The Bianca Paige Awareness Network in partnership with Music City Prep Clinic will hold a very special two-day celebration on June 26 and 27.
The Nashville City Council gave its final approval for the official name changing of Carney Street to Bianca Paige Way on March 16, 2021 and now it is time for the Nashville community to celebrate this momentous occasion — the first street named after a drag queen in the state.
On Saturday, June 26, local LGBTQ+ organizations, businesses, and the community will come together for the street Dedication and Celebration. The Day begins at 3 pm with some of Nashville’s and Tennessee’s most important dignitaries, including Mayor John Cooper and U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, coming together for the ribbon cutting. The ceremony will feature performances by country music superstar Ty Herndon, Chris Housman, Brody Ray, Shelly Fairchild and more, to memorialize one of Nashville’s most prolific female impersonators “Bianca Paige: the Pantomime Rage.”
Mark Middleton, a.k.a. “Bianca Paige the Pantomime Rage”, became a prolific female impersonator in the 1980s until his death in 2010. When Mark received his HIV/AIDS diagnosis he made the courageous decision to go public, using Bianca Paige as his platform to encourage testing, education, and to erode the stigmatization associated with living with such a diagnosis. Through Bianca Paige, Mark raised over $1,000,000 in his lifetime funding education, treatment, and research for children living with the virus.
His work led to the formation of the Bianca Paige Awareness Network (BPAN). Since Mark’s death, BPAN works to continue his mission and has been honored by declarations from every Nashville Mayor and City Council celebrating his life, Bianca Paige Day, held annually at Trax located at 1501 Ensley Blvd Nashville 37210.
The BPAN recognizes the council’s action as a major step in honoring the contributions made by Nashville’s LGBTQ+ community. BPAN happily extends a thank you to Ron Sanford, Steven Kiss, John Paris, Michael Dolly Wilson, Mayor John Cooper, John Lasiter, Colby Sledge, Brett Withers, the LGBT Caucus, and the Metro Council for making this possible.
Bianca Paige was a true advocate for those living with HIV, AIDS, and the LGBTQ community. She was not alone in her cause for countless men and women have worked to further LGBT rights in Nashville and abroad.
Bianca Paige Way Dedication Ceremony
Day: June 26, 2021
Time: 3:00pm
Location: Bianca Paige Way, Nashville, TN 37210 / Trax 1501 Ensley Blvd.
Tickets to the dedication are complimentary, however, RSVPs are required:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-rainbow-celebration-2021-bianca-paige-way-dedication-and-celebration-tickets-156834826187
Schedule of Events
2 pm Gates Open Music begins
3 pm Dedication begins
4 pm TikTok Sensation Chris Houseman https://www.chrishousmanmusic.com
4:30 pm Brody Ray https://www.brodyray.com
5 pm Play Dance Bar Show Cast and Special Guest https://nashville.playdancebar.com
6 pm The Lipstick Lounge Band https://www.thelipsticklounge.com
6:40 pm Shelly Fairchild https://shellyfairchild.com
7 pm Peckers Show Cast and Special Guest https://www.peckersnashville.com
8 pm Ty Herndon https://tyherndon.com
8:30 pm Sonia Leigh
9 pm Canvas Presents Dance Break with special guest DJ https://canvasnash.com
10 pm Marilyn Mudroe
11 pm Cast of Trax and Very special Guests Including from Rupaul’s Drag Race Nichole Paige Brooks, Versage, Charmaine Sinclair Dupree, and Entertainers who are coming in from all over the country for this once in a lifetime event! https://www.facebook.com/TRAXnashville
