Oct 16
Winter LGBTQ+ Festivals Bring Joy and Resistance to Cold-Weather Destinations Worldwide
READ TIME: 3 MIN.
LGBTQ+ communities worldwide are transforming winter into a season of celebration, resistance, and solidarity through a growing network of cold-weather pride festivals that blend snow sports, dance culture, and advocacy work.
The Winter Party Festival returned to Miami Beach from February 26 to March 4, 2025, drawing over 4,000 attendees to its signature Beach Party and hosting more than 10,000 participants across 12 events throughout the week . The festival's 32nd anniversary celebration featured the theme"Dance is Revolution," a deliberate commentary on the current state of queer liberation and the need to fight back against attacks on LGBTQ+ people .
Building Community Through Winter Celebrations
"Throughout history, dance has been more than just a movement – it has been a form of resistance, liberation, and social change," said Festival co-chairs Rene Wolfensberger and Jason Hellinger."Our community has long used dance to break down barriers, challenge social norms, and create spaces where we can truly be ourselves. When we dance together, we don't just move our bodies, we move society forward" .
The festival's significance extends beyond celebration, particularly given its Florida location."Florida — a state where hateful, anti-LGBTQ rhetoric is rampant and harmful policies are piloted — has become a testing ground for authoritarian strategies designed to suppress our existence," said Kierra Johnson, President of the National LGBTQ Task Force."Historically, the policies that take root here are then exported to harm other communities" .
The festival featured performances by international DJs including Chus, Karsten Sollors, and Tom Stephen, with events spread across 10 world-class venues in Miami and Miami Beach . The crown jewel Beach Party featured DJs Erik Vilar and DJ Micky Friedmann, with attendees enjoying food from South Beach eatery Bodega and interactions with sponsors including Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps .
Financial Impact and Community Support
Since the National LGBTQ Task Force took over production of Winter Party Festival in 2005, the organization has donated over $4 million to support queer organizations . The festival donates a significant portion of proceeds to like-minded community advocacy groups in South Florida through the LGBTQ+ Equity Fund, a philanthropic collaboration between the Task Force, Our Fund Foundation, and The Miami Foundation .
Southern Hemisphere Winter Pride
In New Zealand, Winter Pride 2025 will run from August 15 to 24 in Queenstown, billing itself as the largest winter pride festival in the southern hemisphere . The festival combines snow sports including skiing and snowboarding with dance parties featuring beloved Australasian DJs, plus scenic mountain walks and community programming .
"Winter Pride is a festival in a small town with a bold heart," organizers stated."Each year, we come together to celebrate love, community, diversity, visibility, safety, and inclusion. It is a festival that not only encourages our rainbow community but also invites the entire town to come together and celebrate diversity" .
The festival features both on-mountain and off-mountain events, along with a community series that provides opportunities to give back to local youth and charities .
Growing Participation in North America
In Central Oregon, Winter PrideFest has experienced remarkable growth, expanding from 150 participants in 2018 to over 2,400 participants in 2025 . The festival is scheduled to return March 5-8, 2026, offering a full weekend of winter events .
Meanwhile, Aspen Gay Ski Week celebrated its 48th year from January 12-19, 2025, demonstrating the enduring appeal of winter LGBTQ+ gatherings . The week-long celebration included events that welcomed the broader community, such as Drag Queen Bingo Brunch at The Little Nell in partnership with the Aspen Chamber Resort Association's Wintersköl celebration .
Economic and Cultural Impact
"Aspen Snowmass is very inclusive and has always been very supportive of Aspen Gay Ski Week, not only because it's good for the economy, but because it's good for the community," according to festival organizers .
The festivals demonstrate how LGBTQ+ communities are creating spaces for authentic expression while contributing significantly to local economies and charitable causes. As Jeremy Rye, Board Member of the National LGBTQ Task Force, stated:"We will rebel on the dance floor because that is joy and liberation, and you can't take that away from us" .
The 2026 edition of Miami's Winter Party Festival is already scheduled for February 25 to March 3, ensuring the continuation of what organizers call"waltzing into new wins for queer and trans liberation and the future of the community" .
