Our Mission
Dyke Night’s mission is to partner entertainment with philanthropy by bringing high quality entertainment, fundraisers and dance parties to help support the LGBT Boston community. We achieve our mission by donating much of Dyke Night profits to LGBT causes. Since founding Dyke Night, Kristen has donated over $100,000 to charities and grass roots efforts and has never taken a salary for her community service.
Awards
Dyke Night is the most award winning lesbian event production company in Boston- and has been for well over a decade. Proud to be:
2012 Best Lesbian Night – Improper Bostonian
2012 Best Lesbian Scene – Boston Magazine
2011 Best Lesbian Night – Boston Phoenix
2010 Best Lesbian Night – Improper Bostonian
2009 Best Lesbian Scene – Boston Magazine
2009 Best Lesbian Night – Boston Phoenix
2008 Best Lesbian Night – Boston Phoenix
2007 Best Lesbian Night – Improper Bostonian
2007 Best Lesbian Night – Boston Phoenix
2007 Best Gay Club – Boston Phoenix
2007 Best DIY Promoter – Boston Phoenix
2006 Best Lesbian Night – Improper Bostonian
2006 Best Lesbian Bar – Boston Phoenix
2005 Best Gay Bar – Boston Phoenix
2005 Best Lesbian Bar – Boston Phoenix
2005 Best Dance Club – Boston Phoenix
2005 Best Lesbian Night – Improper Bostonian
2004 Best Lesbian Night – Boston Phoenix
2002 Best Lesbian Night – Boston Phoenix
2002 Best of Boston Lesbian Night – Boston Magazine
2001 Best of Boston Lesbian Night – Boston Magazine
2000 Best of Boston Lesbian Night – Boston Magazine
1999 Best Lesbian Night – Boston Phoenix
WHY “DYKE”?
Kristen uses the term “Dyke” in her production company name because the word’s reclamation has been an empowering term, especially at the inception of the company in the 1990s. The word “dyke” was first recorded in 1942, and has since been reappropriated by political-queer-activists (such as comic “Dykes to Watch Out For,” Dykes on Bikes and political lesbian rallies called the Dyke March. Dyke Night was created to cater to an activist community who enjoy a comfortable atmosphere. The space is inclusive of all people who love and respect women.
HISTORY
Dyke Night™ Productions was founded in 1998 by Kristen Porter as a community spirited events production company catering to the lesbian and queer community. Her goal was to create and use social events to help support the work of LGBT activists and causes. She started a weekly Thursday event at the Midway Café, which is still going strong, and was awarded many honor’s such as Boston Magazine’s esteemed “Best of Boston” award.
For the first 18 months, Kristen offered Dyke Night™ to the community at no cost to patrons, paid for the expenses and volunteered her time. A voluntary collection was made the first Thursday of each month by and for the Lesbian AIDS Project of MA [LAPM] to create a Lesbian Health Resource Guide. To this day, well over a decade later, 25+% of proceeds continues to be donated to LGBT causes.
Dyke Night™ Productions has raised and donated money to numerous causes including the LGBT Aging Project, the Network/La Red, The AIDS Care Project, The Theatre Offensive, the Boston Dyke March, and many more. Dyke Night has also been the fiscal sponsor of Boston Queer Agenda aka “The List”.