Winter Party Festival 2027: passes, parties and where to stay
Last reviewed: November 5, 2026. Sources for this page are listed in its fact sheet.
Short answer first. Winter Party Festival runs Friday, March 5 to Monday, March 8, 2027, in Miami Beach, and it benefits the National LGBTQ Task Force. The organizer bills 2027 as the festival's 34th year. Two passes cover the weekend: a Weekend Pass with general admission to five event blocks, and a VIP Pass that adds express entry and the VIP areas. The host hotel is the National Hotel Miami Beach, and it's also where the Saturday Pool Party happens. Book the pass first, then the room. Tiers sell out in order, and the cheap ones go early.
A festival crowd on the dance floor. Stock photo. Photo: Maor Attias, Pexels.
The four days, in order
Friday night opens the festival. Saturday splits in two: the Pool Party at the National Hotel in the afternoon block, then a Saturday night event. Sunday is the Beach Party at 12th Street Beach, the festival's flagship event, followed by a Sunday night event. Monday, March 8 closes the window on the organizer's ticket page. The organizer hasn't published 2027 start times for the pool or beach parties yet, so this page doesn't print any. Check the festival site again in February, when the day by day schedule firms up.
That shape drives the stay decision. You're on the beach or in a club every day, and the two anchor venues sit in South Beach. Staying in South Beach isn't a luxury call here. It's the whole logistics plan.
The passes, compared from the ticket page
Weekend Pass. General admission entry to Friday night, the Saturday Pool Party, Saturday night, the Sunday Beach Party and Sunday night. That's the full arc of the festival in one wristband, and it's the right buy for most people.
VIP Pass. Express priority admission to all festival events, so you skip the general admission line, plus exclusive VIP areas at the events that have one, and exclusive swag. The VIP math only works if you'll actually use the express entry at the big Saturday and Sunday events, where the lines form.
Prices. The ticket page prints one hard number right now: the VIP Pass First 100 price is $397.50, checked November 5, 2026. The first 100 of each pass type are on sale at last year's prices, and prices increase once those sell. The ticket page doesn't state a Weekend Pass price in its text, so this page doesn't print one either. The price at checkout is the real one, and it steps up as tiers sell, which is the argument for buying in November rather than February.
Check South Beach hotel rates for festival weekend on Expedia
Where to stay
The National Hotel Miami Beach is the official host hotel, and the Saturday Pool Party is in its pool deck, so a room there removes the one trip you'd otherwise make twice. Host hotel rooms for festival weekend go first. If the National is sold out or out of budget, work outward along Collins Avenue and then Ocean Drive, and keep the walk to 12th Street Beach short, because you'll make it in swimwear with a towel over your shoulder. Our South Beach hotels guide sorts the strip by block, and the South Beach neighborhood guide covers the streets around both venues.
One honest note on rates. Festival weekend is a high demand weekend in South Beach, and the organizer hasn't published a 2027 host hotel rate that we could verify, so no rate is printed here. Compare the host hotel against two or three Collins Avenue alternatives on the same dates before you commit.
Fill the gaps between parties
The festival leaves your mornings and early afternoons open. That's by design, and it's where the rest of Miami fits. A boat morning on Biscayne Bay, a Wynwood walk, or a food tour keeps the days from collapsing into naps and line standing. Viator's Miami tours page lists the daytime options by neighborhood, and our Miami beaches guide covers the beach days, including the stretches near 12th Street. Pace yourself. Four days is longer than it looks.
The facts that matter
Winter Party Festival 2027 facts checked November 5, 2026: dates March 5 to 8, 2027 (Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau event listing and the organizer's Leap Events ticket page). The festival benefits the National LGBTQ Task Force. The host hotel is the National Hotel Miami Beach, which also hosts the Saturday Pool Party. The Beach Party is at 12th Street Beach. The Weekend Pass covers Friday night, Saturday Pool Party, Saturday night, Sunday Beach Party and Sunday night. The VIP Pass First 100 price is $397.50 on the ticket page, checked November 5, 2026, and prices step up after the first 100 of each type sell. The organizer bills 2027 as the 34th year. No 2027 pool party or beach party start times were published at the check.
Frequently asked questions
When is Winter Party Festival 2027?
Friday, March 5 to Monday, March 8, 2027, in Miami Beach.
Which pass should a first timer buy?
The Weekend Pass. It covers all five main event blocks. Upgrade to VIP only if express entry and the VIP areas are worth the gap to you at the Saturday and Sunday events.
Where's the Beach Party?
At 12th Street Beach in South Beach. It's the festival's flagship event and it falls on the Sunday of festival weekend.
Do pass prices change?
Yes. The first 100 of each pass type sell at last year's prices, then prices increase. The VIP First 100 price was $397.50 when checked on November 5, 2026.
What else is on that month?
Plenty. Our Miami Beach Pride planner covers the April festival and parade, and the events hub tracks the spring calendar.
Keep planning
Next steps: the South Beach hotels guide, the Miami nightlife hub, the beaches guide, and the Miami Beach Pride 2027 planner if you're coming back in April.