The queer party scene in Santiago is gritty and raw

When Chile is mentioned in conversation, most people outside the country think of the military dictatorship that lasted until 1990, the miners rescued in 2010, or the prolific wine country. Yet, electronic music has been a part of Chile’s past since its biggest DJ export Riccardo Villabos in the 1990s.

Although the country is one of the most economically stable in Latin America, it’s also one of the most conservative, where abortion is still illegal and gay marriage was just legalized in March 2022. These facts fuel the queer party scene, where you’ll find many events featuring homegrown DJs, political performance artists, grotesque drag queens, and dilapidated venues perfect for dancing until sunrise.

Santiago is the largest city in Chile and holds nearly 40% of the country’s population. Chileans come from all over the country to study at numerous universities, make it in a thriving metropolis, and dance in the capital city. If you’re looking to spend some time in Santiago, here are the best underground parties to liberate yourself, as photographer José Ponce Ramos documented.

Fiesta Kiltra, or street dog in Chilean slang, is one of Santiago’s edgiest and most raw queer parties. Usually held at abandoned spaces throughout the city, you’ll likely see a variety of horror drag, freakshow performance art, punk rock bands, and electronic music. Its sound system isn’t always the best, but that’s very on-brand for this gritty party.

Fiesta Dame (Give it to Me Party) started as a small event at different venues throughout the city, but has recently taken over the Teatro Caupolican, complete with five stages (one of them being in the bathroom urinals). Captivating visuals and techno hard hitters such as Hector Oats, Ellen Allien, and Bassiani crew from Tbilisi, Georgia, have played over the last few years. Over-the-top aerial drag performers such as Catarsis terrorize the sky over dancing heathens throughout the night.

Festival Recreo began in an abandoned high school in the derelict neighborhood of the same name, but has expanded throughout Santiago to block parties and warehouse venues, including the Franklin neighborhood near the infamous Persia Bio Bio market. The collective has events throughout the year, from vogueing (kiki) balls to live hardware and music performances. The rager features heavy doses of international acts, but focuses on Chilean and Latin American artists such as Alejandro Paz.

La Purga is known for its fetish live shows, raunchy drag performances, psychedelic visuals, and local DJs spinning anything from techno to house. In its infancy, this collective is getting noticed in Santiago.

Picamarica happens at a variety of venues throughout Santiago, but has it’s home at the Ex Bunker in Santiago’s gay party district Bellavista and Teatro Caupolican. Sexy strip shows, bouncy house music, and twirling queers are the mood.

Aerobatic is a Chilean duo that plays DJs worldwide but has roots in throwing gay parties in Chile’s cosmopolitan capital. Although their parties are few and far between these days in Santiago, don’t miss a chance to hear some disco, vocal house, and sassy tracks if they are on the lineup wherever you are in the world.