Drag Me to Brunch

Drag Me to Brunch

Blowing Up at Birch Hoboken

By Tara Ryazansky

Photos by Maria Suarez for Drag Me To Brunch

Kimmy Sumony

Maria Suarez for Drag Me to Brunch

Kimmy Sumony wants to drag me to brunch in Hoboken. When there are mimosas and a show involved, she doesn’t have to ask twice. Kimmy Sumony (that rhymes with gimme some money, by the way!) is the host of various drag brunches all over town. I first became familiar with her work at Monroe’s on Newark Street in the building that used to be Biggie’s Clam Bar. The event is called Babes Who Brunch, and it’s a lot of fun. The mimosas are bottomless, the food is delicious, and Kimmy’s drag performers are talented and hilarious. As for Kimmy, she kept the big crowd captivated from start to finish. “As a host, it’s my job not only to keep the show flowing and to make sure it’s going smoothly but also to engage the crowd; to keep them laughing,” Kimmy explains. “For the performers, the more hyped the crowd is, the more energy they give to us, the more we’re able to give it back to them. If they’re yelling, and screaming, and tipping, and clapping, then we will perform better. I like to play games with the crowd and keep them entertained. And of course, everybody loves free shots.” Upcoming event information for Babes Who Brunch can be found at @kimmysumony and @monroeshoboken on Instagram or at their website; monroesnj.com.

It’s Me

Kimmy started doing drag about four years ago. “I had always dibbled and dabbled with hair and makeup. I’m a creative; that’s what I call myself because I like to do all types of things,” she says.

At that time, she was working in visual merchandising. “I used to dress mannequins and do window graphics, window displays all over 5th Avenue in New York City and New Jersey. I can kind of do all of that with drag. I’m my own mannequin. I can dress myself. I can do my hair, and my makeup the way I want to do it. I can be as creative as I want. It’s my brand. It’s me. It’s Kimmy Sumony.”

Do It Now

At the start of her drag career, Kimmy was picking up gigs here and there while working for a department store. Then, in 2018 the store shut down. “I thought, if I don’t do it now, I’m never going to do it. This is my chance to really give drag everything that I have. Ever since then, I have had the luck to be able to do this full-time. I’m a full-time drag queen. Not a lot of people can say that. It is difficult to pick up enough gigs to supplement your lifestyle,” Kimmy says. A fulltime drag queen is never off the clock. When Kimmy isn’t performing, she’s memorizing new songs to lip-synch, choreographing performances to keep her act fresh, and managing her wardrobe and beauty looks “I love the art of drag. Yeah, on my days off, I’m working, but I never feel like I don’t want to do this. I am always growing my repertoire. I live for it.” Kimmy is inspired by the women in her family. “Kimmy is a little bit of all of the influential women in my life. I grew up with nine aunts, and they were all divas. They still are to this day. My 50, 60-year-old aunts won’t leave the house without 4-inch heels on,” Kimmy says. “That’s what I grew up around; glamour and being put together always, putting your best foot forward. That’s what I was raised with, so Kimmy is a little bit of that.” Another event that Kimmy hosts is Drag Me To Brunch at Birch Hoboken, which is upstairs from Mike’s Wild Moose Saloon on River Street. This monthly event features a brunch buffet along with the drag show that

includes drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race. “When people hear about the Ru- Paul’s Drag Race girls, they get really excited because they don’t often come to New Jersey,” Kimmy says. “The brunches at Birch have really blown up because of that.”

Maria Suarez

Dahlia Sin (RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11), Kimmy Sumony, Jolina Jasmine

A Lot of Fun

“Kimmy is an amazing entertainer and performer. She knows how to captivate the public with her multiple talents,” says Birch hospitality manager Camilo Lema-Adarve. “She’s definitely one of our favorite queens, and that is why we have chosen her to host our events.” Check out @dragmetobrunch.nj on Instagram and dragmetobrunchnj. com for upcoming event dates. Another local spot where you can find Kimmy is at The Shepherd and the Knucklehead on July 10. Ticket details are available on Instagram at @theshep_hoboken. The drag event will be a first for the venue. “Someone who works for me goes to a bunch of drag shows. He’s gay, so he goes to a lot of these events. He told me about it,” says owner Joe Schiavo, “He knew of Kimmy. He says it’s a lot of fun, and we have a great space for it.” Kimmy’s calendar of Hoboken events is filling up fast. It seems like a town known for its sports bars might soon be known for drag brunches. “I think people are becoming more inclusive. Things are a lot different than they were ten years ago. They’re beginning to understand that we’re not going anywhere. Instead of trying to fight us or be against us why not accept us? Plus, we’re good for business,” Kimmy says. “Hoboken is known for kind of a party bar scene. People want to sip mimosas while someone is dancing in their face.” — 07030

Maria Suarez for Drag Me to Brunch

Maria Suarez for Drag Me to Brunch

Maria Suarez for Drag Me to Brunch