White Party

June 27 | 8 PM - Midnight | Old Town Lansing

$10.00 per Wristband

INFORMATION

    • Wristbands will be sold for $10 at all locations. All proceeds go to ensuring Lansing Pride is FREE for all to attend.

    • Only one wristband needs to be purchased per participant.

    • A wristband will give you access to all venues.

    • Some venues are 21+, please see specific venues for age restrictions.

    • Plan your outfit! White is the theme color for the night!

    • Start your night at any participating venue—each one will have wristbands available for purchase.

    • Feel free to hop from spot to spot at your own pace—there’s no set route and no pressure to hit every location.

    • Every venue will feature exclusive drink specials and live entertainment all night long. So dance, sip, and celebrate your way through the White Party your way!

    • There are alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink specials, for those that choose not to drink or are participating to ensure friends and family get home safe!

Venues

    • 21+

    • Drink Special: Drink sales to support Lansing Pride

    • Entertainment: Pop up Drag Show - Spiral Tribute Weekend

    • 21+

    • Entertainment: DJ Fudgie

    • 18+

    • Drink Special: $6 House drinks, Shot specials

    • Food Deals

    • Entertainment: DJ

    • Will not open to the White Party until 10:30 pm

    • 21+

    • Entertainment: DJ McCoy

    • 18+

    • Drink Special: $8 espresso martini

    • Mocktail Special: $8 Blind Tiger lavender French 75

    • Entertainment: DJ

The White Party: A Legacy of Awareness, Celebration, and Change

The White Party began in the mid-1980s, during the early devastating years of the AIDS epidemic. In 1985, Frank Wager and Jorge Suarez envisioned an event that would raise both awareness and much-needed funds to combat HIV/AIDS in South Florida—at a time when the federal government was largely ignoring the crisis and its impact on the LGBTQ community.

On Sunday, December 1, 1985, 1,600 guests, all dressed in white, gathered at Villa Vizcaya (now the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens) for the inaugural White Party. Each attendee contributed $10, with proceeds benefiting the Health Crisis Network (HCN), the organization now known as Care Resource.

What began as a single evening soon blossomed into one of the nation’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraisers. By 1994, White Party Miami had expanded into a full week of events, drawing thousands of attendees from around the world. In 1998, the event was restructured to promote greater inclusivity, addressing concerns about limited diversity, group-specific programming, and aspects of party culture that conflicted with the event’s original mission.

Despite these changes, the White Party remained grounded in its core values of education, awareness, and fundraising. The final White Party Miami was held in 2018, marking the end of an era.

Still, the spirit of the White Party lives on. Its legacy inspired similar HIV/AIDS fundraising events across the United States and internationally, many of which are now featured as part of Pride celebrations around the globe.

To the right is the original invite to the 1985 White Party. Courtesy of Care Resources.

Resources