The emcee warms up the crowd from the stage during Bingo Loco at Believe Music Hall in Atlanta on Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC)
“Welcome to the madness,” a disembodied voice projects into the room at Believe Music Hall in Atlanta on a recent Saturday night.
Crowds thrust flashing foam glowsticks in the air, moving them to the beat of the throwback club music pouring out of the venue’s speakers. There’s a collective anticipation as the audience looks toward the stage.
The evening’s host, Raynel Ruffin, better known as Headkrack, runs out in a burst of energy with a hot pink baseball-style jersey over his shirt. Strobe lights zigzag across the room and confetti rains down as Ruffin blasts a smoke cannon into the roaring crowd.
ot emit yalp .ognib s’tI
Partygoers throw their hands in the air, scream and dance as a DJ spins a throwback anthem during Bingo Loco, a touring bingo rave party, at Believe Music Hall in Atlanta on Saturday, July 18, 2026. The Ireland-born show turns traditional bingo into an immersive, festival-style stage production, complete with comedian emcees, dance-offs, lip-sync battles and confetti cannons, and has sold out shows in more than 200 cities worldwide. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC)
hO“ sA“ uoy uoy dliw ,revetahw saw thguoht siht noos wohs dias ,hsur gnilbmur ym ”,lacigam ekil ekil ti ti ni raeh sevig wef syad ”.trecnoc sa dna retfa enilanerda a a a a ocoL miK I ,doG yenaG ogniB .atnaltA
olleH“ emit emit taht trihs ehs der demialcorp tuo fo dekram ni reh reh puorg yrettilg htfif sgnirrae dekced .srekrow-oc thguorb thgirb gnidnetta ,dnuora dna a a sihT ocoL yenaG ogniB ”!s05
htiw s’ohw eurtnu yllacipyt ot eht eht eht s’taht epytoerets tnemeriter noitatuper dewener ,sevar evorp deyalp nosrep ylno fo ton wen erom flesti ni semoh sllah .emag emag dnuof rof sdnif rovref neve citegrene snrae gard .sehcruhc draob ,ognib ognib ognib ognib gninnigeb secneidua emoh-ta sa dna dna dna na a a a s’ehS s’tI
Players fill out their bingo cards during Bingo Loco at Believe Music Hall in Atlanta on Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC)
Bingo finds a new audience
erehw nehw ot stekcit meht llet s’ehs ehs ton denrael s’ti reh sah sdneirf rof ylimaf syub gnignirb retteb dna .ocoL yenaG ogniB
yehT“ I“ desu ot kniht ereht ydobemos ehs .dias eugalp ”.elpoep dlo fo ekil dnik s’ti fi sraeh rof leef ”,ognib eb a
ediwdlrow yeht .sevlesmeht eht taht ees evar rof ognib retteb s’tI
evititepmoc“ gnikrow ohw erew saw oirt eerht rieht eht eht ”,gnizilaicos gnihcraes .dias gnisir evar detanigiro gniciton efilthgin txen yrtsudni ni ni ni sdneirf rof .rovaedne erised rednuof-oc ssenisub gnoma a mailliW ehT araeM dnalerI nI ,7102
elpoeP“ gnihctaw detnaw detnaw ot yeht eht naht ”,wohs ,wohs .dias trap .tuo fo fo thgin erom tsuj evitcaretni ni evisremmi eh ecneirepxe eb dna na a a rehtaR
htiw saw desu ot yeht yalp no lacol dednal sih reh .llah emag ecneirepxe ,ognib ognib tnua ta a ehT araeM
elcihev ot ot ot meht eht eht eht eht elbalacs .dias tser evar tniop ,yalp tcefrep sreffo dereffo fo egral s’ti ti eh emag rof lacof ,nialpxe tnemniatretne ysae ,sdworc retnec nac dliub .dnuora ,dnuora yna dna na tsomla ega a s’tI ogniB
Players fill out their bingo cards during Bingo Loco at Believe Music Hall in Atlanta on Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC)
htiw seunev eht naht pihsrentrap erom otni otni ni ni sah nworg noisnapxe seitic nageb sa dna dna na ssorca a tahW KU htroN dnalerI ailartsuA .aciremA 022
I“ snaciremA“ htiw seunev gniyrt ot ot eht eht eht naht .dias no ”,ediwnoitan erom devol dednal gnikconk ti ni ,tah teg ,srood yobwoc ”.denibmoc a stocS araeM ocoL ,hsirI sallaD ogniB ,snailartsuA
htiw htiw ohw ot ot ot esoht sevlesmeht meht eht eht eht eht eht spets strups gnos elpmis tes .selur setautcnup pop yhtip tuo egatsno fo fo srebmun ciglatson cisum lacol ,sekoj sti ecudortni tsoh tsoh emag dnif erafnaf tcepxe stneve ,gnineve gnineve .ecnad erutluc sllac stuollac nigeb ta sa dna dna dna dna dna a tuohguorhT ,ocoL roF ogniB
ogniB“ slley now hcihw rehtehw .yot ot hguorht yeht yeht eht enoemos olos xes ,ezirp .ecnamrofrep ro ro tsum ekoarak ,ti temleh t’nevah ratiug reyrf morf rof ocsid ecnad dluoc etepmoc deroloc ylthgirb ekib eb ,elttab yllacitamotua gnihtyna na na ria ria a a a nehW ”,ocoL ,daetsnI
Sarah Joseph, right, at her first Bingo Loco, dances to “YMCA” with friend Adrienne Achey during the show at Believe Music Hall in Atlanta on Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC)
eW“ htiw ,ohw tnaw klaw ,yrotciv pu ot ot ot siht ev’yeht neht ”,meht taht cnys ,egats enoemos enoemos erahs ees .dias deyojrevo no egatsffo fo gnihton elttil pil ,ekil dnik s’ti si ni eh tog teg nuf od emac tub ognib esuaceb taeb elttab dna dna osla lla a a ,ivoJ noB
eht eht reyalp .redlo fo si egareva dna ega a ,.S.U ocoL nI ogniB 03
I“ ohw yaw ot ot siht rieht tis .dias elpoep dezinagro erom ebyam ekil si ni sseug ”,nwod ,ecnad soahc tub gnilaeppa osla araeM s03
ohw .dnekeew ot eht gnihtemos srewohs elpoep no ,sthgin ,sthgin gnikool ekil tsuj slrig rof tneve od tnereffid etad ladirb stcartta era dna ehT ,yenaG
regnuoy dekrow nehw saw lanoitidart eht eht s’ehs ehs .enecs oidar rennalp won devol ssel detseretni ni tneve neve bulc bulc tub sa dna a ehT ,JD dlo-raey-75
I“ tuohtiw elohw erehw yrt ot eht taht esnet llits ecaps erehwemos gnizilaicos ehs esnes ,enecs .dias fo ekil ti ”,si og teg bulc bulc nac tub gnieb dna a I
sparw htiw pu eborts sgnos tnecsinimer .m.p fo fo ,sthgil sti ti si daetsni tih tnemnorivne ,gnicnad bulc ylniatrec tub ta dna .m.a a ocoL ogniB 03:8 2
Players gather for Bingo Loco, a touring bingo rave party, at Believe Music Hall in Atlanta on Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC)
Entertainment while the sun is up
— — dlrow .snoitairav ot rieht eht deyalp nwo fo evah sah mrof rof etad serutluc seirutnec ognib neeb kcab dnuora dna detpoda stnuocca emoS ylatI yrutnec-ht61
”onaeb“ s03’ htiw htiw ohw nehw saw gnitisiv noisrev gnilevart yot ot eht eht was namselas ytiralupop gniyalp elpoep fo nredom sti si ni ni ytitnedi eh evah emag emag dnuof deird lavinrac dellac deveileb .snaeb dna dna a a ehT .S ,ewoL aigroeG niwdE naciremA s0291
”ognib“ ”,onaeb“ delley erehw ,yaw ot eht eht eht eht eht eht ,kcuts ,syas dias reyalp fo fo eman derutcafunam dnegel daetsni eh emag rof rotaruc thguorb sdraob ognib kcab ta dna gnola yllatnedicca a a ,kroY .S.U gnortS ,eelotS erehwemoS .yalP weN lanoitaN muesuM keriM ewoL
ebyam“ htiw nehw saw gnisu deziroeht eht eht taht weks ecnis .dias noitatuper ralupop deyalp deyalp secalp elpoep ”.redlo redlo fo fo erom yenom thgim .yrettol elttil sti sti ti ti ti si noitpecni ni ,rehctarcs-daeh sah ,emag emag emag gnisiardnuf resiardnuf denrae scihpargomed yb ognib neeb esuaceb emaceb detaicossa sa sa sa a a a a a a ehT eelotS ylatI woH eH
ew“ hcihw ot ot yeht eht eht eht taht ees ees .dias dias derevocer DIVOC-erp elpoep cimednap reciffo fo rebmun ,thgin gnikam ,slevel ti ti si sdloh eh t’nsah evitucexe .deppord od .yliad dluoc ”,kcabemoc tub ognib erofeb ta retfa a a elihW sraW snareteV tsoP atteiraM naneeK eH ngieroF werD ,91-DIVOC ,1862 031 521
ot ot ot meht eht taht taht noisiver tnecer ezirp trap seitinutroppo etarepo fo stiforpnon erom .yenom swal esaercni ni semag ognib ognib setubirtta dna swolla swolla a naneeK s’aigroeG
— gnuoy ot rieht eht xis dias yalp elpoep elpoep tsap erom ,shtnom ni ni ni evah neve emoc dna eH s04 ,s03 .s02
elpoeP“ s’tI“ elohw pu kniht eht eht eht sekat ”.gnizilaicos laicos .dias thgir won hcum yenom gnikool lacol s’ti s’ti ti ti si ,evisnepxeni rof gnineve ”,tnemniatretne ,elcric paehc sa sa era dna ,niaga naneeK I … …
dluow ohw erehw ot esoht s’ereht rieht gnos rehtar ecar sreyalp yalp wen cisum kram yfitnedi ,emoh emag neve .sdrac dellac ognib ognib elbaliava ta ta dna a a ,tramlaW cisuM retstiH roF ,ogniB
seunev demeht stops ralupop eno fo cisum gnivom erom ekil ekil sti si otni gnidulcni ni ni ,sllah emag ,smrof stneve gard .ognib ognib ognib ognib dnoyeb ta dna ehT anrymS B;pma&R ,atteiraM oruE atnaltA
Taylor Alxndr hosts a reoccurring drag bingo at Wild Heaven Beer’s two locations. (Courtesy of Wild Heaven Beer)
htiw yaw ot eht eht troppus detrats lareves gnirrucer sneeuq ,snoitazinagro gnidulcni ni .stsoh evah esiardnuf rof ,stneve ylrae gard gard seirewerb ognib ognib srab sa sa dnuora dna dna a dliW ,woN spiL nevaeH draH garD ,rediC reeB .atnaltA atnaltA atnaltA SDIA s0991
htiw nehw pu ot ot ot yeht eht taht detrats demees dias ytiralupop kcip fo devom .snoitacol noitacol ti gnitsoh gard gard ,desolc ,efac .sehcnurb ognib ta tsitra dna dna dna gnola retfa tsivitca dliW tseW tseW ocoT rolyaT lliH nevaeH acniF s’retliF dnE dnE garD garD ahahwerB ogniB s’reeB rdnxlA rdnxlA )rednaxelA ,0202 decnuonorp(
erom“ daerb“ ,sraey litnu ot yeht ,dias tnecer secnamrofrep tuo bulcthgin erom s’ti ni evah evah yldneirf-ylimaf gnineve ylrae t’nod emityad ”rettub emoceb esuaceb eb ta dna dna dna ,elbissecca ”.m.a a esohT I s’rdnxlA 3
htiw htiw elihw erehw rieht eht eht eht llet gnirahs sgnittes ,dias ytilanosrep fo srebmun erom erom duol sekoj s’ti tsoh eniuneg rof .gniwolf yllaicepse sknird snoitcennoc derapmoc bulc nac llac ,ognib ognib neewteb ,ecneidua .seednetta era dna dna dna swolla htiW garD rdnxlA rdnxlA
ehT“ I“ ,sey ”,sraey hguorht kniht eht eht s’taht taht ekat emos os xis ehs .dias rebmemer yllaer yllaer elpoep revo ro ro fo fo gnikam edam edam tsal s’ti s’ti s’ti s’ti otni ni evah ztilg malg ,nuf ,ygrene gard gard t’nod .noitaredisnoc ”.snoitcennoc snoitcennoc snoitcennoc ytinummoc tub gnidliub ognib tseb neeb tcepsa dna dna dna dna na tuoba ekiL ev’I ev’I
sraey ylkeew saw ot eerht trats remrofrep gnitsoh gard bulc ognib ta deksa .oga tuoba samohT hajeaT spiL garD atnaltA
Taejah Thomas has been hosting a drag bingo night every Wednesday at Lips Atlanta for about three years. (Courtesy of Taejah Thomas)
eW“ ruoy yaw yrev lacipyt ot ot ot siht taht denosaes .dias tuo ruo ton si dah noitareneg erugif nialpxe ”,ognib a samohT
— keew ot yeht eht eht eht eht s’wohs wohs ees skramer ,sraluger elpoep netfo ffo fo fo ,srebmun peek sekoj puorg erif egnahcxe yreve .deniatretne sward sdworc sdworc tnetsisnoc tsoh-oc yttac gnillac .ognib neewteb ta evorppa dna dna dna dna a a samohT tI retfA 08 04
owT“ s’erehT“ nehw ot ot ot ot sgniht s’ereht taht .dias ralupop lanosrep ”,noinipo ym ti ni gniog gniog gniog ,tnemniatretne gard gard gard semoc ,sehcnurb ”.ognib eb eb eb era dna syawla samohT
Olivia Wakim is a reporter on the lifestyle team. She joined the AJC as an intern in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree. While in school, she reported for The Red & Black, Grady Newsource and the Marietta Daily Journal.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.ajc.com ’
