Offbeat Raves
Raves aren’t only taking place at underground clubs anymore. They’re taking over unconventional venues, like coffee shops, restaurants, museums, book stores and convention centers, and being hosted in broad daylight. Gone are the lasers, smoke machines and flashing lights; attendees are grooving to dj beats in their sunnies while surrounded by bubbles, parasols, fans and sampling stations serving up pastries and nonalcoholic beverages.
More young adult consumers are searching for fourth spaces, gathering places that blur the lines between digital and physical worlds, uniting people through shared interests and “bridging online communities with real-world connections.” So it’s no surprise that these nontraditional raves are being promoted, discovered and shared almost exclusively on social media. Not to mention, Gen Zers and Zillennials had their prime clubbing years cut short or delayed because of the pandemic, and attitudes toward “going-out culture” have shifted away from bars and night clubs and toward low-key house party house vibes and café culture.
In fact, daytime coffee shop raves are already swarming Denver and Charlotte, two cities with thriving young professional populations. As one commenter put it under an Instagram Reel rounding up Denver coffee shop parties, “Finally, something for us geriatric millennials.”
Eventbrite debuted New York City’s first-ever Cheese Rave on April 17, in response to the hot demand for fourth spaces. Teaming up with “Queer Eye” star, chef and author Antoni Porowski for the launch, the new series of ticketed mashup events blends seemingly unrelated interests. The Cheese Rave was designed to take attendees on a sensory journey, combining EDM and curated cheese tastings with other spectacles, like “go-go cheese dancers,” and the opportunity to learn from expert mongers, who matched consumers’ moods to flavors.
Ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, Relevant+, an independent culture media group for U.S. Hispanic audiences, partnered with Total Wireless to launch Beats Per Mile (BPM), an electronic music experience. The event celebrated Latin sound brought together cultural tastemakers, artists and music insiders at Miami’s Caracas Bakery to enjoy dj sets from Gia Fu, DJ Le Spam, Nickodemus and KillaBeatMaker. BPM’s performance lineup was curated by Tigre Sounds and designed as a sensorial journey that built up in tempo, mirroring the momentum of a race in motion. The brands treated the first 200 attendees at check-in to a cappuccino with a race flag stir stick.
And exhibitors are getting down with raves, too. Fujifilm and Igloo invited InfoComm 2024 attendees to step into a mini rave in an immersive modular room by Falkbuilt. The tech, including 360-degree projection, was integrated into the structure to create the scene, so other than furniture, it was all content and good vibes, everywhere.
Looking back, Perrier was ahead of its time in 2016 when it hosted Flavorpill Presents: Lunch Break, Made Extraordinary, a lunchtime dance party where New York City professionals were invited to take a break from the office and soak in the scene of suspended hot air balloons, sparkly-costumed brand ambassadors and Questlove spinning tunes. Take us back… but for now, you can find us at the next Shrek Rave.
Catch up on all of this year’s weekly trends here.
