Post-holiday blues leave you cold? Miami melts your melancholy with music, mayhem and men in March.
By Mike Fleming
Will Smith sang it best, “Welcome to Miami, party in the city where the heat is on all night until the break of dawn.”
Well, here’s something to look forward to: Hitting Miami’s white sands March 2-7 for the annual Winter Party. Tickets are on sale now to hit the city-cum-gay man’s playground, filled to the brim with boys and beaches ideal for shaking off the winter season in style.
Signature events each day of the festival begin with the VIP reception at the New World Symphony, followed by the first dance party of the week, Ignite on Thursday, March 2. Rest up, because that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The popular Artscape party hits on Friday, with renowned gay artists from all over the world in an exhibition expected to surpass 13,000 attendees. With every art form all under one roof, look for crafting, painting, sculpting, photography and design sure to sate art enthusiasts.
Later that night, DJs Alex Acosta and Nacho Chapado, plus DJ Deanne in the basement kick off the Heat party from 10 p.m. – 5 p.m at Club Space. It’s a perfect way to explore South Beach while dancing, meeting and mingling with Winter Party guests, sparking connections to last all night or even all weekend long.
Saturday afternoon is action packed with the Under One Sun pool party at Deauville Beach Resort, said to be the “hottest pool party in the world.” DJ Dan Slater and Atlanta Pride Kickoff favorite DJ Kitty Glitter are set to keep the bodies undulating to a sunny beat.
As the sun goes down, things only get hotter when Energy, a leather and fetish bash, commences. DJs Micky Friedmann and Isaac Escalante take your heart rate to a completely new level. True to its name, the boys will throb through the roof, literally, at Miami’s only rooftop bar. Getting down with a few thousand hotties under the stars is a banging time not to be missed.
By day, the DJ legends of Rosabel – Ralphi Rosario and Abel – share the stage as the boys take the sands and the sounds ride the waves during Sunday’s Beach Party. According to the Winter Party gods themselves, “whether you’re looking for Apollo or just in search of South Beach’s most hedonistic bacchanal, Sunday’s party is where Cupid will strike.” By night, The We Party at Icon on Sunday will keep the party going well into the night.
Finally, celebrate as the sun rises and sets with Winter Party’s Verve Party on Monday at 5 a.m. This dance extravaganza welcomes the dawn and rocks out one last time before setting sail for another year, but not before you get one more rager: Monday night’s Finale with DJ Dan De Leon and gay Atlanta’s own DJ Seth Breezy at Club Score, 10 p.m. – 5 a.m.
Who says you can’t do good deeds and a few bad ones at the same time? Whoever that was never went to Winter Party. Organizers at the National LGBTQ Task force put proceeds toward a plethora of LGBT charities. More than $2.1 million has been gifted since the event’s inception.
Get the latest on Winter Party Festival at winterparty.com, facebook.com/winterparty and twitter.com/winter_party.