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Provincial cities are not normally thought of as hotbeds of drag culture, but Palmerston North is staking a claim as the nation's capital - thanks to its popular Palmy Drag Fest, which returns in a fortnight.
As performers glitter up for the big show, the brains behind it, Ricky Beirao, is rehearsing his own part in the main event - a Saturday night drag show in the Regent on Broadway Theatre.
When he arrived in Palmerston North three years ago there was not much of a drag scene, so he changed that.
"I moved from Melbourne after doing drag a lot over there. When I came here, there was absolutely nothing.
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