This March, drag takes centre stage in Birmingham as Kinky Boots sashays its way to the Birmingham Hippodrome and RuPaul’s Drag Race superstars Sharon Needles and Manila Luzon touch down for their own shows. Don’t miss the best of queer cinema either, with the two-day CineQ Queer Film Festival this month.

Drag: Everybody is talking about… Manila Luzon

Hot off the heels of her stint on the latest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (Season 4), international drag superstar Manila Luzon lands in the UK this March for a four-stop tour starting in Birmingham. Having competed in three (yes, three) seasons of the Emmy-Award winning Drag Race – first gracing our screens all the way back in 2011 – Manila has continued to entrance audiences across the world for the past decade. This super-queen is sure to put on a show-stopping performance at the Glee Club that blends her comedy chops, famous witty lip syncs and signature campy glamour, as well as showcasing her own original music following the recent release of her new album Rules! Get your tickets now to avoid missing out.

Mon 18 Mar, Glee Club Birmingham, 70 Hurst Street, Birmingham, B5 4TD, 8pm, prices vary, www.eventbrite.com

Film: Love, Simon

This March, the Journey Film Club is showing one of 2018’s most popular gay films Love, Simon. Based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, the plot centres around 17-year-old Simon Spier, who is coming to terms with his sexuality and balancing his friends and family alongside facing a blackmailer threatening to out him to his entire school – all while trying to discover the identity of the anonymous classmate he’s fallen for after speaking online. This film will make you laugh and cry in equal measure and is completely free so don’t miss out.

Tue 19 Mar, Journey Film Club, Birmingham LGBT Centre, 38/40 Holloway Circus, Birmingham B1 1EQ, 7:30pm, FREE, www.journeyfilmclub.co.uk

Drag: Sharon Needles presents Celebrity Morgue

Manila Luzon is not the only drag star to set foot in Birmingham this March, as Sharon Needles – winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 3 – presents Celebrity Morgue at the Glee Club. Dubbed as ‘a eulogy of song from stars that are no more…’, Sharon’s signature morbid humour and macabre gothic fashion make for a perfect mix, so don’t miss the spook queen in all her glory.

Tue 19 Mar, Glee Club Birmingham, 70 Hurst Street, Birmingham, B5 4TD, 7pm, prices vary, www.glee.co.uk

Film: CineQ Queer Film Festival 2019

March 2019 sees the arrival of the CineQ Queer Film Festival, which occupies independent spaces all across Birmingham to showcase the best of LGBTQ+ film both old and new. The two-day festival focuses on the stories of queer people, and the perspectives of QTIPOC (Queer Trans and Intersex People of Colour) in the hopes of growing ‘appetites and audiences’ for queer cinema. Ticketing options vary, allowing you to go to individual screenings or buying a Weekend Festival Pass for access to all screenings and workshops during the entire festival. This unique opportunity is set to be a highlight of the LGBTQ+ calendar this year.

Fri 22 Mar – Sun 24 Mar, various venues, times and prices vary, www.cineqbirmingham.co.uk

Musical: Kinky Boots

The critically acclaimed and hugely successful musical Kinky Boots struts its way to the Birmingham Hippodrome this March! With songs by pop icon Cyndi Lauper and West End star Kayi Ushe playing Lola, this high-kicking, high-energy show will knock your socks off. Inspired by true events, this feel-good musical has conquered Broadway and the West End and is showing no signs of slowing down, so get your tickets now.

Mon 11 Mar – Sat 23 Mar, Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB, times and prices vary, www.birminghamhippodrome.com