When David Marques, Tiffany Hinton and Isabel Buchanan-Arellano began throwing parties at arts centers and lofts, they focused the raucous nights around cumbia, a type of percussive Latin American dance music. Until recently, CumbiaSazo maintained a monthly residency at Double Door (now it's looking for a new home), featuring performances from DJs, VJs and bands as well as colorful decorations, live painters, artisan vendors and tacos. “Our theme is to create the world we want to live in. We wanted a space where it was about compassion and diversity,” says Marques, noting that the party attracts people of all backgrounds who seek an alternative to conventional male-dominated club culture. CumbiaSazo’s popularity has led to a nationally touring version of the party and a family-friendly summer-music festival at Ping Tom Memorial Park—a testament to the event’s ability to get just about anyone’s hips swaying.
Dates vary, check the listing for more information.
Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas
Parties are a crucial part of the fabric of life in Chicago (and in any city, really). They’re the places where we gather to celebrate, tune out the world and find solace in music, movement and excellent company. While dance clubs and bars still rule the city’s nightlife, there are a growing number of parties that offer a super-welcoming environment for underrepresented communities. And at a time when our nation’s founding ethos of acceptance and inclusivity is being threatened, these gatherings are a more crucial refuge and support network than ever before. The following parties were founded in Chicago, by some of Chicago’s best-known movers and shakers, for all Chicagoans—regardless of their sexuality, color or gender—and they serve as proof that the dance floor can still be a revolutionary space.
