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No Valentine? No Problem

Galentines Ball in Review



This year, the Galentine’s phenomenon almost seems as popular a holiday to celebrate on 14 February as Valentine’s Day. In a town like St Andrews, it can feel like everyone has Valentine's Day plans except for you. This is exactly why director Ines Tramarin felt that EmpowHer’s Galentine’s Day Ball was so important. 


Spending £30 for a St Andrews event, let alone a ball is virtually unheard of. Just based on the affordable price, my expectations for the Galentine’s ball were already high, but upon discovering that my ticket included a gift bag, a free drink, a raffle ticket, and free food, I was sold. My pink goodie bag included cute socks with a red heart, a pink claw clip, a pink scrunchie, heart-shaped glasses, a personalised card, and of course, a pink bow to tie the whole thing together. From the get-go, I knew this was going to be an extremely welcoming event. The Instagram detailed who the sober representatives would be and had committee members wear pink boas so they would be easy to spot in case of an emergency or just to ask where the bathroom was. There was even an EmpowHer well-being officer whose job was to walk in with anyone who did not want to enter the venue alone.


Upon arrival, the first indication that the Galentine's Ball was going to be a great night was the free Domino's pizza on the stairs up to Lupo’s, where the event was being held. Usually, free food will run out within the hour at balls, but there was enough pizza to last the night it just kept coming. After dropping my coat off I walked into the venue that had been utterly transformed with pink and red decor dripping from every available surface. The all-female attendees were decked out in a plethora of Valentine’s Day-themed outfits from pink and red dresses to heart-printed trousers. In the spirit of welcoming and inclusivity, the Galentine’s committee emphasised that attendees should wear whatever they felt most comfortable in, even modelling on Instagram some ideas of what to wear in case anyone was nervous about the dress code. Inside the event, the attendees I spoke to said that they felt more comfortable being experimental with their fashion choices because there were no men present. In fact, most girls said that they felt safer and more comfortable letting loose in general. This supportive environment no doubt contributed to the dancefloor atmosphere. I have never seen a dance floor so crowded and so loud at any St Andrews event. Girls screamed along to every song which included a variety of female pop hit artists such as Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Carrie Underwood, and Brittany Spears.



Aside from the dancing, there was an entire lower room dedicated to baked goods (my favourites were the delicious (and festive) red velvet cupcakes) and a face jewel station by the Feminist Society with a line that extended around the room. The Galentine’s Ball spared no detail with floral decorations, encouraging posters in the bathroom, and pink balloons spread throughout the venue. Alongside Lupo’s best cocktails, the committee also offered a free pink lemonade margarita drink (with non-alcoholic options readily available). These little details all contributed to the happy atmosphere the Galentine's sub-committee created. If you are looking for a feminine night out with just your girlfriends, the Galentine’s Ball is a perfect event to look forward to next year. Make sure to either follow @galentinesball or @empowherstandrews on Instagram for more events like this one.


Photos: Galentines Ball Committee

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