Dyke Night was only supposed to happen once.
But after the first event proved wildly popular, organizer Nic Huey decided to bring it back again and again.
“It was totally, like, groundbreakingly unexpectedly busy,” Huey said. “I was getting told all night that people hadn’t seen it that full in years.”
The femme-forward showcase has since become an unexpected hit and is now celebrating its one-year anniversary.
Huey said the event was born out of a desire to create more femme-forward queer spaces in a nightlife scene they describe as heavily centered around gay men.
“It was just so beautiful. When you make the space, they’ll come,” Huey said. “A dyke night, a lesbian night was not something that I felt like I had seen done locally before. It was pretty clear that that space was needed.”
The next party returns June 5 at 8 p.m. to Propaganda, a queer-friendly venue in downtown Lake Worth Beach. The evening will feature burlesque, drag, live music, and community.
Up to now, the event has taken place roughly every other month, but beginning in June, Dyke Night will become a monthly event.
“I’m really excited about that,” Huey said.
After expanding into a two-day festival during Palm Beach Pride in March, Dyke Night took a short break before its upcoming return.
The show will feature a “recession pop” theme, a nod to both nostalgic dance music and the current economic mood.
“It’s timely since everybody's struggling right now,” Huey said.
Alongside burlesque and drag performances, the event will also include live music for the first time as organizers continue expanding the show’s format.
Miami glam-punk band Homicide Jenny will close out the night.
Huey said the decision to call the event “Dyke Night” instead of “Lesbian Night” was intentional and meant to create a more inclusive atmosphere.
“I think that that’s more of a broad term for different kinds of sapphic people, queer people,” Huey said. “I wanted it to be as open as possible.”
Huey added: “I also just have a lot of punk roots too. So anything that kind of pushes that is appealing to me.”
When the first Dyke Night launched, Huey was still relatively new to producing events professionally, having organized only a handful of shows before the idea unexpectedly took off.
In addition to Dyke Night, Huey also produces Last Laugh, which they describe as a “clown-themed punk variety show” with burlesque elements.
Huey has also spent the last three years organizing community events throughout the area.
When Dyke Night first launched, Huey said the mindset was simple: “Let’s just see how this goes.”
A year later, what started as a one-night experiment has grown into one of Palm Beach County’s buzziest queer events.
Tickets are $10 or $15 for men. Cash only for admission. The event is 21-plus.
Follow Huey on Instagram for updates and future event announcements.
