Even though July is still around the corner, the holiday season’s most delightfully subversive tradition is already underway. John Waters, the maestro of delightfully strange cinema and comedy, has begun meticulously curating his annual A John Waters Christmas tour—a pilgrimage that feels less like a holiday event and more like an invitation to celebrate glorious delinquency.
This isn’t your grandmother’s cozy seasonal nostalgia. For those who find traditional Christmas cheer nauseating, Waters’ celebration offers something far more intoxicating: a radical, irreverent X-mas revival. It’s a show that flips the script on everything familiar, delivering a profoundly unique holiday experience that appeals to those of us who appreciate art with a healthy dose of anarchy.
What to expect from this annual tour is a journey that pushes boundaries and laughs in the face of convention. Imagine sliding up the chimney not for presents, but into a radically religious spectacle where Father Fistmas Waters takes center stage. This is the place where Santa meets Krampus, where the festive chaos is given a necessary dose of grease, leading the audience on a non-binary bobsled toward a batshit Bethlehem. It’s a collision of high art, low expectations, and pure, unadulterated holiday mayhem.
Waters’ vision ensures that this Christmas celebration isn’t just about gift-giving; it’s about embracing the delightful delinquency of the season. The entire spectacle is a loud declaration that even peace needs a little mischief, causing the world—and perhaps some local reindeer—to yell back a unified “HAPPY HOLE-A-DAY TO ALL!”
The tour is set to hit major cultural hubs, bringing this unique brand of festive rebellion to audiences nationwide. Fans can catch John Waters’ inimitable Christmas show at venues across the country throughout December 2026.
The tour schedule includes dates in prominent cities, offering a chance to experience this theatrical masterpiece: New York City on December 20 and 21 at the City Winery. Additional dates are scheduled across various locations, including Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; Palm Springs, California; Los Angeles, California; San Diego, California; Cleveland, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; Chicago, Illinois; Madison, Wisconsin; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Washington, D.C.
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Credit: BrooklynVegan
