When Yvie Oddly attended RuPaul's DragCon in New York City just two years ago, it was the first time the Denver-based performer saw the art of drag practiced in person outside of her home state.

"It was the most fun I'd ever had," Oddly recalled.

Seeing queens from across the country and around the world showcasing their art was also incredibly inspirational; Oddly took that energy home to her local scene and used it to push herself and her peers.

This fall, she returns to New York City as America's next drag superstar.

Oddly won "RuPaul's Drag Race" Season 11 in May, and she'll be among the guests appearing at RuPaul's DragCon NYC Friday, Sept. 6 through Sunday, Sept. 8 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

The all-ages, family-friendly gathering will featuring appearances by dozens of competitors from throughout the decade-plus run of "Drag Race" and pop culture icons as well as vendors, panel discussions and even DJ sets from the one and only RuPaul on the Javits center floor.

“DragCon itself is really dope," said Oddly. "I just enjoy the number of people who come out and turn looks, like come out and really get into it. I love the shows that happen. It’s like a giant family reunion but you’re not dreading every second of it.”

In its third year, the convention is presented by RuPaul and World of Wonder Productions, the production company also behind VH1's "Drag Race" cultural juggernaut.

“People are beginning to discover that drag means more than putting on a pair of heels and a wig," said World of Wonder co-founder and Boonton native Randy Barbato. "It’s kind of an idea of experiencing life and being open to all of the different colors in the crayon box, as RuPaul would say."

"It’s the opposite of a mindset that is about building walls and keeping people out," added British-born World of Wonder co-founder Fenton Bailey. "DragCon is about opening doors and welcoming people in.”

DragCon also has an annual springtime Los Angeles event (returning May 1 to 3, 2020), but there is distinct power in the convention's Manhattan bow this year not all that far from where the modern fight for LGBTQ rights was born at the Stonewall Inn 50 years ago.

“It’s great to come to New York, because New York is where you’ve got the Statue of Liberty, who is our inspirational drag queen," said Bailey. "It’s like in these dark days I think DragCon is a beacon of hope and joy, light and love and laughter.”

RuPaul and World of Wonder's drag empire is a beacon for ever-greater numbers of people. "DragRace" was nominated for nine Emmys in July, potentially doubling the current nine Emmys it's already scored. The next month, VH1 announced it had given the green light to both a 12th season of "RuPaul's Drag Race" and a fifth season of the spin-off "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars."

DragCon hosted 100,000 attendees in Los Angeles and New York City in 2018, and in June RuPaul and a number of competitors appeared in Taylor Swift's "You Need to Calm Down" music video. That video, perhaps not so coincidentally, took home Video of the Year and Video for Good honors at MTV's Video Music Awards on Monday.

"Drag queens are the new pop stars," said Barbato, "and I do think this is just the beginning."

Among the performers feeling those effects first hand is Ariel Versace of Cherry Hill, who represented New Jersey on "Drag Race" Season 11. Since her time on the show, Versace's number of Instragram followers has nearly quadrupled to almost half a million, while her Twitter followers have multiplied nearly eight-fold, approaching 26,000.

"It’s really cool just having a bigger platform (because) everyone gets to see more of what I do, you get more recognized for the hard work that you put into your drag," said Versace. "Because drag’s a job that is really expensive, it’s not easy. ... It’s a lot of hard work, so obviously it’s amazing to see the hard work you’ve put into something you’ve been working on for years finally pay off.”

At RuPaul's DragCon NYC, Versace and fellow Season 11 competitor Soju will be sharing a booth while next to them, Versace's husband — fellow drag performer Chasity St. Cartier — will represent their Westmont-based wig company Drag by Chariel. (Those wigs, "Drag Race" fans will recall, got a subplot of their own this season.)

As she's watched her fandom grow from Cherry Hill to the international stage, Versace said she's learned the importance of putting her best face forward when interacting with fans.

“It’s definitely important after the show, when you’re getting face-to-face with fans, to be appreciative, have fun with them and make sure not only that they’re having a good time but you’re having a good time too," said Versace. "Because I shouldn’t really be going around if I’m not enjoying it. You always want to show the fans that you’re having fun and give them a reason to come out.”

"Drag Race" judge Michelle Visage, also set to appear at DragCon NYC, knows how conventions can create safe spaces for fans; the Perth Amboy-born, South Plainfield-raised television and radio mainstay's teenage daughter is a member of the cosplay community.

“It’s a safety zone for these kids to know they won’t be judged, they won’t be heckled, they won’t be jeered, it will all be cheers and love and community," said Visage. "And they can also learn that this is what a sense of community actually feels like, because maybe in the real world they’ve never felt what that feels like. So it’s a great place for them to father, celebrate, and just laugh and have fun.”

“First and foremost, I just want (DragCon) to be a reminder that you’re not alone," said Oddly. " A lot of these kids come from very small places where drag may not be either accepted or may not be at the forefront of their specific communities. And so I hope that they get to feel as if they are part of a bigger picture because they are, and we all are."

And while the "Drag Race" empire now boasts two hit television series with international spin-offs and conventions on either side of the country, Visage wants to make one thing perfectly clear: drag is not, nor will it ever be, mainstream.

"It is a queer art form, created by queer people and for queer people, and though the hetero-normative population has kind of piggybacked on it because they love it so much — and that’s a beautiful thing — I wouldn’t ever really call it mainstream," said Visage.

But that doesn't mean that drag can't change hearts, minds, lives and even the world.

"At the end of the day there’s still middle America and still people that don’t understand or don’t think gay people should have any rights, let alone drag queens," said Visage. "So that still exists, and I think the best way to turn that around is to educate those people and if we do it through ‘Drag Race,’ that’s how it’s got to be done. It might take time, but it can be done.”

RuPaul's DragCon NYC

When: 2 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8

Where: Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34th St., New York City

Tickets: $70 weekend ticket, $40 Saturday or Sunday, $300 VIP, kids 10 and under free when accompanied by an adult

Info: For a full schedule, list of guests and more, visit rupaulsdragcon.com.