The Five Best Miami Art Week 2021 Parties

Miami has hosted the stateside outpost of Art Basel, the world’s biggest art fair, which originated in Switzerland, annually since 2002 — until the pandemic forced organizers to cancel the 2020 edition.

Before taking a pause last year, Art Basel had ballooned from a standalone contemporary art exhibition into a marathon, art-and-music-focused extravaganza known as Miami Art Week.

Now, free from COVID restrictions, Miami Art Week makes its much-anticipated return to the Magic City through Sunday, December 5. Event impresarios are back with a vengeance, vowing to make up for last year’s loss by announcing hundreds of creative concerts, galas, parties, and exhibitions across the city.

Electronic music stalwarts will be treated to a wide swath of artistic and sonic programming, ranging from breezy, open-air affairs to sweaty, late-night dance floors and everything in between. Whether you’re searching for a speaker-rattling soundscape or a groove-oriented sunrise session, New Times has you covered with our chronological guide to the top Miami Art Week parties.

Wynwood Studios at Toejam Backlot

Cryptocurrency exchange platform FTX presents Wynwood Studios, the first-ever NFT music and art festival, a four-day pop-up experience combining music, art, and crypto technology. Each night of the festival will be soundtracked by a different brand, including Blond:Ish’s female-powered collective Abracadabra (December 1), Diplo’s genre-crossing Higher Ground label (December 3), and the U.S.-based immersive lifestyle concept Hurry Up Slowly (December 4). Wynwood Studios will also offer exclusive in-person and online sales of NFTs on FTX’s marketplace in collaboration with Miami art collective the Art Plug. Blockchain game Star Atlas will also present activities and installations featuring its next-generation gaming metaverse. Wednesday, December 1, through Saturday, December 4, at Toejam Backlot, 150 NW 21st St., Miami; popup.wynwood.studio. Tickets cost $60 to $299 via get-in.com.

Circoloco Miami at Island Gardens

Circoloco has been expertly curating underground music events across the globe for more than 20 years, so it’s no surprise that the brand’s open-air soiree at Island Gardens will showcase a who’s who of house and techno talent. Presented in partnership with Teksupport, Circoloco Miami will feature artists like the Martinez Brothers, Detroit-bred sound bender Seth Troxler, globetrotting groove selector Honey Dijon, and Berlin-based Afterlife bosses Tale of Us. 3 p.m. Friday, December 3, at Island Gardens, 888 MacArthur Cswy., Miami. Tickets cost $60 via dice.fm

Rakastella at Virginia Key Beach Park

Life and Death and Innervisions' collaborative party Rakastella ("to make love" in Finnish) will return home to idyllic Virginia Key Beach Park after a two-year break. In addition to eclectic sets from international selectors, the multistage, sustainable oceanside festival will feature immersive sensory experiences, environmental art installations, and a vinyl pop-up shop. Festival founders DJ Tennis and Tale of Us anchor the musical performances, with dance-punk DJ Harvey doling out an exclusive set, Âme and Dixon playing one of their infamous back-to-backs, and Eris Drew and Octo Octa make a long-awaited back-to-back Miami debut. Other performers include Anfisa Letyago, Ash Lauryn, Avalon Emerson, Ben UFO, Jayda G, DJ Holographic, Jimi Jules, and DJ Minx. 3 p.m. Saturday, December 4, at Virginia Key Beach Park, 4020 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami; rakastella.com. Tickets cost $82.50 to $267.50 via ticketfairy.com.

Paradise Miami at Club Space

Dance-music titan Jamie Jones' global event series Paradise will test revelers' endurance levels by throwing a 20-hour marathon romp at Club Space. Kicking off Saturday night and powering through Sunday evening, the event's lineup is an exalted list of house and techno heavyweights, including Paradise veterans Eats Everything, Richy Ahmed, wAFF, and, of course, Jones. Other artists include techno queen Nicole Moudaber, minimal house lynchpin Archie Hamilton, One Tribe boss Amémé, and fast-rising talent Tsha, making her Paradise debut. 11 p.m. Saturday, December 4, at Club Space, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; 786-357-6456; clubspace.com. Tickets cost $40 to $80 eventbrite.com.

Where Are My Keys? at 94th Aero Squadron

Boutique party series Where Are My Keys? will host a 24-hour dancing extravaganza to close out Miami Art Week at 94th Aero Squadron Miami, an open-air, aviation-themed restaurant overlooking Miami International Airport's runways. Hosted by Un_Mute and ReSolute, Where Are My Keys? will be soundtracked by 20 underground heroes from across the world like Craig Richards, Chez Damier, Francesco Del Garda, Kalabrese, Nicolas Lutz, Powder, Will Renuart, and Zip, in addition to a surprise performance from an unannounced special guest. The raucous affair is sure to leave denizens scratching their heads as they search for their keys — and their minds. 7 a.m. Sunday, December 5, at 94th Aero Squadron, 1395 NW 57th Ave., Miami; wherearemykeys.com. Tickets cost $40 via ra.co.