The whimsical disco bar Supernova saw a crowd like none other for its first St. Paddy's Day since opening last July. Thanks to Sapphic Seattle, a "women-who-love-women" (WLW) party squad previously profiled in the SGN, the venue was transformed Thursday night into a shamrock-laden sanctuary, free from the cis-het patriarchy of the outside world.
On Instagram and TikTok, the group teased its plans for the event throughout the latter half of February. As "St. Sapphic's Day" was slowly revealed, the group was busy at work planning its first in-person event since the rise and fall of Omicron.
New beginnings
Over mic checks and last-minute preparations at the venue, I spoke with Siobhan Fox, one of four Sapphic Seattle organizers. She spoke of the group's unplanned yet beneficial two-month hiatus from in-person events due to the new coronavirus variant.
"The break was good for us to be able to reevaluate," she said. "Like, how do we want this to look moving forward? How can we formalize some of our processes so we're able to have more consistent events of higher quality?"
Meanwhile, Sapphic Seattle switched to monthly virtual events. "We created a virtual Lesbian Minecraft server, and then did virtual speed dating in February," said Fox. "Our mission is to connect different people within the Sapphic community, so doing it virtually has been successful and comfortable for everyone as well."
The group found time to build their network too, procuring talent for the event in collaboration with DJ Big Ugly, whose crew of GoGo dancers and Burlesque performers multiplied over the last four years since he began as a regular DJ at Wildrose.
Together, the organizers secured major Queer talent for St. Sapphic's Day, such as DJ MIXX America, DeeJay Hershe, burlesque performer Shadae Simone, aerialist Onyx Wolf, Pepper Mills, and Porcelain.
Sapphic Seattle originally connected with DJ Big Ugly to co-host an event at LoFi Seattle, where he has been hosting a monthly Queer dance party called Bump Uglies. Unfortunately, just before tickets went on sale for St. Sapphic's Day, LoFi was hit by a car and the bar has been under reconstruction since.
Supernova was an exciting last-minute change, since the venue capacity is larger, and online tickets were selling out in seconds. "Selling out in 30 seconds, we did not expect. We are so grateful for all of the positive support we have received," said Fox.
Creating an "alternate universe"
In addition to curating a stellar Sapphic line-up, the group somehow seemed to find an all-women security team and Supernova's cutest femme bartenders. It felt as though an "alternate universe," according to one attendee, whose friends nodded in agreement.
I thought I was on the Isle of Lesbos myself, in an Amazonian, San Junipero-esque dream come true. Supernova's retro-disco immersive arts space only added to the transcendental feeling of the night.
"[Supernova] booked female staff for the night, a lot of which were WLW and specifically requested to work this night," reads a TikTok comment from the group about the event.
Sapphic Seattle organizer Eve Matson joined the conversation, though she was also on her way to help at the door. At opening time, she would show me the massive line that snaked around the corner of the large warehouse venue.
"We've been growing so fast. Just two parties ago we were still doing house parties. So this is an exploratory phase for us, and we're really excited for what the future holds," said Matson.
After selling just over 700 tickets and filling the club completely, the group was finally prepared to open the floodgates.
Women and Sapphic-identifying people came in like a soft tide, slowly flowing in single-file, but eager as can be. They were checked for vaccination status and given the option of "Friendly" or "Flirty" wristbands to indicate their intentions for the evening.
DJ MIXX America was spinning already, smiling down from Supernova's larger-than-life half-disco ball DJ booth at the growing crowd. As the night went on, the go-go and burlesque performers came onstage to cheers and left with panty-line tips aplenty. Sapphic Seattle successfully delivered exactly what the attendees had hoped for: many good-luck kisses and plenty of dancing in a safe WLW environment.
Alongside organizers Varsha Nandula and Hannah Baldacci, and with the help of a few friends and volunteers, Matson and Fox have been a part of developing something typically missing in LGBTQ+ communities across the globe. With only around a dozen Lesbian bars left standing after the pandemic, spaces like these are rare.
Fox said Sapphic Seattle is happy about its growth. "We are still figuring it all out, still seeing what relationships can be built." Whether the event is a 750-person club night or a pub mixer, the group's goal is "making 21+ parties the most efficient and enjoyable they can be for Queer women and Sapphic people," she told me.
Sapphic Seattle looks forward to more venues, partnerships, and participants in a wide variety of future monthly events, and is still interested in bringing their parties to cities beyond Seattle someday.