What’s better than sun, fun, and music? Mix that up with a little bit of community spirit, and the answer is next to nothing!
This summer, wiggle your way to a Calgary Dos Leches party, an “epic” celebration with fresh air, new friends, and a beautiful sunset.
What is Dos Leches?
Dos Leches, at its core, is about bringing people together.
Described as having “incredible vibes, awesome music, and welcoming atmosphere,” this party series is held outdoors and is “everyone friendly,” meaning kids, adults, and even dogs can join for free.
Held mainly in Rotary Park, past parties were meant for those who wanted to dance and be in good company, but didn’t want to go to a club.
Since their inception, however, they’ve grown up and out of the old location and are now looking for a more permanent spot, but how far have they come, exactly?
Like so many of our favourite YYC success stories, it started with a group of friends and a quest for fun.
“We always liked music, and this time last year we bought mixers and started practicing and practicing,” said Andrei Banu, co-founder of Dos Leches.
“The goal at the beginning was just to be a DJ, and to be a part of the DJ scene in Calgary, but because we didn’t know anybody, we decided just to do our own thing.”
With a group of friends, some equipment, and a set list, Andrei and a familiar group cozied into the park to watch the sunset and listen to them play.
“We always thought it would be a good place to hold parties,” he added.
“One day, we just rented everything we needed, invited all of our friends and just had the party. We felt incredible, and it had a positive impact, so we opened the Instagram account.”
With over 7,000 followers, it’s safe to say that people loved the idea.
After they shared the information publicly, each party has seen a crowd bigger than the last, but they’ve been on a bit of a hiatus.
When one door closes…
Due to the size of these parties, Banu says that they’ve had to pivot.
“We’re working with the arts and culture department from the city to find another space for our events.”
“For the next event, we actually partnered with 33 Acres Brewery, and we’re going to do an event at their location.”
After that, he says that they’ll continue to work with officials to host the weather-dependent shindigs.
“We are planning more events in the summer, and we have a couple of bigger things coming up,” he added.
“But we couldn’t do it without our sponsors and partners.”
These relationships, he explained, are the reason they’re able to continue hosting — and have been able to do so without charging anyone to be there.
What to know before attending
Want to check them out?
These parties are FREE to attend, are totally inclusive, and change depending on the weather, but are on pause.
Once they have a permit and approval from the city, things will continue as they were intended.
“Our preferred environment is a park, it’s an open space where people can bring a blanket, and you can bring your dog and hang out,” he told us.
“Unfortunately, we are experiencing growing pains right now. We didn’t expect our community to grow so fast, so big, but we are trying to figure things out to keep delivering the same experience we all came to love.”
If you’d like to stay up-to-date, you can follow them on social media for the latest information, including locations and times.
You never know when or where they’ll pop up, or who you’ll meet in attendance, so keep an eye out!
“Our motto is that Dos Leches events are a good time, every time.”
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