This one’s a New Year’s tradition just for the ladies.

The Richmond Lesbian Feminists and Girls Rolling in the South (GRITS) host their annual New Year’s Eve Dance on Thursday, December 31 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets are available for $25 in advance at Phoenix Rising and the Gay Community Center of Richmond and at the door for $30.

“It’s a beautiful event, you can relax and be who you are, dance with your loved one and have a good time with your friends,” Vicky Jolena, one of the event organizers, says.

In lesbian tradition, according to Jolena, a work exchange prevents finances from being a barrier for attending the festivities.

“If someone comes and helps with the decorations, serving food, and helping in the kitchen, they can actually come for free,” she says. “That’s something pretty common at women’s festivals to offer. Whether you’re young or disabled, you may not have the funds, so we don’t want that to keep you from participating.”

This year’s event takes place in Richmond’s Southside at a smoke free venue. Expect heavy hors d’oeuvres, a DJ, and a crowd from diverse professional backgrounds dressing anywhere from formal tuxes to others in jeans and sweaters. But most of all, according to Jolena, expect an opportunity to be yourself.

“In this area, you have to hide so often. Some of us have to be quieter than others depending on your profession,” she says. “These are times where we really don’t have to hide.”

For more information, contact Vicky Jolena at (804) 291-7714 or via e-mail. ldybuginva@yahoo.com. To subscribe to the Flyer, the e-mail publication of the Richmond Lesbian Feminists, call (804) 467-4512.