13th century castle hosts drag festival

A 13th century castle is playing host to a drag festival.

Muncaster Castle in Cumbria is hosting Dragcaster, a series of performances, games, a disco and a best dressed competition.

The castle, at Ravenglass, is believed to stand on Roman remains and has been the home of the Pennington family since 1208.

Organisers said: "The aim of Dragcaster is to bring a more culturally diverse programme of activity and entertainment to the west Cumbria area."

Saturday will be the second time the castle has held the event.

Drag Queen and host Nova Gina said: "We saw last year that there’s a real demand for this type of event and it was a glorious occasion.

"What I love most about drag is the power it gives me to help make a positive impact on people’s lives.

"Whether it’s giving someone a compliment, telling a joke or just making people smile and laugh, it’s a wonderful feeling.”

Ewan Frost-Pennington, who is a member of the family who owns the castle, said: "The inaugural Dragcaster event was truly special and proves how we can appeal to very different audiences at Muncaster. We would love to build on that."

The theme of this year's event, which is for over 18s, is Floral Decadence.

The castle is home to a collection of art, antique furniture and textiles and sits in 77 acres of land.

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