Top 5 Party Picks - Art Basel Miami 2022

It's the pivotal moment in the arts and culture calendar we’ve all been waiting for, the return of Art Basel Miami 2022.

This week, from Thursday, December 1 to Sunday, December 4, The Magic City will reignite with an abundance of art exhibitions, music festivals, and parties for its 20th anniversary. Set to be the most compelling edition yet, with more artists and creatives flying in than ever before, we couldn’t be more excited here at Gray Area.

It promises to be a treat for both your eyes and ears, and you’re going to have to pick and choose wisely, as we really are spoiled with options this year. Let’s just say, being in two different places at once would be a great superpower to have this week.

From day events on the beach to after-hours gatherings in the club, there is so much culture to be soaked up. Though it’s going to be impossible to fit in all of what Basel has to offer, we’ve picked five parties for you that we believe are an absolute must.

Elrow | Thursday, December 1 | Factory Town

First and foremost is elrow at Miami’s captivating new Factory Town venue. The party will boast the brand new Delusionville theme for its final North American show of 2022, an epic collaboration with wacky artisan Ron English.

This ingenious collaboration makes the perfect setup for two incredible stages of electronic music, both with fantastically curated lineups.

Stage one flaunts an eclectic mix of the globally renowned party brand's resident DJs, alongside some of the most sought-after tech house trailblazers in the game right now, including Blond:ish, Dombresky, Manda Moor, and very special guest, Paco Osuna.

Stage two will be hosted by Amsterdam label king Prunk and his profound PIV imprint, bringing you 12 hours of sultry two-steppers spun by the likes of Rossi, Archie Hamilton, Jaden Thompson, Ms. Mada, Natalia Roth, and wiz-kid producer Toman.

This outlandish extravaganza combining physical art and music promises to be one of the highlights of Art Basel 2022, setting the bar high for the rest of the parties coming up in the week.

Paradise | Saturday, December 3 | Club Space

Wherever you may be in the world, the Paradise party is always a must. It's arguably the most well-known fiesta in the underground scene, and DJ, producer, and father of the famed brand Jamie Jones is a musical force to be reckoned with.

Acclaimed for his productions like "Hungry For The Power" and "My Paradise," as well as for being an introductory mentor for new talent, his contribution to the house music community is unrivaled. If you haven’t seen him yet, Saturday, December 3 is your chance to catch the man in action alongside a host of incredible names.

Club Space is the Paradise promised land, where nine hours of unbeatable music will be right at your fingertips. It's a mammoth line-up, to say the least, and we couldn’t ask for much more in terms of the artists he’s reeled in for the occasion.

In alphabetical order, AMÉMÉ, ANOTR, Apollonia, Archie Hamilton, Ben Sterling, Chelina Manuhutu, Chloe Caillet, Classmatic, DJ Fronter, Ida Engberg, Jean Pierre, Jesse Calosso, Joseph Capriati, Manda Moor, PAWSA, Rossi, Serge Devant, and Toman will all take to the booth in true Basel style.

The famed party will roll on from 11pm - 8am, taking you right through to the last 24 hours of the yearly affair. It's definitely one for the diary.

Music On | Saturday, December 3 | Factory Town

With Saturday evening very much the main occasion in regards to parties, you will find many events taking place at the same time. Not to worry, you can’t make a wrong choice. Pop into a few to experience as much music at different venues as you can!

Over the road from Paradise, Italian adonis and reigning king of tech house Marco Carola will be making his mark on Factory Town with his mega Music On fiesta, from 7pm-7am.

Having just finished an incredible summer residency at Pacha Ibiza with his renowned imprint, this is a great opportunity to see Carola in his element.

The head honcho will be headlining stage one, alongside London spark plug Micheal Bibi, the curator of Solid Grooves who's risen to number one stardom over the last year. Dennis Cruz, Mason Collective, and Miguel & TONS have also been selected for the occasion.

Stage two is governed by popular Argentinian DJ and Producer Guti. Boasting a unique sound that has been influenced by almost every musical genre you can imagine, he has remained a much-loved and respected figure in the dance music world for nearly a decade. Gerd Janson, Lauren Lo Sung, and Ms. Mada are also set for center stage.

FYI - you can also buy Basel Passes for Factory Town. If you’re planning on going more than once, why not save yourself some money?

Hurry Up Slowly presents Off The Canvas | Nov 30th - Dec 3rd | Toejam Backlot

One of the fastest-rising event series in the industry right now, Miami-based Hurry Up Slowly presents Off The Canvas for an Art Basel special. A whopping, four-night festival combining art, music, and the future of technology, Web3, the innovative festival has found itself in a lane of its own and we are here for it.

Taking place at Wynwood’s Toejam Backlot, the quirky inside-out venue makes the perfect backdrop for the immersive, musical and artistic experience Hurry Up Slowly embodies.

Definitely the promoter to watch out for in the future, the ironically named brand is quickly establishing itself in the electronic music landscape, through collaborations with the biggest DJs and support from brands all over the world.

The lineup features an array of artists performing over the four nights, with headliners Blond:ish, The Martinez Brothers, GORDO, and CamelPhat to choose from.

Blond:ish will kick things off with her Abracadabra party on Wednesday, November 30, where the music will be coupled with next-generation tech and a variety of Web3 activations.

Zamna Miami | 1-3 December | Island Gardens

A Zamna Miami debut awaits. What’s Zamna, you ask? Renowned for bringing jungle party vibes and world-class DJs to the heart of Tulum, Mexico, the unique festival brand is hinting at the start of cross-country domination with its first-ever show in Miami.

Miami's outdoor venue Island Gardens is the perfect backdrop for Zamna to take place. Surrounded by the aqua-blue waters of Miami's marina, the one-of-a-kind waterfront event space will be transformed into a seductive labyrinth for three nights of musical madness, where nature, free spirits, and cutting-edge production technology will become one.

The series of parties will be headlined by the likes of electronic duo The Chemical Brothers, superstar DJ Diplo, and Ukrainian duo ARTBAT, alongside melodic tech pioneers CamelPhat and maestros Mathame, plus many more.

With special guest announcements to come, as well as many more huge names on the lineup, Zamna is a name that'll be familiar within the house music community very soon.

With many more incredible events on the roster, Art Basel Miami 2022 really is a melting pot of dreams for house music lovers.

This is an incredible opportunity to nurture your love for everything arts and culture, in a variety of unique venues across the stunning 305.