A circuit party is a large
dance event. It extends through the night and into the following day, almost always with a number of affiliated events in the days leading up to and following the main event. Proto-circuit parties in the late 1970s, the precursors of what later became circuit parties, were called disco parties. They lasted only one evening and were held in various large venues in
metropolitan areas with large gay populations.
Circuit parties were first developed in connection with the early
tea dance
__NOTOC__
A tea dance, also called a ''thé dansant'' (French for "dancing tea"), was a dance held in the summer or autumn from 4 to 7 p.m. In the English countryside, a garden party sometimes preceded the dance.''Party-giving on Every Scale ...
s, attended by a subset of
gay men, as well as theme parties held on
Fire Island
Fire Island is the large center island of the outer barrier islands parallel to the South Shore of Long Island, in the U.S. state of New York.
Occasionally, the name is used to refer collectively to not only the central island, but also Lo ...
, in the days before the beginning of the health crisis of
HIV
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...
/
AIDS. They came to resemble underground
rave parties
A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mu ...
in some respects, but differ in that circuit parties are highly publicized and professionally produced, and tend to attract people from a wider age range and a broader geographic area.
Background
Founding as disco parties (1970s)
The start of the circuit has been attributed to many different parties that sprang up during the late 1970s and early 1980s. These proto-circuit parties in the late 1970s, the precursors of what later became circuit parties, were called ''disco parties.'' They lasted one evening only, and were held in various large venues in
metropolitan areas with large gay populations. Although Flamingo and 12 West were
New York clubs that had theme-centered gay parties, these nightclubs were eclipsed by the opening of the mega-nightclub,
The Saint, in the
East Village in 1980. This members-only male (with very limited exceptions) club was very technologically advanced. Some say its like has not been recreated since.
The Saint, which was constructed inside the renovated space that had once housed the renowned Fillmore East theatre, featured a dome-covered dance floor, the dome being suspended in mid-air, and a complete
planetarium mechanism that projected a starscape onto the dome above the dance floor. While open every weekend beginning in September, The Saint's once monthly parties became marathon events that drew gay men from around the world. These parties created the concept of a single party being the focal point for a weekend getaway in the gay community.
What was to become another circuit party was founded during the same time period by Corbett Reynolds, a
Columbus, Ohio-based artist and
nightclub
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
owner in the late 1970s. Initially, Reynolds envisioned a one-night party-to-end-all-parties, designed around the theme of the color Red (hence the name "Red Party"), which was to be held at Reynolds' nightclub, “Rudely Elegant.”
The Red Party proved to be so successful, and drew so many outside visitors, that it filled the Valley Dale Dance Hall to capacity and became an annual event, outliving the closure of the bar in the early 1980s. Reynolds was a true artist, creating complete party-scapes all in red. On the 25th anniversary of the Red Party, the theme of which was to have been "Rome", Mr. Reynolds died. Those in charge of his estate thought about how, if at all, to continue the event and, in the end, decided to retire the concept of the "Red Party" and leave it to history.
AIDS crisis and growth of parties (1980s–1990s)
The early 1980s saw the start of the AIDS crisis, and entire communities were affected. Several benefit parties sprang up around the country, which were run by volunteer organizations that donated their proceeds to AIDS, HIV-related charities, such as ''Halloween's in New Orleans'' The success of these early parties gave way to other events hosted in other cities, with each party having its own theme. Many were named after colors, such as ''White Party'', ''Black Party'', ''Blue Ball'', and ''Black and Blue Festival''. And many center around other events, such as ''
Southern Decadence
Southern Decadence is an annual six-day event held in New Orleans, Louisiana, by the gay and lesbian community during Labor Day Weekend, culminating in a parade through the French Quarter on the Sunday before Labor Day.
History
The event trace ...
'' and the
Folsom Street Fair
Folsom Street Fair (FSF) is an annual BDSM and leather subculture street fair, held in September, that caps San Francisco's "Leather Pride Week". The Folsom Street Fair, sometimes simply referred to as "Folsom", takes place on Folsom Street bet ...
. Dance parties provided an environment in which gay men processed the experience of HIV/AIDS and served to build particular forms of communal response to the epidemic
![White Diamonds Party](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/White_Diamonds_Party.jpg)
One economic reality of a well-run circuit party is that the event can bring large amounts of tourist dollars to the locality where the event is held. Because of their economic impact, Circuit parties have been welcomed in some of the more liberal cities where they are held.
In the early 1990s, as more and more gay men became attracted to these mega dance-events, the real modern-day circuit party scene emerged and expanded into ever-larger productions, featuring superstar DJs and performers. Promoters sometimes turned events from one party into a major series of parties at various venues, transforming a weekend into a three-day or longer continuous party. For example, a pool party might go from noon to 5PM, a "
t-dance" from 5PM to 9PM, a main event from 9PM to 4AM, and an after-hours party from 4AM until 12 noon, after which the cycle repeats itself.
To keep putting together these increasingly elaborate and costly productions, the prices (cover charge) of circuit parties increased greatly, so that it was not uncommon for a ticket covering the full weekend of parties to cost $400 or more.
Peak and decline in popularity (2000s)
Having reached its peak around 1999–2000 (as evidenced by the total number of events during those years, and the steady decline in the number of events since), the Circuit found itself a smaller part of a much larger whole. In 2004, ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' travel section featured an in-depth look at The White Party in Palm Springs in conjunction with staff members of ''
Noizemag''. The central focus was to determine why thousands of men spend multi-thousands of dollars to travel to this yearly event. Taken from the viewpoint of an experienced (female) raver, this gave the mainstream a view into what makes Circuit Parties so compelling for many and highlighted many of the changes taking place in these commercial events.
Nonetheless, the downward trend continued through the entire decade, with the downfall of a dozen events such as The Red Party, FireBall, Hotlanta, The Morning Party, Hell Ball, Reunion, and Motorball.
In the early 2000s, promoters became worried as attendance decreased dramatically at many circuit events. This decline in attendance was attributed to several factors. The original circuit audience that began attending the circuit parties of the '80s and '90s had grown older and no longer had such an active interest in multi-day partying. The communal experience of HIV/AIDS changed in the context of the availability of more effective treatments.
In addition, all-gay cruises, which attract upwards of 1,500 passengers, have had a dramatic impact on the attendance at circuit parties.
Much had been said about the decline of the Circuit in recent years. Some parties have disappeared from the landscape. But the scene continues to thrive in many places with attendance rebounding from the dip that occurred after the new Millennium. This is especially true at the better produced events, like Black and Blue in Montreal, and events that have more than just a circuit party to offer, such as Southern Decadence weekend in New Orleans. Also, all-gay cruises that carry upwards of 2,000 passengers on week-long excursions to popular travel destinations continue to be very popular.
Recent resurgence (2010-present)
Circuit parties are currently organized in many international cities, each of them having another leading company, such as Matinee in Barcelona and WE Party Madrid.
Circuit parties seem to have gained widespread popularity again. This resulted in the annually organized Circuit Festival by the Matinée Group since 2008. Circuit Festival is currently the biggest international gay and lesbian event, hosting more than 50 DJs every year during twelve days of circuit parties, bringing together all leading international circuit brands in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
. Since 2012 it has attracted an increasing number of gay visitors of over 70,000 per edition.
Circuit parties in the United States experienced a notable resurgence in the 2010s and consistently attract large crowds of gay men. In 2017,
VICE News
Vice News (stylized as VICE News) is Vice Media's current affairs channel, producing daily documentary essays and video through its website and YouTube channel. It promotes itself on its coverage of "under-reported stories". Vice News was create ...
described them as parties "where gay men seek sex and freedom."
Culture and controversy
Observers within the gay and medical communities have published concerns about the culture of circuit parties, particularly the high use of drugs and mood changers including:
alcohol,
marijuana,
methamphetamine,
ecstasy,
ketamine
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used medically for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. It is also used as a recreational drug. It is one of the safest anesthetics, as, in contrast with opiates, ether, and propofol, it suppresses ...
,
GHB
''gamma''-Hydroxybutyric acid (or γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), also known as 4-hydroxybutanoic acid) is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter and a depressant drug. It is a precursor to GABA, glutamate, and glycine in certain brain areas. ...
,
amyl nitrite
Amyl nitrite is a chemical compound with the formula C5H11ONO. A variety of isomers are known, but they all feature an amyl group attached to the nitrite functional group. The alkyl group is unreactive and the chemical and biological properties ...
, and other "
party drug
Recreational drug use indicates the use of one or more psychoactive drugs to induce an altered state of consciousness either for pleasure or for some other casual purpose or pastime by modifying the perceptions and emotions of the user. When a ...
s". It is common for circuit party promoters to hire medical professionals to be stationed outside venues in anticipation of
drug overdoses,
dehydration
In physiology, dehydration is a lack of total body water, with an accompanying disruption of metabolic processes. It occurs when free water loss exceeds free water intake, usually due to exercise, disease, or high environmental temperature. Mil ...
, or
alcohol poisoning
Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main ps ...
during an event.
Also observers point to the risks of overdose and impaired judgment leading to more condomless sex and transmission of
sexually transmitted diseases
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and oral ...
(see ''
Sexual Ecology''). Circuit parties have been blamed for the spread of methamphetamine abuse and the rise in transmission of STDs, particularly HIV, among gay men.
COVID-19 impact
In March 2020, the Winter Party Festival in Miami was a super-spreader of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
, leading to numerous infections and at least three men dead due to COVID-19 complications.
Overview and media perception
While open to anyone, the parties are generally viewed as social events primarily for physically fit and masculine-identified white gay men. Circuit parties charge admission, with some being run for-profit and others benefiting charities, generally those that benefit the
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term ...
communities or HIV/health related programs. Circuit parties can be expensive and lavish affairs with elaborate lighting, music, productions, decor, and are held in venues that can accommodate large crowds.
Circuit parties are known to attract a broad range of demographics, from young gay men in their early 20s to those in their 40s, 50s and even 60s, and both single gay men and couples in long-term relationships. The parties are described by attendees as very important social events, analogous to a major holiday for some in the gay community. They can be described as a "celebration" of gay life and gay sexuality, an expression of freedom, and as a statement of the power and strength of the gay community.
Circuit parties are often perceived by outsiders as highly superficial; moreover those who attend them are often the target of broad and negative judgments by others in the gay community, usually because of the high amount of promiscuous sex and drug use that is often perceived to be associated with the events. A small body of empirical research from different research groups does, indeed, point to a high prevalence of drug use among people who attend circuit events during the course of the events and raises questions about an association between drug use and risky sex practices among gay and bisexual men
[Race K (2009): ''Pleasure Consuming Medicine: The queer politics of drugs'' Durham: Duke University Press.] Circuit parties frequently host celebrity performers or headliners, usually gay icons.
Men who frequent circuit parties and embody stereotypes affiliated with the typical attendee are often referred to as "circuit queens." The term can be used in a derogatory or humorous manner depending on the context.
Related media
* ''
Circuit'', a 2001 film in which circuit parties are a major aspect of the plotline
* ''
When Boys Fly'', a 2002 documentary set at the
Miami, Florida
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
White Party
A circuit party is a large dance event. It extends through the night and into the following day, almost always with a number of affiliated events in the days leading up to and following the main event. Proto-circuit parties in the late 1970s, t ...
* ''
Sexual Ecology'', a book by
Gabriel Rotello
Douglas Gabriel Rotello (born February 9, 1963) is an American musician, writer and filmmaker. He created New York's ''Downtown Divas'' revues in the 1980s, was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of ''OutWeek'' magazine, became the first openly ga ...
Notable circuit parties
*
Bal en Blanc
*
The Week International
*
Black and Blue Festival
The Black & Blue Festival is a gay-benefit dance festival held in Montreal, Canada, every Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, which raises money for HIV/ AIDS and the gay community. It is organized annually by the Bad Boy Club Montréal. The various ...
*
Real Bad
Real Bad is the name of a fundraising party held annually in San Francisco, California immediately following the Folsom Street Fair. The party, which occurs on the last Sunday in September, has been in existence since 1989. It is thrown by a non ...
*
Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend
*
Rat Parties
RAT Parties were a series of large dance parties held in Sydney, Australia during the 1980s and early 1990s. The Powerhouse Museum said that they "formed a key element of an emerging subculture" that was fashion-aware, gay-friendly, appreciated ...
*
Southern Decadence
Southern Decadence is an annual six-day event held in New Orleans, Louisiana, by the gay and lesbian community during Labor Day Weekend, culminating in a parade through the French Quarter on the Sunday before Labor Day.
History
The event trace ...
See also
*
List of electronic music festivals
The following is an incomplete list of music festivals that feature electronic music, which encapsulates music featuring electronic instruments such as electric guitar and keyboards, as well as recent genres such as electronic dance music (E ...
*
Gay bar
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) clientele; the term '' gay'' is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT communities.
Gay bars once serv ...
*
Bear (gay culture)
In gay culture, a bear is a larger and often hairier man who projects an image of rugged masculinity.
The bear concept can function as an identity or an affiliation, and there is ongoing debate in bear communities about what constitutes a bear ...
References
External links
*
White Partyin
Palm Springs, CA
Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land ...
White Partyin
Miami, Florida
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
Black and Blue Festivalin
Montreal, Canada
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-pe ...
Halloweenin
Loveball- A European gay dance festival held in a different European country each year.
Joining HeartsWinter Party FestivalPeach PartyMedusa Productions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Circuit Party
1970s establishments
Gay culture in the United States
LGBT terminology
Dance events
Parties
Social dance