The red carpets were all rolled out for possibly the biggest Sapphic event of 2022 on Saturday, December 31. Neighbour's Nightclub, in partnership with Sapphic Events, hosted an all-night New Year's bash starting at 5 p.m. and lasting until 4 a.m. The club was reserved exclusively for people who identify as Sapphic to party between the hours of 5 and 10 p.m, then opened its doors for everyone else to join in the celebration until long after 2022 came to a close.
Drinks were flowing, drag queens and strippers were stunning the room, and music blared over the many speakers inside the club as a line of some of Seattle's hottest girls, Gays, and theys stretched around the block. Once inside, it was clear the Lesbians were running the night.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire, a critically acclaimed French Lesbian film, played on all the screens. Dancers swung around the poles in the middle of the room like trained acrobats. Every so often, the music would settle down as the night's host, Shadae Simone, led those in attendance in group manifestations for the year ahead.
The party was a huge success for Sapphic Events, previously known as Sapphic Seattle. It was the organization's first New Year's Eve bash after it faced backlash due to a controversy earlier in the year. Despite some still protesting the group over the way it handled the allegations, the house was packed, with tickets nearly sold out days in advance.
Sapphic Events was created to create safe spaces for Queer women and Nonbinary people to feel comfortable drinking and dancing, away from the often dangerous cis-het male gaze. In keeping with the mission to protect Queer and Trans women, the holiday event required all guests to show proof of vaccination at the door and provided security checks and patdowns only by women. The event also listed several strict rules against "unicorn hunting," the practice of couples looking for a third in a predatory way.
Simone got the crowd hyped for every performer, and made sure to encourage and validate those who make a living in sex work and performance. While the music at times felt like the soundtrack to a 2010's middle school dance, the drinks and overall vibe kept the party alive, even after Gale's "ABCDEFU" caused some gag.
As the clock ticked closer to 2023, the energy in the room kept rising. Dancers Varian Oatman, Kylie Hanako, and Lavender Sinclair brought the house down with their stunning outfits and incredible moves. The midnight countdown served as just the beginning of the rest of the raucous night.
"It was so crazy after midnight," partygoer Alexis Ashe said as she recalled the vibrant shift in the venue. Maybe it was all the manifesting, or simply the magic of so many Queer women sharing a space, but as the clock shifted into the new year, so did the vibe. People of all identities, genders, and generations shared the floor of Neighbour's, soaking in the beats and dreaming up new goals for the coming year.
For people interested in more Sapphic-focused LGBTQ+ club nights, Sapphic Events isn't the only option. Honey, Seattle's premier and Queer all-women's party, celebrates BIPOC Queer women and hosts seasonal events for those 21 and over looking to enjoy a magical night full of Queer joy.