Dirt and Glitter Plant Show brings drag, flora, and sparkle to Atlantic Station

An upcoming plant festival is putting a shimmering twist on a traditional plant show by bringing together rare flora, drag performers, and an emphasis on inclusion.

The inaugural Dirt & Glitter Plant Show is heading to Atlantic Station for a three-day celebration rooted in diversity and community. Founder Steven Crafton says the goal of the event is simple: unite two vibrant worlds.

"A mixture of the plant community and the queer community together and really bringing together dirt and glitter," Crafton said.

Like conventional exhibitions, attendees can expect to see rare botanical finds from across the globe, including imported specimens from Ecuador, Thailand, and the Netherlands. But unlike typical plant markets, this one incorporates fashion, art, and live musical entertainment.

"We brought in our drag performers, we've brought in art, we've brought in crazy plants from all over the world," Crafton said.

Crafton partnered with longtime Atlanta drag artist Gigi Diamond, well-known for her Taylor Swift impersonations, to serve as the opening night headliner. Diamond's own journey into plant collecting mirrors that of many hobbyists who found green thumbs during lockdown.

"Like a lot of people, I started collecting plants during the pandemic," Diamond said. "I was home a lot, and it was just me and my dog for a lot of the time, so I started collecting plants. I started with two, two became four, and four became 80."

Diamond believes the event creates a natural bridge between two groups that already share substantial common ground.

"I think Dirt & Glitter is going to be a really great place for the plant community and the queer community to come together in one place," Diamond said. "We already have a lot of overlap, but I think that it will be a great place to build new connections and build and foster new relationships."

For Crafton, the vast variety found in plant life serves as an apt metaphor for the diverse community of enthusiasts who care for them.

"It is a reflection of the multitude of variety of plants is a reflection of the fans of plants. We come in all different shapes, colors, varieties," Crafton said. "We are so welcoming. We don't care who you are, where you're from, color you are doesn't matter. The plant community is going to invite you in with open arms, and having the love of plants will be our common bond."

The three-day Dirt and Glitter Plant Show kicks off Oct. 16 at Atlantic Station.