Women Find a Place at Miami's Winter Party Festival

As an inclusive celebration for the entire LGBTQ community, Winter Party Festival has announced an exciting lineup of events tailored specifically for women and their admirers. The 2015 Winter Party Festival will run March 4-9, at venues throughout Miami Beach and Miami.

"Winter Party is welcoming for everyone," said Melissa Rodriguez, director of women's programming for Winter Party Festival. "This year, we amped up our three popular events for the ladies to truly provide an extraordinary experience for our guests. These three big celebrations will deliver lifelong friends and unforgettable memories."

In addition to the popular events for women -- ArtScape, Pa'Ella and Industry -- women also find a welcoming spot at all the Winter Party events, such as the iconic Under One Sun Pool Party and The Beach Party, as well as the many social events that occur throughout the week.

The weekend kicks off on Thursday, March 5 with ArtScape at the beautiful Miami Beach Botanical Garden. Guests will enjoy a live performance by Emily Sheila, tasty hors d'oeuvres and enticing cocktails, while mingling with friends and admiring some incredible works of art. Some of the best-established artists in South Florida will be represented at ArtScape along with rising-star undiscovered talents.

The evening wraps up with a silent art auction benefitting the National LGBTQ Task Force and local LGBTQ charities. Participating artists will include: Angel Valentin, Carolina Bonnelly, Claudia Cebrian, Chisolm, Diego Duran, Havi Schanz, Hikmat Bouhamdan, Janet Gonzalez, Javier Echenique-Vico, John Defaro, Jonathan Brooks, Jonathan Cole, Ligia Gonzalez, Marta Neira, Meluka Cartaya, Oscar Alberto Valdez, Oscar Fuentes -- the Biscayne Poet Live, Paul Stephen Urdahl, Silvia Ros, and Star Trauth.

Other events include a sizzling dance party Pa'Ella on the evening of Friday, March 6. From 10 p.m.-3 a.m., grab your Women's Access pass and head to Hush Bar + Lounge at 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue. With South Florida's rich mix of Latin and Caribbean culture, Pa'ella promises a sizzling and sultry night infused with Latin music, where three-time Grammy nominee Leslie Cartaya will perform live on stage. This Cuban singer has the rhythms of her land pulsating through her veins. DJ, vocalist, producer and jet-setter Inaia will keep the energy alive with music ranging from Afro-funk and Latin jazz to traditional salsa and merengue.

And on Saturday, March 7, Industry is the place for women to see and be seen. Head to Cafeina at 297 NW 23rd Street for Industry, Winter Party Festival's signature event for women. The party will feature DJ Crush at one of Wynwood's most spectacular venues, Cafeina. Produced in partnership with Pandora Events, Industry promises plenty of sexy women and rhythmic tunes.

Winter Party Festival is an annual fund- and consciousness-raising event committed to supporting, inspiring and activating the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community and its supporters worldwide through a celebration of identity, equality and unity. Now in its 22nd year, Winter Party Festival takes place annually in one of the world's hottest destinations -- Miami Beach.

Winter Party Festival is produced with the cooperation of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority. Proceeds from the annual Winter Party Festival and its sister event, the Miami Recognition Dinner, support the important work of the National LGBTQ Task Force to advance full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people.

A significant portion of the proceeds also funds multiple organizations serving the LGBTQ community in South Florida through grants made by the Task Force to the GLBT Community Projects Fund of The Miami Foundation. Since taking over responsibilities for the two events, the Task Force has contributed more than $1.85 million to South Florida grassroots LGBTQ organizations.