IN PICTURES: Inaugural club night for people with disabilities at Eve Late Night Bar a roaring success

Pop classics blaring, couples tearing up the dance floor, and sipping on fruity cocktails may sound like a regular Friday night at Eve Late Night Bar but last week was a little different. June 28 marked the first iteration of a soon-to-be-monthly inclusive event at the popular local nightclub catering specifically to people with disability. More than 100 people with disabilities, support workers and parents danced the night away at the inaugural Music and Dance night on June 28, the diverse crowd having exclusive use of the club for 2.5 hours, with wheelchair accessibility, toned-down lighting, a specially planned mocktail list and a quiet zone added for comfort. The club night was designed by Caroll and Brian Appleby, who realised there were not many spaces for people with disabilities — like their daughter Ashlyn — to socialise and let their hair down. The event required at least 50 RSVPs to get off the ground — a number Mr Appleby said was more than doubled on the night, with 108 tickets sold. “It’s such a brilliant turnout, we’re really happy with how it’s looking,” he said. “We’ve had so many people come up to us and give great positive feedback. “They’ve all pointed out that there was such a need for something like this in the community.” Eve Late Night Bar owner Robert Forgione said he was thrilled to see the diverse crowd of patrons enjoying themselves and was “very pleased” with the success of the inaugural specialty event.