One of the world’s best-known electronic and dance music industry events, the Winter Music Conference is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year. Over 2,000 DJs and singers from all around the world will be calling Miami Beach home for five wonderful days, as they learn tools of the trade and hope to get noticed by record labels and agents. The performers who have made it big are there too, helping the younger generation as they learn what it takes to succeed in this fun career field. This year’s events will be held at the Deauville Beach Resort (6701 Collins Ave.) in Miami Beach from Tuesday, March 24 through Saturday, March 28.
There are dozens of fun events at Winter Music Conference every year. Let me give you the rundown on a few you definitely shouldn’t miss. First, there’s the 30th Annual International Dance Music Awards. If you’re coming to WMC this week, this is something everyone attends and is definitely the most anticipated event of the week. It will be held at the Deauville Beach Resort on Thursday, March 26 starting at 8 p.m. The two-day DJ Spin-Off and the VJ Challenge are two hot events as well. The winners of these events have found that their careers have taken off on an international scale after being noticed at WMC. The DJ Spin-Off happens on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 24-25, and the VJ Challenge will be held on Thursday, March 26. There are also tributes to house legends Benny Benassi (Tuesday, March 24 at midnight at 11EVEN, 29 NE 11th St., Miami) and Barbara Tucker (Thursday, March 26 at 10 p.m. at the Deauville Beach Resort). For a full list of events, visit wintermusicconference.com/events.
Admission badges are available for purchase right now on the Winter Music Conference website at wintermusicconference.com. They cost $395 per person and entitle you to access at every panel, seminar, exhibit and workshop offered during the week except for remixing and editing (those have to be bought separately). Your badge will also get you free or reduced price admission to many nighttime parties, and gets you in to the 2015 International Dance Music Awards. Badge pickup is available every day at the hotel from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Tuesday/Wednesday), 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Thursday/Friday), and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Saturday).
For more information on the Winter Music Conference, visit wintermusicconference.com.