While spaces for queer folks have become more common as 2SLGBTQIA+ acceptance becomes the norm, it can still be hard for certain sections of the community to find a place to belong.
In particular, it can be difficult to find a space for lesbian, gender-diverse and trans people. Seeing that need in the community, local musician Jade Bennett took to organizing events under the name Dyke Night Halifax, giving sapphic people a chance to be themselves with others from their sect.
“It’s been about a year now,” says Bennett. “My partner and I were just kind of looking at each other like, there’s no really consistent, static spaces in all of us, and we’re trying to fill that void a little bit.”
They have two upcoming events to keep the Halifax Pride momentum going: their Sapphic Showcase on Friday, July 18 at The Marquee, featuring artists from across the sapphic spectrum, and their anniversary party on Thursday, July 24 at Charlies Club, featuring DJ Ambiensound.
For the Sapphic Showcase, Bennett partnered with Cass Mann, a fellow musician, to co-produce the show featuring more than a dozen queer musicians either singing or playing in the band. Bennett, Art Ross, Burry, Shay Kitty, Freya Milliken, Natasha Sophia, emstuu and a secret special guest will be performing alongside a band consisting of Mann, Clare Macdonald, Alanna Matty, Sara Martin and Katie Wayne. Doors open at 7pm and allies are welcome to join in on the fun.
“We’re highlighting sapphic individuals and catering to them, [that’s] the point of Dyke Night,” says Bennett.
Starting Dyke Night
With the one year anniversary party nearly here, Bennett reflected on the first Dyke Night, held at Charlie’s Club during last year’s Halifax Pride.
“I was kind of hoping that there would be some people there, and then we ended up being at capacity in 40 minutes or something, which was incredibly amazing,” says Bennett. “I was not expecting that at all.”
Their takeaway was that there is a need for predominantly gender-diverse, sapphic spaces in the city.
“There’s a want for spaces, for sapphic people to feel like they’re valued in their community,” says Bennett. “The queer event space is very man-oriented, very gay man-oriented. It’s quite lovely, and there’s always time and space for that, but there are so many people in the gender-diverse community that really appreciate that.”
While Bennett characterizes Dyke Night Halifax as a “travelling queer space,” they expressed that Charlie’s Club has been an essential, queer-friendly space for their events.
“Slowly over time, they’ve been hiring queer bartenders and gay people have been showing up, and it’s like, I just kind of looked around one day and I was like, this would be a great place for a Dyke Night.”
Part of the inspiration came from similar events Bennett had attended in Montreal, catered towards the sapphic community but accepting of allies, as well.
“We just want people to know this is for dykes, for saphs,” says Bennett.
Tickets for the showcase are available online, while tickets for the anniversary party will be available at the door for $15. For more on Dyke Night Halifax, check out their Instagram page.
This article appears in Jul 1-31, 2025.