The Winter Party Festival produced by the National LGBTQ Task Force is one of the world’s largest and best-loved celebrations for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. The Festival has evolved into a week-long series of events, taking place on Miami Beach and benefiting the LGBTQ community both locally and nationally. Much of the gross proceeds from Winter Party Festival support the Task Force’s efforts to take action, build power and create change for LGBTQ people. A significant amount of the remaining proceeds are also donated to local service organizations through a grant-making process administered by the Miami Foundation.
Founded in 1994, the original Winter Party featured just one event, a huge dance party held on the sands of South Beach. The blend of SoBe, surf and sun, along with fabulous people, music and weather, proved to be an irresistible combination for Winter Party’s success. Soon, thousands of LGBTQ people were pouring in from around the world, making this one of the hottest weekends on the queer calendar of South Florida.
Over the years, Winter Party has grown and evolved to a weeklong celebration with dozens of events, from cocktail parties, to stage shows to health advocacy programs — drawing more than 10,000 attendees to the festival.
The roster of international DJ talent and Miami’s unparalleled venues provide the kind of events that could never happen anyplace else in the world, This year’s festival is already shaping up to be a major success, with passes and tickets selling out at many levels. This year’s theme — With Open Arms — focuses on the organization’s dedication and specific efforts to make WPF a welcoming environment for all.
In 2018, a study conducted by the Task Force and the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau articulated that 55% percent of attendees at WPF identify as non-Caucasian. This year, organizers worked to diversify the talent on the DJ roster by including more women, featuring the skills of Sharon O Love (making her US debut), Anne Louise and MORABITO behind the turntables.
“Winter Party Festival has always been friendly and inclusive,” WPF Festival Chair Rene Wolfensberger said in a statement.” “This year we wanted to turn it up a notch and encourage everyone, volunteers, committee members, staff and guests to welcome each other with open arms. It’s an international gesture of inclusion and ties very well into our vision statement: ‘Bringing the world together to create change while celebrating you.’”
“This year as we bring in a new era for Winter Party Festival, one thing that I am extremely excited about is our all new Nikki Beach Club venue for our Under One Sun: Evolution, presented by Impulse Group,” added Vice Chair Sergio Orlando. “As the Festival grows larger each year, we strategically chose Nikki Beach Club to expand our guests experience for this iconic and original event. We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring this new venue to our Winter Party Festival line up.”
When the partying and weekend come to a close, the proceeds from WPF not only benefit the Task Force, but also other South Florida based LGBTQ organizations as well. In 2018, the Task Force donated $215,000 to the LGBTQ Community Fund at the Miami Foundation, for a total of nearly $3 million given back since the Task Force began producing Winter Party and the National LGBTQ Task Force Gala – Miami in 2005.
“The LGBTQ movement is as relevant today as it was when we fought back police raids at the Stonewall Inn 50 years ago,” Task Force Director of Communications Sarah Massey explained. “We still have a lot to do to achieve full liberation and equality for all of us. The Task Force is on the vanguard of this work. We are keeping the Trump administration in check, organizing faith communities to be welcoming, and protecting our hard-earned freedoms while expanding legal protections for all.”
Here is the full line up of events:
Wednesday, February 27
Welcome Center Grand Opening
Presented by Surterra Wellness
Shelborne South Beach Hotel
1801 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
7 – 10pm
Paradise: Deja-Vu
Riviera Live
3138 Coral Way, Miami
10pm – 5am
Thursday, February 28
LOCALIZE
Presented by Prevention 305 with Avita Pharmacy
Hôtel Gaythering
1409 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
7-10pm
Ignite
Presented by SCRUFF
Mr. Jones
320 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
10pm-5am
Friday, March 1
Sunny Side Up Brunch
Palace Bar
1052 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
12-4pm
Vagabunos Pool Party
Gates Hotel South Beach
2360 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL
12-6pm
VIP Cocktail Reception
Presented by The Art of Shaving
The Carlton Hotel at The Betsy South Beach
1433 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
7:30-11pm
Heat
Club Space
34 NE 11th Street, Miami
10pm-7am
Saturday, March 2
Under One Sun – Evolution
Presented by Impulse Group
Nikki Beach Club
1 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
12-6pm
Illuminate T-Dance
Palace Bar
1052 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
5-11pm
Theater Soirée
Carnival Studio Theater at the Adrienne Arsht Center
1300 Biscayne Blvd, Miami
7:30 PM
Sweat
Hunters Nightclub
2232 Wilton Drive, Fort Lauderdale
9pm-3am
Masterbeat Odyssey: A New Era
James L. Knight Center
400 SE 2nd Avenue, Miami
10pm-6am
Sunday, March 3
The Beach Party
Presented by WorldPride NYC | Stonewall 50
Lummus Park
12th Street and Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
1-8pm
Masterbeat: Avalanche
James L. Knight Center
400 SE 2nd Avenue, Miami
10pm-6am
Monday, March 4
Afterglow
The Hangar
60 NE 11th St, Miami
6am-12pm
ACTION! Finale
Treehouse
323 23rd Street, Miami Beach
10pm-5am
For more information on Winter Party week or to purchase tickets, go to Winterparty.com.
