On Oct. 11, the Union Rooftop in downtown Minneapolis transformed into a portal of punk, camp and supernatural flair. The occasion? A “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”-themed drag brunch, hosted by the ever-charismatic Sasha Cassadine. 

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is a television series that follows Buffy Summers, a high school student chosen to battle vampires, demons and other forces of darkness. With the help of her loyal friends, Buffy navigates the challenges of being a teenager while protecting the world from supernatural threats. 

But the heart of the event wasn’t just in the performances, it was in the people. 

After the first set, Cassadine invited audience members celebrating milestones to the front. About ten guests stepped forward, sharing stories of birthdays, retirements and even quitting toxic jobs. 

Each announcement was met with cheers, turning personal victories into communal triumphs.

Then came the twist: those celebrants were asked to perform like drag performers, dancing and collecting tips from the crowd. The audience responded generously, showering them with applause and cash. This was a drag performance that turned personal triumphs into shared celebrations. 

From the moment Cerberus the Hound stormed the stage, the crowd was electrified. Their performance was raw and immersive, with Cerberus — adorned with safety pins, chain belts, bloody makeup and ripped sleeves — prowling through the audience, locking eyes, collecting tips and never breaking character. All in all, they played a tough and hardcore persona.

A tip assistant trailed behind, allowing Cerberus to stay fully in character. The energy was confrontational in the best way; drag as rebellion, drag as intimacy.

Next came Frozaen Pissás, whose eerie, theatrical number pushed the brunch into darker, spookier territory. Pissás came closer to audience members than anyone else that afternoon, even touching people in the audience. 

Their presence was unsettling and magnetic, drawing cheers and gasps as they leaned into the crowd’s curiosity.

Rose Nylon followed in a full mask, a mysterious figure whose anonymity added a layer of intrigue. Their first performance was enigmatic, but they returned later as a devilish entity in a red suit, ripped away mid-song to reveal a blue one underneath. 

Each transformation was a visual spell, a reveal that felt like magic.

The rotation continued with Cerberus reappearing in a Giles-inspired suit, channeling the Watcher’s quiet authority before shedding the jacket to wild applause. Giles is a watcher and librarian in the Buffy series, which means he plays the role of a mentor to Buffy Summers; he is knowledgeable in the occult and is involved in training Buffy in her fight against vampires and other supernatural creatures. 

Pissás stunned again with a long wig and a mid-song wig change, while Rose Nylon’s final look, another look with a full mask, was pure fantasy. This time, Nylon amazed the crowd as a green goblin-esque creature. 

Cassadine closed the first half with a cheerleader routine that defied gravity: cartwheels, splits, kicks and charisma that soared above the skyline.

The brunch also spotlighted a charity partnership, with staff members joining the drag performers to collect tips to music. The gesture blurred the line between service and spectacle, reminding everyone that joy can be generous, and generosity can be joyful.

The final set was a crescendo of creativity. Cerberus returned in an outfit adorned with black feathers and a short brown wig, embodying a darker, more ethereal persona. Pissás wore facial prosthetics and a skirt, tearing open their shirt to reveal a bedazzled bra. 

One audience member leaned back with a tip in their mouth, prompting Pissás to theatrically “suck blood” from their neck, a moment that felt straight out of Buffy’s most iconic episodes.

After the final split, the performers greeted guests, posed for photos and radiated warmth. 

What made this brunch unforgettable wasn’t just the costumes or choreography: it was the way it turned fandom into fellowship. Buffy the Vampire Slayer has always been about chosen families, about finding strength in difference and power in community. This drag brunch honored that legacy not just in theme, but in spirit.