t a lot of queer nights going on in north London, especially around the Highgate, Archway area, but there are quite a lot of queer people.”

The interior’s dark wood interior and Mr O’Boyle’s love of cult films led them to settle on the cowboy theme.

The night features performances, which range from burlesque, lip syncs, singing, and drag, and afterwards the stage turns into a dance floor. All profits from ticket sales go to the performers. Attendees can wear what they like, but ranch-friendly attire is encouraged.

Speaking on the scene for lesbians in London she said: “There’s only one lesbian bar, She Bar in Soho, in the whole of London which is crazy. I think there’s more of a market for gay men. There’s lesbian nights but a lot of them seem to be quite thirsty, they seemed to be for meeting people romantically like Lick for example. As I have a girlfriend I wouldn’t really go to those sorts of nights.

“Bonanza is more of a friendly community vibe, and more about meeting like-minded people that’s not about pulling. I think it’s important to create those sort of spaces.”

Their next event is on March 7.