The third annual Snake Oil Festival will bring three nights of burlesque, sideshow performances, carnival arts workshops and more to the Howlin Wolf on June 15-17. This year the event will focus on the contributions that women have made to the variety arts show revival.

GoGo McGregor.

“For the third year of this festival, we wanted to do something special, since from my perspective as a Tarot reader, the number three represents the Empress, which is about feminine energy, creation and beauty,” says festival co-producer Little Luna. “We thought this would be a great year to focus on the impact that women have had in preserving and popularizing these types of arts, namely burlesque’s impact in bringing people to these shows and keeping them in the seats, so this year’s batch of Snake Oil is extra sparkly.”

Snake Oil Festival will feature a number of luminaries from the variety arts scene, including veteran burlesque performer and holder of the “Queen of the Quake” title Kitten de Ville, burlesque legend and Behind the Burly-Q contributor Val Valentine, Chicago artist and producer Angela Eve and Portland-based vaudevillian circus duo Batty and Sky, among many others. Additionally, the event will also host a discussion on burlesque’s carnival origins with sideshow historian James Taylor.

The various workshops will take place during the day, but nighttime will be reserved for a different shows. “The Unholy Roller Revival” is set for Thursday, June 15, with “The Carnival at the Crossroads” taking place on Friday, June 16 and “Hoochie Coochie Babylon” closing things out on Saturday, June 17. A different local emcee will host each night, including Pain Proof Princess GoGo McGregor, comedian Corey Mac and Snake Oil Festival co-producer Ben Wisdom.

Three-day passes for the Snake Oil Festival are on sale, though tickets to individual shows and workshops are available as well. Ticketing information and a complete schedule of events can be found via the fest’s website.