Faeded, the fourth edition of a costumed high fantasy dance party and music spectacular, will take place on Saturday, May 13 at Delmar Hall. Creating mythological play places for femmes, queers, and people of color, the event celebrates the magic of community, art, and music.
Presented by St. Louis-based multidisciplinary creator Maxi Glamour and Culture Collective (CUCO), Faeded invites attendees to lose themselves in the magic and immerse themselves in a transcendental, high-fantasy experience.
In addition to being a special occasion elevated by a mix of art, dance, and electronic music featuring Maxi, K Rush, Kristopher Lay, Eric Donté, The Last Artful Dodgr, Kotasauras Rex, Ann Johnson, Brandon Chavis, and DJ 18andCounting and Rico Steez, the intention of Faeded is to bring people together for the sake of self-expression and community.
Maxi, the creator of the event who has been performing drag in St. Louis for 14 years, spoke about the relationship between art, performance, and fantasy. “In part, it’s about being imaginative and transcending the world that we experience.”
Drawing inspiration from queer nightlife, fairy tale lore, and electronic music, Faeded is positioned as a “unique, unforgettable experience – whether you want to lose yourself or find yourself.” It’s a welcoming place where people can let their imaginations run wild and where costumes are encouraged but optional.
It’s clear that Maxi, who is a visual artist, muralist, musician, filmmaker, clothing designer, and in the process of writing an opera, is also passionate about uplifting marginalized communities and creating safe and welcoming spaces like Faeded for people to express themselves.
Among other endeavors, Maxi is currently pursuing a degree in philosophy with an emphasis in art and creativity, will be participating in a study abroad program in Ecuador to study environmentalism and human rights with indigenous communities in the Amazon, and is a Commissioner for St. Louis City’s Civil Rights Enforcement Agency whose mission is to monitor and investigate fair housing, equal employment, and public accommodation complaints.
This overlap between creative expression and advocacy highlights some of the ways in which artists are uniquely positioned to bring people together, inspire collective action, and be a catalyst for positive change within both the creative community and beyond.
Maxi explains that fantasy can be an effective way to tell a story of self-acceptance and create more visibility for marginalized people. Art has the potential to push boundaries and address systemic inequity.
And while bringing people together in a spirit of joy and creativity is certainly a throughline in Maxi’s work, there’s a recognition that positivity itself isn’t enough to move the needle forward.
“It’s important to identify the negative aspects of life in a hyper-realistic way and understand that we’re going into battle and there’s this giant beast,” Maxi said. “It’s not a weak beast – it’s a big beast – and we have to understand what we’re fighting against.”
But for now, go have fun at Faeded, where you can feel free to be yourself.
Get your tickets here for this experience on May 13.