In a city like Baton Rouge, nightlife tends to revolve around partying, dancing and, most of all, drinking. For many, though, the downsides of drinking are enough to avoid committing to a night out.

The 5 to 9 Club aims to bridge this gap for women ages 25 to 75 with once-a-month alcohol-free dance parties. There, women dressed in full sequins dance alongside those sporting graphic tees, with ‘90s hits playing overhead, aesthetic mocktails in hand and a giant pink disco ball spinning above the dance floor.

“We’re trying to give women a day where they can go out and have a great time with their girlfriends,” founder Alyssa Lundy said.

The club hosts themed parties on the first Tuesday of each month, drawing roughly 60 to 70 women per event. With a full lineup of wellness vendors, selfie stations, a candlelit beach lounge and an electric DJ, the 5 to 9 Club brings all the south Florida-inspired nightlife to Baton Rouge.

“Miami has a kind of retro fun vibe, but I also wanted to have that bougie, fun, staycation type of feel,” Lundy said. “Everything is just stupid, silly, fun, whimsical — but on a nicer level.”

Though the organization mimics the clubbing scene in Miami, there’s no expectation to impress security at the door. Instead, the club was designed to be flexible and welcoming, allowing guests to show up however they feel most comfortable.

“We’ll have women who come completely head-to-toe in sparkles with face glitter and everything, and we’ll have somebody who comes in jeans and a T-shirt,” Lundy said.

Lundy was inspired to start the organization after seeing similar clubs across the country that hosted events from 6-10 p.m. When she started planning her own version in January 2025, she decided to shift the time earlier. The 5 to 9 Club officially launched on Tuesday, Oct. 7 that same year.

“I have three kids, I have a business, all sorts of stuff,” Lundy said. “If I stayed until the very end, I wouldn’t get home until 11 p.m., which means I’m not in bed until [midnight]. That’s a little late for me.”

While alcohol is often seen as a central part of nightlife, the 5 to 9 Club’s alcohol-free model reflects Lundy’s goal of creating a community where women can enjoy themselves without sacrificing their responsibilities the next day.

Without alcohol in the mix, guests don’t have to decide between unwinding for the evening and waking up with a clear head the next morning. Instead, attendees are encouraged to focus on connection and community.

This club also creates a welcoming environment for women who struggle with reliance on substances.

“This is about giving women who [struggle with alcohol] a safe space to have fun without being tempted,” Lundy said.

When Lundy first began considering the idea, she thought of a close friend who battled alcohol addiction.

“She had said, ‘I wish I’d had more community of women that I could hang out with and go do things with,’ and, ‘I wish I’d had safe spaces that didn’t include alcohol, that I could go have fun and I wasn’t constantly tempted to drink,’” Lundy said. “That stuck with me after she passed.”

According to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, roughly one in 10 Americans over the age of 12 experience alcohol use disorder. That being said, alcohol consumption trends in the United States have steadily declined in recent years, showing growing interest in alternatives.

Soft drinks are available during 5 to 9 events, but guests can also try adaptogen drinks made with nonalcoholic spirits.

“It just helps clarify their brain,” Lundy said. “It actually makes their brain get super sharp and also drops their cortisol levels, which allows them to relax, and their anxiety and depression will also relax.”

For Lundy, it was important that the functional beverages are still just as much fun as traditional cocktails.

“All of our drinks are Instagramable,” Lundy said. “They are a true cocktail so that the ladies are getting the full experience of walking around with a fun little drink.”

After initially hosting events at Pura Vida Coffee Bar on Nicholson Drive, the 5 to 9 Club is moving to the Country Club of Louisiana, which Lundy said will offer more space and easier accessibility for guests. Tickets are currently available to buy on the club’s website for the next event on April 7.

“I had one regular the other day who came in and said, ‘I almost didn’t come. I left my husband, I just bought a house this week and my mom is sick,” Lundy said. “I said, ‘Wow, O.K. We’re here, and we’re gonna dance, and we’re gonna have a good time and life is gonna keep rolling.’”

Lundy is currently working toward expanding to other major cities in Louisiana, including New Orleans, Lafayette and Lake Charles, before eventually opening Texas locations in 2027.

For now, Lundy says that the impact on individual attendees has been the most rewarding part of the 5 to 9 Club.

“I might not be making a profit right now, but I’m making a difference in that one woman’s life,” Lundy said.

For more information on events and ticketing, visit the 5 to 9 Club website.