Gone are the days of boozing at the club into the wee hours of the morning in Toronto, it seems, because the parties everyone’s dying to get into these days bear little resemblance to the hedonistic, after-dark soirees of yore.
Imagine, if you will, a party at a Toronto hot spot, packed to the rafters of some of the city’s coolest peeps with hot up-and-comers behind the DJ booth, and you walk away hangover-free. Oh, and the whole thing happens in the morning.
There’s actually no need to imagine it if you can’t, because that’s exactly what you can expect at a party thrown by The Coffee Party, one of the city’s newest collectives who are shaking up the scene in a big way.
It was only just this past November when friends Zohaib, Matt, Jeff, Greg, and Matty united over their shared love of coffee and day parties to throw the first-ever installment of The Coffee Party at Baro.
250 people showed up.
A month or so later, they held their second-ever event, also at Baro, to a crowd of 500, with a line stretching all the way down King Street.
Their third event, which took place on Jan. 25 at Nodo Liberty Village, saw 1000 people attend, with, Zohaib tells blogTO, another 1000 waiting at the door to get in.
The Coffee Party’s rapid ascent to must-visit status in Toronto is one that, quite honestly, should be studied, because it points toward a massive shift that’s shaping the way young people in Toronto go out — and that all started when Zohaib and his friends reflected on how they, themselves, like to get their kicks.
“The Coffee Party came to life through conversations about creating a scene that wasn’t focused on late nights, but rather on building genuine connections in a bright, energetic environment,” Zohaib tells blogTO.
“We wanted to see if we could bring people together over coffee and croissants—no alcohol needed—to have a great time, form real friendships, and start the day in a positive way.”
Suffice it to say, they could, and over the course of just four months or so, The Coffee Party has single-handedly built a new niche for Toronto’s social scene.
“At its core, The Coffee Party is about coffee, music [and] community,” Zohaib tells blogTO — and, when you put it that way, there’s really no way it could fail. Almost everyone is sure to be a fan of at least two items in that trinity.
“It’s unique because it flips the script on typical ‘partying.’ Instead of staying out late, you arrive early, fully sober, and ready to mingle, network, and simply enjoy the start of a new day with coffee and great music,” he adds.
At The Coffee Party, the festivities kick off at a crisp 11 a.m., with local DJs rotating in hour-long sets.
Down on the floor, party-goers are throwing back cups of complimentary coffee — The Coffee Party has their own brand called Houseblend Coffee —, eating complimentary pastries, mixing, mingling and dancing until final call (so to speak) hits around 3 p.m.
Boom: all the fun of hitting the club, none of the drawbacks.
Perhaps it’s only appropriate, considering The Coffee Party’s rapid growth, that the collective has already begun to embark on a worldwide expansion, hosting their first event outside of Toronto in Miami on Feb. 22.
“We’re aiming to take The Coffee Party around the globe, with pop-up events in New York, Miami, Vancouver, Montreal, Los Angeles, London (England), and Dubai,” Zohaib tells blogTO.
“In 5 or 10 years, we hope to look back and see The Coffee Party as not just an event series, but a community-driven movement known for bringing people together, inspiring positive energy, and redefining what it means to party.”
There’s also, Zohaib teases, something “very special brewing behind the scenes,” which the collective is planning to release later this year and which, he suggests, “has real potential to be a game-changer.”
If Zohaib, Matt, Jeff, Greg, and Matty’s instincts when it came to inventing The Coffee Party provide any indication, I’d hazard a guess that it just may be.
“We’re beyond grateful for the support and excitement around our concept,” Zohaib tells blogTO.
“Toronto has always been a city open to fresh, innovative ideas, and the success of The Coffee Party suggests a bright future for healthier, daytime-focused gatherings that still maintain that party spirit. We’re proud to be part of this shift in how people experience social events.”
While, at the time of publication, The Coffee Party has yet to announce their next Toronto event officially, Zohaib tells blogTO that it’s planned for March 22, with additional big outdoor events on the horizon in May and June.
You can keep up with the latest through their social media accounts.
