I was unaware that Dine Out, Vancouver’s annual answer for getting bodies into restaurants during the slow season in between the holidays and Valentine’s Day, also includes shows and experiences. Therefore when I learned that one such was a murder mystery I knew I had to go. I love a good murder mystery and even more so when it includes food like this one does.
We were in attendance on the opening night of Murder is a Drag: Killer Birthday. As its name suggests it is performed by drag actors playing out a birthday party gone wrong.
Tickets are $90 per person and includes a seat and a meal made by Black Casket Cafe in Abbotsford. This was a great way for local Vancouverites to discover this themed cafe, and know to go the next time they are out in the Fraser Valley.
The entire evening is hosted by Vancouver Mysteries, already well known for their daily outdoor murder mystery games and seated murder mystery dinner experiences. In celebration of the 2026 Dine Out Festival they have launched the fourth chapter in their popular Murder is a Drag series, in Gastown.
Running throughout the two week duration of Dine Out with shows on Thursdays and Sundays. Jan 22, Jan 25, Jan 29, Feb 01, Feb 05, and Feb 08. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm.
Guests are invited to dress for the party and to participate in the show. A few even have the opportunity to be part of the show as either props or actors with speaking lines. I, myself got my 15 seconds of fame when I was invited to hop on stage for a scene.
The performance is split into 3 acts with intermission breaks in between. The pause allows you to either work towards solving the mystery, grab a canned beverage from their pop up back bar, or use the washroom.
The goal is to guess who is the killer by paying attention to the dialogue and looking for clues during the musical numbers. Each character had their own song and dance, and I was impressed that they actually sang and it wasn’t a lip sync. Typically with drag performances you are invited to tip the talent during their stage time, however, in order to preserve the integrity of the storyline, the audience was asked to do so later. After the show we had the opportunity to meet the cast and take photos with them. During which they accepted cash or tapped tips.
You are allowed to take photos and videos, but asked to not do so to ruin the mystery and surprise for other future guests. So there will be no clues or spoilers in my post.
I really enjoyed the different drag approaches that each character brought. Glimmer Rouge as Sandee brought us the glitz and glamour pageant drag queen. Queen Kong as Virginia gave us sexy show girl with a striptease. Ben Anna Split as Clark gave us some big dick drag king energy. However, it was DANDY as the Detective that really brought it all together. He was terrific as host and lead, driving the story line, with the ability to ad lib and pepper in situational puns and jokes.
As this was their inaugural night, I could see unpolished points where song lyrics were forgotten, dialogue was missed, and the wardrobe prop malfunctioned. But each actor continued in stride and it just added to the intended over the top campiness of the production.
As for the food portion of this Dine Out experience, each guest gets their own charcuterie casket from the Black Casket Cafe. This cafe is known for their love of the macabre with a spooky cafe space that includes coffin shaped hand pies and this custom box filled with cheese, meat, fruit, and nuts today. There was also vegan, gluten-free and plant-based variations available.
I was impressed by how much food you get in the one box, which also includes a bag of crackers and one of the aforementioned baked pies with a blueberry filling. It was just hard to eat in the moment, given the theatre seating and lack of tables.
The total show time is 90 minutes long, but doors open one hour before the show begins and there are photo opportunities with the cast after the show. There are 80 seats available for each show and they are first come, first serve. You can also buy out a whole show if you purchase tickets for 80 people. This is a collaborative and social experience, you may be seated at a table with other people. You can choose to solve the mystery together as a team or on your own, it’s up to you. If you want to be seated together, it is best to purchase your tickets together and arrive early. Get your tickets from the link below.
https://vancouvermysteries.com/dine-out-vancouver-2026-murder-mystery-dining-experience/
