Kelowna mayor plans transformation at inaugural Sugarplum Ball

KELOWNA – What was supposed to be an insult directed at Kelowna’s mayor has turned into the inaugural Sugarplum Ball.

According to Mayor Colin Basran, when someone tried to brand him Mayor Sugarplum on social media, he turned it right back at them.

“When city council made the right decision to paint rainbow crosswalks downtown, an intolerant resident… took to online forums and would refer to me as Mayor Sugarplum,” Basran explained in a press release.

“While they thought they were insulting me, I actually found it quite humourous. My friends from the Okanagan Pride Society thought we could have some fun with it and… the Sugarplum Ball was born.”

Basran has taken it a step further and agreed to transform in drag as part of the ball, by professional make-over by Hannah deJob, otherwise known as Nathan Flavel.

“Okanagan Pride Society’s theme this year, We Are One, ties in with this event as well as with the unity show across the world after the Pulse shootings in Orlando,” president Sydney Lawson says.

As part of the ball, you can slip into the green room and have your look transformed by skilled professionals, the release says, and party on with a fresh set of lashes and a wig.

The Sugarplum Ball will be hosted by the Okanagan Young Professionals at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. Doors open at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 9.

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