Florida Event Venue Faces Losing Liquor License After Hosting Drag Show
The Plaza Live, a Florida event venue and theater, faces losing its ability to sell liquor after hosting a Christmas-themed drag show. (Photo: Google Maps)
A popular event venue in Orlando, Florida, faces losing its liquor license after hosting a holiday drag show last December.
A complaint was filed on Feb. 3 by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, stating that The Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation’s venue, The Plaza Live, could lose its ability to sell liquor after minors were in attendance at its Dec. 28 show.
The agency claimed The Plaza Live “violated Florida statutes” by failing to prevent children from attending “A Drag Queen Christmas.”
This decision follows a warning sent to the business via email, which said, “If you allow children to attend the Drag Fans drag show at your facility, you are putting your license in jeopardy,” according to the complaint.
The complaint also includes images of children in attendance at the event as well as a sign on the venue’s door that reads: “While we are not restricting access to anyone under 18 please be advised that some may think the context is not appropriate for under 18.”
Selling alcohol during performances is a reliable revenue stream for many event venues and the loss of a liquor license can significantly harm a venue’s ability to make money.
A representative of The Plaza Live’s district, Anna Eskamani, shared with Wesh why liquor sales are so important for these types of businesses.
“Because you’re not always making money off the show,” Eskamani told Wesh. “You’re actually making money off the drinks you sell at the show. And so going after someone’s liquor license is devastating.”
Commenting on Governor Ron DeSantis’ decision, Eskamani added: “We have to call out the governor for his hypocrisy because he talks about parents’ rights when it comes to banning books. But now he doesn’t believe in parents’ rights when it comes to bringing your family to a drag performance.”
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation’s board of directors said in a joint statement that its venue has “hosted drag performances for eight consecutive years,” describing The Plaza Live as a “welcoming and inclusive establishment that operates in good faith and compliance with all applicable laws.”
“That includes respecting the rights of parents to decide what content is or is not appropriate for their own children,” the statement continued, per the Orlando Sentinel. “…We have just been made aware of this administrative complaint and are working with our legal team to evaluate and respond appropriately.”
The business has 21 days to request a hearing, according to the complaint, where it can present evidence and arguments, and call and cross-examine witnesses while being represented by council.
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