This weekend, May 14-17, boy’s town becomes girl’s town as the sapphic community descends on Guerneville for Women’s Weekend, a tradition 50 years in the making.
This year, our local queer fems will be joined by sisters from 22 states and three foreign countries. A projected 2,000 “beaver badge” weekend passes will be sold. Volunteers will exceed 120 in number. And with dyke rides, bike rides, yoga, hikes and floats, activations and entertainments across dozens of venues between Surrey Resort and R3, it’s difficult to imagine that just three years ago this tradition had dwindled down to 200 guests. It was time for a generational passing of the torch.
Producer Jodi Goldstein and superstar entertainer Tressa Young—also known as Miss Shugana and Madd Dogg 20/20—formed Shug-Dogg Productions to save it. They simply had to save it, says drag king Tressa Young.
Outside of The Dinah in Palm Springs, very few sapphic-centering events on scale exist on the West Coast. Most queer events are led by their gay brothers or the LGBTQIA+ alliance. And in these embattled times this pink “love bubble” needed to be protected, needed to be fostered and grown.
Cincinnatus Hibbard: Will y’all be making a drag appearance this year?
Jodi: No, because we really are too busy. We are trying to carve out time to be in the drag and burlesque Drag Strip.
Tressa: Friday and Saturday Night [of Women’s Weekend].
Festival production on this level isn’t easy, and you and your co-producers and board of 10 work all year before the frenzy. What should I tell queer, fem first-timers about Women’s Weekend?
Jodi: It is the Summer’s Kickoff for queer women. … One thing that brings a tear to my eye is that people say they feel profoundly welcomed and accepted—and celebrated in a way that they just aren’t outside of the Women’s Weekend bubble.
Tressa: And so many friendships are formed—that’s the feedback we get all year … people come back to see old friends and meet new friends.
Jodi: A lot of weddings happen afterwards, too.
How do you create such emotional and physical safety?
Jodi: We have pink signs, security and staff in pink shirts—but it’s really the community that is Women’s Weekend. They are fiercely protective of each other and will scoop up the lone bird into the wings of their group.
Any new events?
Jodi: The Saph Olympics—very silly, very tongue-and-cheek. The events are top secret but I will tell you one—the dildo javelin toss. Also, we have the best butch pageant at the welcome party. Oh, and inspirational rock painting.
Your event is perhaps best known for your drag burlesque and your pool parties—both at Surrey and R3. What top talent do you have this year?
Jodi: Lady Orion, a DJ who is also a player on the Golden State Valkyries basketball team; DJ Keesey, known for Klituation parties; and DJ PNasty.
Tressa: We also have Coco Lamar MC’ing our Drag show and Red Bone, who is a drag Legend.
Jodi: And Drag Superstar Mad Dogg 20/20! We have all of the parties, but we have chill stuff for people that get overwhelmed. We got yoga, we got artsy-craftsy, we have bonfires and we got a recovery meeting each morning before the debauchery begins [laughs].
Learn More: The full schedule can be seen, and beaver badge weekend passes and individual event tickets purchased, at womensweekendrussianriver.com. Get updates and hype on the instagram profile @womens_weekend_russian_river. Sorry baby gays, this event is 21+.
