Breaking the $1 million fundraising mark for the first time in its 22-year history, Winter Party Festival ended last Monday after six days of sun and fun in Miami Beach with a record attendance and all-time-high ticket sales. Produced by the National LGBTQ Task Force (“Task Force”), Winter Party Festival is an annual fund- and consciousness-raising event committed to increasing awareness and securing basic rights and protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people.
“Surpassing the $1 million revenue milestone is truly a significant accomplishment,” said Russell Roybal, deputy executive director for the National LGBTQ Task Force. “Equally as impressive is the growth the event has experienced since the Task Force assumed the production responsibilities in 2005 in terms of bigger events, more major sponsors and an ever-increasing loyal volunteer team.”
Total attendance topped 13,000 with guests coming to Miami Beach from as far away as Australia, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Sold-out events included the Energy, and WE Party: Attacks dance parties; the VIP Cocktail Reception; and the Under One Sun Pool Party. Winter Party’s signature event, The Beach Party, also drew a record-breaking attendance, and even the host hotel for the event, the Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach, sold out its room block for Winter Party guests.
“We promised this year’s Festival would be bigger, better and more exciting than ever, and we delivered on that promise with diverse events that our guests truly embraced,” said Justin Bell, Winter Party Festival Chair. “Winter Party is driven by the desire to unite the global LGBTQ and allied communities in order to celebrate who we are as individuals and who we are as an inclusive community.”
Proceeds from the Winter Party Festival and its sister event, the Miami Recognition Dinner, support the important work of the National LGBTQ Task Force to advance full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. A significant portion of the proceeds also funds multiple organizations serving the LGBTQ community in South Florida through grants made by the Task Force to the GLBT Community Projects Fund of The Miami Foundation. Since taking over responsibilities for the two events, the Task Force has contributed more than $1.85 million to South Florida grassroots LGBTQ organizations. With this year’s donation, scheduled for June, the Task Force’s total contributions to the Fund will surpass the $2 million mark.
