A Mount Allison University student studying Women and Gender Studies and Commerce, plans to open a queer nightclub in downtown Moncton.

Twenty-year-old Ari Roach hopes to reveal a location next month but wants to open in May or June, just in time for Pride month.

“I’ll be announcing the location on my Instagram page in mid-April. It’ll have drag shows, and dance parties, and then weekdays will be karaoke, trivia, and all kinds of events. I’m going to be working with different organizations and local businesses who want to have events in the space as well.”

Roach says it’ll be a designated safe space, “An inclusive space for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. In my research phase, the statistics showed that 2021 had an all-time high for hate crimes. People need a safe space to be their authentic selves without having to explain their identity to people who wouldn’t necessarily understand.”

A previous nightclub in downtown Moncton that catered to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community closed in 2021.

As a young entrepreneur, Roach is also hoping to inspire others in the queer community.

“I would love to do workshops or entrepreneurship. At the Boys and Girls Club, there is a queer youth group that I volunteer at. I’ve made a speech there on the opening night because I do want to inspire young queer people to get out and feel as if they can do things.”

Roach has also created a GoFundMe page to help fundraise for the bar, and she says the response has been pretty good so far.

Further details on the ARIS Nightclub will be revealed on Roach’s Instagram.