Steamboat Springs community comes together after threats against drag show

A Steamboat Springs man allegedly threatened to “shoot up” a drag show in the small Colorado mountain town, making the threats while at a nearby bar.

According to police records, 28-year-old John Noble Clark made the threats of violence while at the Sunpie’s Bar in downtown Steamboat Springs. A monthly drag show was occurring a block away at the nearby Schmiggity’s venue on the town’s main thoroughfare.

The Fresh Drag show occurs monthly at Schmiggity’s and usually draws a large crowd of LGBTQ community members and supporters.

“At first we were a little shocked, but then I think the second thought I had was, ‘Wow, it's about time,’” said Madame Sassysquatch, a drag performer and producer of the Schmiggity’s show. “Honestly, I thought it was going to happen a lot sooner.”

In light of the incident and due to fears about his safety and business, Sassysquatch didn’t want to use his full name.

On the night of July 17, Sunpie’s patrons, security, and bartenders reported to police that Clark had made threats against the drag show, but left the bar. Schmiggity’s bouncers were alerted and police were posted at the venue’s entrances where an estimated 80 people were in attendance, according to the affidavit.

Clark’s roommate told police the suspect had access to a hunting rifle at home and what he had been threatening was “not ok,” according to the police report.

Once police arrived at his home, Clark “admitted to making a comment about going to Schmiggity’s and making a scene” and that he “potentially made comments” about “causing violence.”

Clark was arrested and booked into the Routt County Jail. He initially faced a felony charge of inciting destruction of life or property and misdemeanor charges of menacing, harassment, and bias-motivated crime.

Court records indicate he’s since been released on bond and had his weapons and ammo confiscated. He still faces the felony charge of inciting destruction of life or property and is due back in court on Aug. 28.

Clark’s attorney did not return a request for comment. The incident was first reported by the Steamboat Pilot.

In light of the threat, Schmiggity’s and Sassysquatch plan to make their Aug. 21 Fresh Drag show the biggest yet. Signs were posted around Steamboat, labeled the show “A Night of Drag Delights and Defiance.”

LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD reported drag events faced more than 160 protests and significant threats from early 2022 to mid-2023. Drag panic, as it has been called, was also noted as a motive for the Club Q mass shooting in Colorado Springs.

“We can't give in to that. We can't let that win. It's the way I see it,” said Sassysquatch. “This is something that people look forward to in the LGBT community around here. So I don't think it would be fair to them for us to just give up.”

Kim Haggarty, the owner of Schmiggity’s, said they’re happy to continue hosting the show despite possible security concerns.

Haggarty said everyone did the right thing when they overheard the threats and commended the town and community for acting.

“It feels nice that they have our back outside of this bar and everyone took it serious,” said Haggarty. “We're really a small town and very united, so that was really cool. For me, it's just to have that community come together for something. We all really care about each other.”

Chelsie Holmes, the program director for Queer Futures, a new Steamboat Springs LGBTQ resource center, said the Steamboat Police are supportive and hope the incident doesn’t cause fear within the community for future LGBTQ events.

“Drag shows and gay bars are a safe haven, historically and now, for LGBTQ people to congregate and be together and not be a watered-down version of ourselves,” said Holmes. “And so it's scary when that safe space is disrupted and taken.”

Holmes said the threats from John Noble Clark are very “raw” and “personal” for some in the Yampa Valley region since there are community members who knew people killed during the Club Q shooting and others who lived in Orlando during the deadly 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting.

As part of the move to make the Aug. 21 drag show the biggest yet for Schmiggity’s, organizers invited Club Q performer Finnish Hymn Alnite in addition to other community members.

(Though it might seem inappropriate to some, Finnish, or Finn, said their name was created in honor of the popular "Finish Him" phrase in the Mortal Kombat video game).

Finn wasn’t at Club Q the night of the massacre due to a flat tire, but they knew two of the victims and still find the emotions painful. They hope to channel their memories during the drag performances.

“Every performance that I do, I feel like they're with me,” said Finn while looking at the Club Q memorial site. “But especially in Steamboat Springs, I feel like this message that they've sent through us and being with us, of hope and being unapologetically who you are, will live on through us.”

Finn is grateful that Steamboat residents stepped up to stop a potential shooting, noting that more could’ve been done to prevent the deadly night at Club Q.

Taking the Fresh Drag Show’s message of defiance to heart, Finn is more than happy to perform in Steamboat Springs and support the mountain town community.

“This is a good message to anybody who wants to say, ‘Oh, I'm going to go into these queer spaces and I'm going to cause violence and I'm going to tear them down.’ Well, now you have physical proof that doesn't work,” said Finn, while standing in front of Club Q. “Because it didn't work here. It didn't work at Pulse. And it's not going to work in Steamboat Springs. And I think that is who I am there to represent.”

Email Senior Reporter Brett Forrest at brett.forrest@koaa.com. Follow @brettforrestTV on X and Brett Forrest News on Facebook.
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