Photo by Gabriela B. dos Santos.
Audio By Carbonatix
Coffee and Beats celebrated its one-year anniversary with a daytime set at Sable in Wynwood on Saturday, September 20. From early shows with an attendance of 30 people to the largest recorded crowd of 820, the experimental, Boiler-Room–style event has grown increasingly popular among South Florida’s young crowd. The jump in scale has transformed the experience; what began as a tight-knit gathering now resembles a pulsing micro-festival.
A typical Coffee and Beats event occurs during the daytime, starting at 10 a.m. Coffee is served instead of alcohol, and the series strives to re-center South Florida’s house music culture on local community, accessibility, and a connection to the music. “I wanted to make my own event that doesn’t entail alcohol or all of these things, and that amplifies the music,” said Lumi, founder of Coffee and Beats.
The one-year anniversary went slightly off script with the presence of alcohol. However, the continued success of such events aligns with findings from the National Institute on Drug Abuse showing a decline in drinking among young people, primarily Gen Z, driven by factors such as changing socialization patterns post-COVID-19.
The event is also unique for putting on local DJs. “The DJs that I have on are not known worldwide. It’s not like Diplo, it’s not these mega-stars. No, they’re local DJs that my team and I heard their music. We said, ‘Hey, we loved your mix. Come out and play on this date.’ People showed up for talent whose names aren’t headlining yet. I think that is a beautiful thing,” said Lumi.
Photo by Gabriela B. dos Santos
The innovative DJ lineup for the anniversary’s a.m. set featured Angie Longnarc, Noctra, Gleece, Rara, Pls&ty, and Lumi. Sets were diverse, with creative mashups including early-2000s favorites like Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” and Modjo’s “Lady (Hear Me Tonight),” plus electronic, Brazilian funk, dubstep, and trap.
Attendees who have participated in past Coffee and Beats events reported long wait times and winding lines. That could have been the lack of coffee talking, but the line at Sable extended out into the entrance corridor. The staff at Sable moved fast, and attendees mostly remained in good spirits while they waited.
Photo by Gabriela B. dos Santos
For this special occasion, Coffee and Beats put on an additional p.m. set at the cozy coffee shop where it all started a year ago, the White Rose. The p.m. set featured Kastelo, Mindstate, Shndo, and Maguu.
For those interested in more Coffee and Beats, here’s what Lumi shares about his aspirations for the future. “I think 2026 for us is taking it outside of Florida. Next year, I have my eye on San Diego, New York, and Atlanta,” says Lumi. If Coffee and Beats goes national, it could become a larger-scale experiment in rethinking how people gather around music, offering an alternative to traditional nightlife while putting local DJs at the center of the stage.
