ST. GEORGE, Utah — A lawsuit filed against the City of St. George over a drag show has apparently ended in a settlement.
A notice filed in federal court indicated a resolution had been reached between city officials and Southern Utah Drag Stars.
"The parties are currently drafting a resolution agreement, which is intended to resolve all of the claims in this matter except for Plaintiffs’ claim for attorneys’ fees and costs, which will be subject to further briefing by the parties," Scott Young, an attorney representing the city, and ACLU of Utah attorney Tom Ford wrote in a joint filing. "In light of this resolution, the parties hereby respectfully request that the Court adjourn all deadlines sine die and stay the case pending the parties’ final resolution agreement."
The terms of the settlement have not yet been disclosed. Southern Utah Drag Stars sued St. George city officials after it was denied a permit in 2023 for a show. The plaintiffs cited comments that city leaders had made about the LGBTQ+ community and drag shows, alleging they were discriminated against. A federal judge sided with the drag show and chastised city leaders over their handling of the situation, citing the First Amendment, and ordered the city to allow the show to happen. Southern Utah Drag Stars got to perform at the Dixie Sunbowl in June of 2023.
FOX 13 News reported in 2023 that the city was entering into settlement talks, but it appeared the litigation was moving forward. As recently as November, the ACLU had filed an amended complaint warning the judge that a revision to St. George's ordinances on public events could lead to future problems.
