Confetti and balloons rained down into the sea of people all standing shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the stage, loud cheers of ‘Happy New Year!’ ringing out across the room. Hangar 9 was a place for hundreds of people to welcome in 2025, but the beloved Carbondale bar is now a piece of the past. Before indefinitely closing its doors, the final night of the establishment was held on New Year’s Eve with a drag show and a celebration that followed as the clock struck twelve.
Right at the entrance sat owner Sally Carter who took the $7 cover one last time from the long line of people waiting to celebrate the evening at her bar.
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The Carter era of Hangar 9 began in the 1980s when she took ownership. The establishment became a staple on The Strip, and for several years she had been trying to sell the bar and retire. After several selling attempts fell through, Carter decided it was time to close the doors.
“People met, made good friends, just had a good time hanging out there,” Carter said in a November interview after announcing the bar’s closing. “I love that they did that.”
Whether it be karaoke, drag shows, themed nights or live music, for the last three years Winter Thomas and Tyler Vanburen could be found in the crowd.
Five years ago Thomas made the move from California to southern Illinois where Vanburen is a native. The pair met four years ago and have made evenings at Hangar 9 a regular activity.
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“I haven’t always really been one to go out to bars and places, but as being with her [Thomas] and actually going out to experience more of these things, like this has been just absolutely like one of my favorite places,” Vanburen said.
Drag shows are first to mind when it comes to thinking about fond times at the establishment for Thomas. Always one of the first to show when it comes to Hangar 9 events, she and Vanburen were at their table with a drink at time of the doors opening at 7 p.m.
“I love every time I go to a drag show there’s always something new,” Thomas said. “The people who are performing and just give out the best memories, I can’t just pick one, it’s always memory-full every time there’s a show.”
Hangar 9 has become a staple to the Carbondale community. Many memories created under its roof became a highlight for its regulars. As Thomas and Vanburen stood outside of the building in the cold December air before the start of the night, Thomas said aloud “Really miss you Hangar.”
“The memory of being able to just keep experiences again with my friends as well my loved ones is just the best part,” Vanburen said.
The neon lights, stage and bartop were not just important to its patrons, but also to Hangar 9’s employees, including Grant Kentala and Eric Caldwell, who are typically behind the bar throughout the week. Caldwell says Hangar 9 and its staff aimed to create an environment that made everyone feel comfortable.
“Whether it was making people that were under 21 feel comfortable or families, we always try to make everybody feel safe,” Caldwell said, who has served drinks for the last 10 years.
Caldwell said the Carbondale community flocks to places like Hangar 9, where there is a sense of freedom not found many other places.
“There’s a real sense of community whether it’s with the other students with just the people that live here even with the other bars,” Caldwell said. “That’s what I love the most and that’s what I’ll miss the most is that you just feel a part of the community.”
With the announcement of the closure, customers have shared their stories with employees in person and on the Hangar 9 forum.
“It’s been great to see so many people come in these past few months and tell us all their stories about Hangar. People have met at Hangar that are now married with children,” Caldwell said. “You know I’ve had friends that have had their wedding photos taken at Hangar because they met playing trivia together.”
Hangar 9 is also known as a unique live music venue in Carbondale, which will leave a gap in the music community.
“Carbondale won’t have a really true quality live music venue anymore,” Kentala said. “The stage and the quality of the sound equipment and everything about how it’s set up, it kind of fits in a niche that no other venue really does.”
Not only home to live music, Hangar 9 has been a place for live performances for the drag performers of southern Illinois and beyond. Performers from around the Midwest and southern states came to perform and facilitate Hangar 9’s New Year’s Goodbye event.
Faim Lee Jewls, southern Illinois drag king hosted the event. Faim Lee Jewls took over hosting the drag events at Hangar 9 four years ago on New Year’s Eve.
“When it came up that was the final hurrah, that my show was gonna be what closed it, it just kinda felt full circle. The first show that I did here as the show director was New Year’s Eve 2020,” Jewls somberly said.
2024 Southern Illinois Bearded Queen Lumber Jill was among the performers at the New Year’s event. Jill credits Hangar 9 as a key to her recent success as a bearded queen and believes Hangar 9 to be a safe space for queer people and performers like her.
“I think without Hangar 9, it’s just one less safe space for queer people and anyone who is different… I’m not really sure what the future holds with Hangar 9 closing but I’m hoping that we get the same amount of love wherever we end up because God knows where that’s gonna be,”
As the clock hit 11:55, Faim Lee Jewls paused the show and invited any drag queen in costume to come to the stage. Confetti cannons were passed around and the crowd buzzed with anticipation as the time ticked away towards the top of the hour and the new year. A countdown from 10 ensued until it hit one and rainbow confetti burst into the air alongside red, black and gold balloons poured out from the ceiling. The show continued while balloons bounced around the crowd into the early hours of the new year.
Following the show’s conclusion when the music cut and the overhead lights flickered on, the remaining crowd slowly shuffled out leaving empty drinks, cans, confetti and balloons in their path. The well-loved bar that held its last event on the last day of the year, will now sit empty on The Strip heading into the new year until it becomes invested in once more.
Faim Lee Jewls told The Daily Egyptian they had no final words for Hangar 9.
“This is not goodbye. This is see you next time,” Jewls said.
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