Drag Bus – spreading Brighton magic across the UK

Drag Bus, the party experience launched in Brighton just over two years ago, is currently celebrating their launch in a fifth UK city, with a further seven cities seeing their inaugural trip before Christmas.

Initially set-up as a limited run of 20 events in Brighton in 2023 by founder Kevin Coyle, Drag Bus was launched by then Mayor of Brighton & Hove Lizzie Deane on a sunny April morning, and set off on a rather camp inaugural trip along the seafront. 

Kevin states “We were in a post Covid era where nothing really made a huge amount of sense. I’d just finished working in healthcare business consultancy after 15 years and wanted to do something that brought a smile to my face, and to be fair two years later I haven’t stopped smiling.

"Our very first trip sold out, as did all of the other trips that summer, and our emcee Cherry Bomb went on to be the resident host in Brighton and remains so, casting a spell on all who set foot on Drag Bus with her devastatingly gorgeous looks and Irish charm. I really should have given these quotes before the prosecco started flowing freely on today’s bus!”

Following the success in Brighton the next obvious launch for the team was London, where they took their first trip through Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square on 20 April last year, where Cherry Bomb was joined by Miss Jason, Mrs Moore and Davina Sparkle. 

Kevin said of the day “It was wonderful and filled with laughter and joy, where we seemed to breeze over any teething issues and everyone was kept suitably refreshed by the team from the Grosvenor Bar in Hove who made sure glasses were topped up. It was the last time any of us spent with Jason, which make the memories of the day so special that words do them no justice”.

Just over two years later, with Drag Bus having been in multiple Pride events across the country, welcoming everyone from Hazell Dean to Austin Armacost and Sinitta onboard, and having launched in Bournemouth, Belfast and Southampton, what’s next?

According to Kevin, the winter and Christmas period is going to be “bonkers, but in a brilliant way, I’m genuinely stupidly excited. From our themed Blackpool launch the weekend Strictly is there, to Edinburgh where Cherry West, who became a Tik Tok sensation some years ago at 15, is hosting. There’s the Cardiff launch where Heidi Heights, our host, had a story that moved me, and I had to reach out. It’s on our socials and well worth the read.

Shallow Vera is fighting a restraining order from concerned residents to be allowed to continue hosting in Bournemouth. That Freddie Queen will be blasting Queen’s hits along Oxford Street while Jodie Doody, a leading UK Kylie tribute act, will be padam padaming across Brighton. And of course, Kara Van Park will be continuing her musicals tours of the West End which have been a storming success.

"I don’t want to give away too much about 2026 but expect the first onboard ‘I do’ with drag royalty as the celebrant, and we’ve they’re not the only famous face to be a celebrant onboard next year! 

"There’s also a series of drag icon special buses in London over spring with some of the biggest names, who’ve been at the top of their game for decades including Sandra, Dave Lynn, Drag With No Name, Rose Garden and Mrs Moore.

"It’s been a brilliant two years, with a ton of work behind the scenes and it couldn’t have happened without the most incredible drag talent we have here in Brighton. And we owe a huge thank you to the people who’ve supported us like our friends at Affinity Bar, and of course the incredible team at Brighton Regency Routemaster, plus Ironworks Studios, our theatre partner for two of the Christmas events, have been a joy.

"Of course we love working with Cheer Up - The Ultimate Parties who host fabulous Stock Aitken and Waterman parties across the country and who we’ve a very special bus and Royal Vauxhall Tavern event with in December. 

"It feels like this has been a Brighton born and bred business, with collaboration every step of the way. Even the logo by leading artist Sid Spencer, is pure Brighton. I like to think Drag Bus is taking some of the quirkiness that makes our city unique and spreading that dollop of delicious craziness all across the country.”