Hundreds of residents from Venice and the surrounding area flocked to the Venice Community Center last night for the Blanche and Baby Jane Drag Queen Bingo benefit for the Sarasota Chalk Festival. Featuring fresh-grilled grub, a raffle and lots of bingo, the fundraiser, produced by the Sarasota Chalk Festival and local sponsors Venice Circus Arts Foundation, Venice Main Street, Venice Art Center and James Griffith Salon, to name a few, marked the debut event for the newly relocated festival, slated for Nov. 10-17 in Venice.

Although bingo was the game of the night, much of the talk revolved around Venice Mayor John Holic, Fins at Sharky’s owner Mike Pachota and Venice Gondolier vice president Bob Vedder, who all attended in drag, complete with heels, wigs and makeup. Pachota, whose name for the night was “Bippy Inkster” (Attendees were given stage names for the night, a combination of the name of their first pet and the street they grew up on.), hammed it up in a hot pink number while Holic pulled off a rather convincing redhead.

“I live in Venice, I believe in Venice,” said Holic, regarding this rather unconventional means of support. “I’m the mayor and if I can do something to help promote the city, I’ll do it.”

The three community leaders emerged decked from head to toe with balloons pinned to their outfits, mingling and posing for photographs while residents paid $10 each for the opportunity to pop a balloon, further exposing the wearer’s outfit and claiming a prize.

Balloon prizes ranged from $50 gift certificates to local businesses such as Café Venice and The Crow’s Nest to art books and pastel sets. Bingo and raffle prizes marked the big winners, awarding sizable gift baskets from places like Skin Studio Venice and Tervis, jewelry, glassware and cash prizes up to $1,000.

Bejeweled beehives and multi-colored mohawks dotted the landscape, as participants competed for the “Best Wig” prize. Somewhere in the crowd a strapping young man clad in jockey shorts and a bowtie zigged and zagged, selling shots to delighted guests.

For Denise Kowal, founder and chair of the Sarasota Chalk Festival, the event, which didn’t just sell out but oversold, forcing organizers to open extra room in addition to the 47 tables and near 300 seats prepared, typifies what has been a rewarding and budding working relationship with the city of Venice.

“It’s been a great experience,” said Kowal. “The Venice Community is really engaged in the arts and they’re really engaged in volunteering and community, and so for us it’s been a really joyous thing to be here and work with the community.”

Never one to rest on her laurels, Kowal has big plans for the festival’s first year in Venice.

“We are looking into breaking a Guiness World Record this year with one of our pieces,” said Kowal coyly, not revealing quite what that will entail. “It’s something we might attempt to do this year.”