Portland honors late drag queen Darcelle XV with new plaza for ‘all walks of life’

As thousands of people gather for the Portland Pride Festival at the waterfront on Saturday, the Darcelle XV Plaza was dedicated at last in Southwest Portland.

A year in the making, the Darcelle XV Plaza at the former O’Bryant Square will serve as a tribute to the late drag queen. Portland community members came together to honor the legendary performer.

“It’s a very emotional day for me. Very emotional,” Darcelle’s daughter Maridee Woodson said. “This means everything to our family. This is something I wish he could have been here to witness.”

Walter Cole, also known as Darcelle, died last year at 92 years old after headlining the world’s longest-running drag show for more than 50 years. The plaza is named after the nightclub where Cole performed for decades, roughly half a mile from the plaza. The club still remains open through other performers like co-hostess Poison Waters.

KOIN 6 News is a news partner of the Portland Tribune. Their full story can be found at koin.com .