Gregor Robertson’s last Monday of July was a long one. It marked the kick-off of Vancouver’s Pride Week and started with a discussion panel at City Hall, where issues regarding queer refugees were brought to the table.

The panel was followed by the proclamation of Pride Week, the raising of the rainbow flag, and making contacts with the press by sending a video where Vision Vancouver showed its commitment with progressive policies concerning the LGBTQ community.

At 7:40 p.m. Robertson showed up at the iconic Celebrities nightclub, on Davie Street where Vision Vancouver was holding its own celebration of Pride. Vision supporters, volunteers, youngsters, not-so-youngsters, and curious attendees -who only went to see the show- mingled.

“I always say two things about the mayor: The only thing he smokes is salmon and he’s a DJ,” said Joan-E, as emcee. After dedicating “I’m everybody’s girl” and “I need a hero” to her mic-partner, the well-known drag queen gave way to the big star of the night: BenDeLaCreme, from RuPaul's Drag Race.

“I’ve been here thousands of time and I’ve always been told that [Vancouver] is so gay friendly but I didn’t experience that till today,” she said before presenting, “for the first time abroad,” her comedic, glamorous, and iconoclastic performance.

The 15 cm. heels and the big-hair wig she was wearing didn’t stop her from jumping from side to side of the stage, stripping, shaking the over-sized tassels in her pasties, lip-syncing, and getting the audience laughing.

While she said things like “there are two or more people who call this brain home,” tweets, Facebook posts, check-ins, selfies were being published all over the place.

The social media frenzy continued once the mayor took the stage and said that he and his team wanted to make sure that Vancouver remains “a safe, inclusive place to live.”

Robertson presented all the Vision Vancouver councillors, school board and park board candidates that are going to join him for the November election. Later , he took on the DJ’s plates as he did last year.

After overcoming some technical difficulties, and learning to manage better transitions between songs, “DJ Mayor Robertson” –as he was being called- entertained people for about 40 minutes of house, some oldies like “That’s the way (I like it),” and Beyoncé.

After he jumped, clapped, danced, and took selfies with others, Robertson chose Pharrell’s “Happy” to finish his set. Then, he moved on to “shake some hands and hold some -non-present- babies,” as Joan-E said.

Mayor Gregor Robertson DJ.

BenDeLaCreme, drag queen from RuPaul's Drag Race.

BenDeLaCreme, drag queen from RuPaul's Drag Race.

Joan-E, legendary Vancouver drag queen.

Councillors Tim Stevenson and Geoff Meggs.

Terry Arak Nisqa'a and Chief 37 Longclaws, Byron G. Lew.

Photos: Valentina Ruiz Leotaud.