If you haven’t discovered it yet, a hidden gem sits high above the streets of RiNo, near 33rd Street and Brighton Boulevard. Tucked away on the eighth floor of The Source Hotel, Cimera has become home to a growing tradition of themed drag brunches.
On August 29, the rooftop restaurant welcomed guests back for its latest celebration, with Pan-Latin brunch dishes, handcrafted themed cocktails, and plenty of Rihanna!
With colorful dishes arriving at the tables and specialty cocktails ready to pour, guests settled in, surrounded by sweeping views of the Denver skyline and the Rocky Mountains.
Even before the first performance began, guests were singing along to energetic mixes of Rihanna’s biggest hits. One thing was for sure: that afternoon’s DJ understood the assignment, delivering the kind of energy some might not expect from a brunch event.
Returning to lead another themed drag brunch, host Felony Misdemeanor once again brought her quick wit and playful, energetic energy back to the rooftop.
Keeping with tradition, Felony officially opened the show by raising her glass for a toast that was equal parts meaningful and hilarious, inviting everyone in the room to join her before the queens took over.
The first queen entered, channeling Rihanna’s iconic red Super Bowl look, complete with the baby bump that revealed the singer’s second pregnancy.
During Felony’s opening toast, the room discovered a first-time drag-brunch guest, and this queen made sure her introduction to drag was memorable. Judging by the smile on the newcomer’s face, she had a blast being pulled into the fun. 
Still rocking the baby bump, she moved through the dining room with dancer-like grace, sweeping between tables and spinning fast enough to send her hair and flowing red coat flying.
Then came an unexpected delivery!
Whether planned or not, the baby bump suddenly slipped free and landed on the floor, sending laughter across the dining room. Even Felony couldn’t resist jumping on the microphone to crack a few jokes as the performance continued.
Next, a sparkling red two-piece took center stage as the queen carried her performance from the indoor dining room onto the open-air patio. With sharp dance moves and a perfectly timed lip-sync, she commanded both spaces so completely that guests could hardly look away.
Dressed in a black leather, military-inspired look reminiscent of Rihanna’s “Hard” era, the next queen took charge of the entire rooftop. She carried her performance from the indoor dining room to the open-air patio, dancing between tables, interacting with guests, and collecting tips from cheering audience members along the way.
The performance soon became even more playful when the queen borrowed a guest’s hat and made it part of the number. With the hat in place, she hit an epic high kick perfectly timed to the music before returning it to its laughing owner.
Not even the sunglasses were safe!
As she danced back inside, the queen made her way toward the bar, where several out-of-town guests identified during Felony’s opening toast were enjoying a drink. Spotting the perfect accessory, she playfully took a pair of sunglasses from one of the visitors and continued the performance in her newly completed look.
With the borrowed sunglasses still in place, she returned to the DJ booth and finished her number with a series of epic poses, turning the out-of-towner’s accessory into the perfect final touch.
Before the performances continued, Felony invited several guests from the crowd to compete in another drag-brunch tradition: the intermission twerk-off. Each contestant stepped forward to show off their best twerking skills—or at least give it their best attempt. Since some participants seemed unsure what twerking even was, the competition quickly became less about technique and more about filling the room with laughter. Once everyone had taken a turn, the decision went to the crowd, who could cheer for only one contestant to win.
Once the twerk-off winner was chosen and everyone returned to their seats, the music started again. Guests looked around expecting another queen to make her entrance, but this time Felony stepped in front of the DJ booth and revealed that the host was about to become the performer.
Felony traded jokes and introductions for a commanding lip-sync, strutting between tables in her glossy black coat as guests reached out with tips. After spending the afternoon spotlighting everyone else, she reminded the room that she could take center stage just as easily.
Then came the dramatic reveal. With one sweeping motion, Felony shed the floor-length coat to unveil a fitted black look complete with sheer panels and matching thigh-high boots. She gave the crowd only a moment to take it in before launching back into the number, striking powerful poses as her long braids flew with every movement. 
Like the queens before her, Felony carried her performance onto the open-air patio, but she did not simply walk between the tables. Dropping low, she crawled behind one unsuspecting guest before climbing over the back of his bench and suddenly appearing behind him. His initial shock quickly turned into laughter, with both his table and nearby guests cracking up as he happily played along with the surprise interaction. 
After trading her Rihanna pregnancy-inspired red look and baby bump for a street-inspired outfit, the afternoon’s first queen returned with a microphone as Felony’s number neared its end. She encouraged the crowd to make some noise for their host before slipping in a few jokes of her own and sending another wave of laughter through the room.
With the crowd cheering, she traded the microphone for the dance floor and launched into her second performance of the afternoon. Her oversized hoodie, loose black pants, and plaid layers moved with every spin as flashes of a rhinestone-covered top appeared beneath. Between the flying hair, sharp poses, and nonstop movement, her street-inspired look carried an entirely different energy from the red pregnancy-era costume that introduced her earlier. 
Carrying the number onto the patio, she performed against a sweeping view of the Denver skyline as her hair flew through the air and guests cheered from their tables. It was the kind of perfectly timed moment that captured everything Cimera’s rooftop drag brunch brings together: striking performances, an engaged crowd, and one unforgettable backdrop. 
After working her way across the patio, she swept back inside and launched into a rapid series of spins. Her long hair, silver chains, and even the tip money in her hands flew around her, turning every layer of the street-inspired outfit into part of the choreography. 
The next queen made her entrance almost completely hidden beneath a mountain of bright red ruffles, immediately leaving guests wondering what might be concealed underneath.
Her first reveal brought out a fitted black dress with flashes of red, gold lace-up detailing and a distressed hem. Instead of discarding the outer layer, she made it part of the choreography, sweeping it behind her like a train and sending it billowing across the floor.
Just when guests thought they had seen the final look, the black dress came off to reveal a fitted red minidress. She danced her way toward the DJ booth before dramatically dropping into a split, then carried the number onto the patio. After moving through the outdoor crowd, she returned to the doorway and struck one final pose to bring her transformation-filled performance to a show-stopping finish.
The next queen brought plenty of humor to her performance, playing to nearby tables with exaggerated expressions and perfectly timed reactions. At one point, she dropped into a crouch and leaned directly toward the camera, turning the lens into part of the act. She continued playing it up from only inches away, sending the guests around her into laughter.
Her playful antics continued as she carried the performance onto the patio. Between the benches, she suddenly dropped into a dramatic split, drawing laughter and cheers from the surrounding tables. She then climbed up and playfully took a seat on one man’s lap, raising her tips triumphantly above her head while he laughed. After holding the pose, she rose to her feet and continued the number, leaving the entire table smiling over the unexpected interaction. 
With one final pose framed by the rooftop and Denver skyline, the afternoon’s last number came to a close. From dramatic reveals and flying hair to surprise lap dances, splits and countless moments of crowd interaction, Cimera’s Rihanna Drag Brunch kept guests laughing, cheering and wondering what might happen next. As the final applause filled the room, it was clear this had become far more than an afternoon meal; it was a rooftop celebration where the performances were bold, the energy was contagious, and even the audience became part of the show. 
Cimera’s themed drag brunch is a recurring event, meaning the Rihanna celebration will not be the rooftop’s last. The restaurant has officially confirmed that its next brunch will take guests back to the 90s. Keep an eye on Cimera’s Instagram for the date, performer lineup and more details about the next themed celebration taking over the rooftop.
Photos by Alissha R.
