Circuit party

From Freepedia

The neutrality of this article is disputed.

Please see discussion on the talk page.

A circuit party is a huge disco-type dance party, extending through a 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. Circuit parties resemble underground rave parties 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.

While open to anyone, the parties generally are viewed as social events for gay men. Circuit parties charge admission, with some being run for-profit and others benefiting charities, generally those which benefit the Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender communities or HIV/health related programs.

Attending more than one party per year, due to a variety of factors such as differing locations, can be rather expensive and only the most dedicated party-goers attempt to run the whole "circuit". Gay men who are regular attendees at multiple circuit parties are sometimes referred to as circuit queens.

Background

The concept of the circuit party is generally attributed to Corbett Reynolds, a Columbus, Ohio based artist and night club 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 held at Reynolds nightclub “Rudely Elegant”. The Red Party proved so successful, and drew so many outside visitors to Columbus for the event, that it became an annual event, outliving the closure of the bar in the early 1980s, and eventually filling Valley Dale Dance Hall to capacity.

The success of the Red Party gave way to other events hosted in other cities, with each party having its own theme. Many are named after colors, such as White Party, Black Party, Blue Ball, and Black and Blue Festival. Following Reynolds death, the Red Party name was retired after 25 seasons and succeeded by the Chrome Party in 2001.

An 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.

Circuit party culture and controversy

Many observers within the gay and medical communities have concerns about the culture of circuit parties, particularly the use of drugs (including alcohol, crystal methamphetamine, ecstasy, and other "party drugs") at the events. They point to the risks of overdose, dehydration, and impaired judgment leading to unsafe sex and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. Circuit parties have been blamed for the spread of methamphetamine abuse and the rise in transmission of STDs, particularly HIV, among North American gay men (for full article, see Crystal and sex). In many cases, medical and gay community organizations work with party promoters to promote risk awareness, harm reduction, and safer sex to attendees.

Despite these concerns, many believe circuit parties serve an important social, recreational, and cultural function for some gay men, especially those who live in communities where homosexuality is still highly stigmatized. Often, a circuit party will be the largest gathering of gay men that the attendee has ever witnessed. This, along with the generally celebratory atmosphere of the event, can result in an experience that is uniquely gay-affirming for many gay men.