DIVA Awards shine on

With a breath of new life under her wings, the DIVA Awards took flight and soared in front of a packed audience on Monday night.

Under a new leadership, the DIVAs rolled out the red carpet for Sydney's drag community with a star-studded reception at the Bourbon in Kings Cross. Compered by the funny-as-all-hell Julia Morris, the awards opted for a short and sweet ceremony broken up throughout the night, giving guests more time to strut their stuff as well as bitch, brag and boast ­- all the elements that make up a sensational DIVAs. 

Performances by the Super Supremes and the irrepressible Paul Capsis saw the ceremony through to midnight, when the official Bitch or Boast party kicked off and kept guests on a liquid diet until dawn. As long-time DIVA guests, Time Out was front and centre of the action capturing the flutter of false eyelashes and the perfectly executed ‘step and repeats' for the waiting paparazzi. 

Stunning costumes graced the reception, with exceptional efforts (and our personal favourites) by Maxi Shield, who paid homage to the late great Divine inPink Flamingos mode, Minnie Cooper whose horizontally inclined bouffant doo rivalled that of the uber-talented Dallas Dellaforce, whose masterpiece wig required a postcode of its own. Drag royalty Chelsea Bun was inducted into this year's Hall of Fame, alongside a cavalcade of other winners listed below.

Time Out congratulates all the DIVA 2009 winners and wishes to thank Gregg Steele (Sheila Blige), Dejay Toborek (Shelly Legs Diamond) and David Wilkins (Dot Dingle) for keeping the spirit and history of these sensational awards alive.       

Diva 2009 Winners

Outstanding Technical Contribution: Decoda Secret
DIVA Variety Award: Trevor Ashley
Queen of Hearts: Mitzi Macintosh
Show of the Year: Gentlemen Prefer Blokes
DIVA Rising Star: Decoda Secret
Miss Congeniality: Minnie Cooper
Popular Male Performer: Daniel G
Popular Venue: Stonewall Hotel
Favourite Drag Personality: Tora Hymen
Most Popular Show: Country Ladies @ Midnightshift 
Bitch of the Year: Tora Hymen
Hall of Fame: Chelsea Bun
Belle of the Ball: Summer Salt
Entertainer of the Year: Trevor Ashley

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