Edited by Mikkel Hyldebrandt
Holy Mischief Hits the Streets
Atlanta’s queer community has never shied away from a little spectacle – especially when it serves a good cause. On Saturday, April 11, 2026, the Atlanta Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will unleash a brand-new tradition on the city with the First Annual Nun Run: Amazing Race Edition, a playful, high-energy adventure that promises equal parts camp, competition, and community spirit.
Originally slated for 2025, the event has been resurrected – appropriately enough – with even more flair. This time around, the Sisters are turning Atlanta into a full-on queer quest. Instead of a simple charity walk, the Nun Run will send teams racing across the city to complete challenges, decode clues, and visit iconic LGBTQIA+ spaces that have helped shape Atlanta’s vibrant community.
Think of it as part scavenger hunt, part drag pageant, and part love letter to the places that keep queer Atlanta thriving.
Teams—whether made up of friends, partners, or a full chosen family coven – will travel through the city completing challenges at beloved LGBTQIA+ venues and community hubs. Expect campy competitions, trivia about queer history, mini-performances, and surprise moments of Sisterly chaos along the way. Participants might find themselves solving riddles, serving their best runway walk, or tackling a ridiculous challenge orchestrated by a delightfully mischievous nun.
And while the event promises plenty of fun, its mission is rooted in something deeper. Every dollar raised through registration and fundraising will go directly back into the local community, supporting queer-focused groups and initiatives across Georgia. From health programs to advocacy efforts and community support organizations, the Nun Run is designed to transform laughter and spectacle into meaningful impact.
A Global Movement with Local Heart
The Atlanta Sisters are part of the larger Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an international order of queer activists who have been blending satire, performance, and social justice since their founding in San Francisco in 1979. What began as a small group of gay men in drag nun habits has grown into a worldwide movement with chapters across the United States, Europe, and beyond.
The Sisters use humor, irreverence, and theatricality as tools for activism, raising funds for LGBTQ+ organizations, advocating for human rights, and challenging stigma through joyful visibility. Their signature look – extravagant whiteface makeup, elaborate habits, and saintly names dripping with camp – has become an unmistakable symbol of queer resilience and radical love.
Atlanta’s chapter carries that same spirit with a distinctly Southern flair. For years, the Atlanta Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence have been a colorful presence at Pride events, fundraisers, and community gatherings across the city. Whether blessing the crowds at festivals, hosting charitable events, or raising money for local nonprofits, the Sisters have become beloved figures in Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ landscape – equal parts performance artists, activists, and community cheerleaders.
The Nun Run represents a natural extension of that mission: bringing people together in celebration while channeling the energy of the community into tangible support for those who need it most.
Racing for a Reason
Participants in the Nun Run can expect a lively team-based competition with prizes not only for the fastest teams but also for those who bring the most fabulous style to the streets. Because while speed matters, so do the lewks.
The race will culminate in a celebratory gathering where participants can toast the day’s adventures and revel in the collective effort of turning Atlanta into a runway of resistance and revelry.
More than anything, the event is about connection. It’s about exploring the city through the lens of queer history and community spaces. It’s about gathering friends, donning a costume – or a habit – and embracing the playful chaos that the Sisters do so well.
In a world that often feels heavy, the Nun Run is a reminder that joy itself can be an act of resistance.
So gather your team. Assemble your chosen family. Dust off that habit – or that harness – and prepare to race through Atlanta with purpose. Because when the Sisters run, everybody wins.
If you feel you have what it takes to collect a team and run with the sisters, registration is open now at atlsisters.org.