Ricoh Arena to host RuPaul's Drag Race as part of outdoor events schedule

Published by

Nicky Godding

Stars from the hit BBC Three show RuPaul’s Drag Race are among those appearing at a drive-in extravaganza at Ricoh Arena.

The Parking Lot Social’s Easter Breakout is taking place at Ricoh Arena on Monday, April 12 and Tuesday, April 13 with a series of separate drive-in events ranging from a children’s party, movie screenings, a pantomime, and drag shows.

It will be one of the first outdoor events to take place after stage 2 of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown comes into force - which permits drive-in events.

Paul Michael, Commercial Director at Ricoh Arena, said: “Even though we can’t attend events as we normally would do, our team has been exploring ways in which we can enable families to carry on creating memories together in a safe manner, and The Parking Lot Social’s Easter Breakout enables us to do just that.

“This festival is kickstarting what is set to be an exciting 18 months for the venue. Not only will we be playing our part in supporting Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture from May, but we are also gearing up to host a Rugby League World Cup game in October, as well as the Commonwealth Games next summer.”

John Kinnersley, Chief Operating Officer at XL Event Lab, the company behind the event, said: “As we know the arts, including drag performances and theatre productions, have been heavily impacted due to the coronavirus pandemic, and we’re proud to give these talented entertainers the opportunity to perform to a live audience again.

“Our debut summer and winter tours were a huge success last year, and we’re keen to keep up momentum and continue to deliver first class events which are not only enjoyable, but completely Covid-19 friendly."

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.