The year was 2021. COVID vaccines had just hit New York, and summer was right around the corner. Everyone was tired of being cooped up, and there was an unspoken consensus in the air: as soon as we could go out, we’d party like there was no tomorrow. I felt that way, my friends felt that way, and the whole New York community felt the exact same thing.
I had just finished reading Last Night a DJ Saved My Life by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton, which opened my eyes to the cultural impact a dance party can have on a community. Hooked on the idea of helping create one—and realizing the perfect timing for a free dance party in New York—I reached out to Esdras to see if he’d want to team up.
A couple of weeks later, he came back with a potential space and some possible partners: Brooklyn legend JKriv, and the amazing Anna Collecta.
And just like that, Hot Honey Sundays was born—a free, open-air dance party rooted in house music, joy, and community. What started as a DIY gathering on the waterfront at Greenpoint Terminal Market quickly became a beloved Brooklyn ritual.
Each Sunday, hundreds—and eventually thousands—would gather under the sun with skyline views, cold drinks in hand, and nothing but good energy. The vibe was intentionally low-key and inclusive: a space where people could dance freely, feel good in their skin, and connect with strangers like old friends. No velvet ropes, no big production—just music and movement.
The soundtrack came courtesy of our resident DJs JKriv, Deo Jorge, and Anna Collecta, and guests such as Midnight Magic, Dicky Trisco, Justin Strauss, and Eli Escobar setting the tone with warm, sunset-ready sets. Food trucks lined the edges. BYOB kept things easy. And the energy? Always effortless and electric.
In 2024, as the party grew, we moved to the Brooklyn Mirage and Knockdown Center to meet demand. That shift brought a new scale—but also sparked conversations around what it means to hold onto authenticity as something grows. For many, the magic of Hot Honey was never about the venue. It was the feeling: nostalgic, free, and deeply human. For others, it felt like we had changed—not in a good way.
Today, I’m no longer part of its day-to-day operations. But HHS will always be more than a party to me—it’s proof that joy, when well-designed and community-led, can become a cultural fixture. It was built from nothing but a speaker, a parking lot, and a belief: that dance makes people feel more like themselves.
Credits
When: 2021-ongoing; Where: Broklyn-NY; Co-Founders: Rogo Castro, JKriv, Anna Collecta, & Deo Jorge; Creative Director: Rogo Castro; Resident DJ’s: JKriv, Anna Collecta, and Deo Jorge; Designer: Bruno Borges; Photographer: Alex Korolkovas