Bid Adieu to 2016 at Neverland's Purity Ball, Dec 30
Tue. December 20, 2016 9:07 PM by Anthony Morgano
wade smith and lila star as 'adam and eve'
photo credit // andres silva and jose rondon
Neverland’s annual white party comes to Fantasy Nightclub in Boystown
Neverland is known for creating edgy, intricate events that shock, excite and elevate parties to the level of art. Their "Plastics Ball" even included a plastic surgeon giving on-site Botox injections. So when co-founder and Creative Director Anthony DiFiore was joking with set designer Timmie Foley about creating a confessional for their annual Purity Ball -- a white party that mocks the Christian dances where teenage girls pledge to hold onto their virginity until marriage -- last year, he should have foreseen the delicious debauchery to come.
"The stories I heard of what happened inside are now LEGENDARY," DiFiore told ChicagoPride.com. "It's those kind of experiences that define Purity Ball and make it so much fun for returning party-goers. All year long we have these crazy ideas in our heads, and we bring them to life on Dec. 30th."
The fifth annual Purity Ball White Party from Chicago's popular series of high-concept theme parties is taking over Fantasy Nightclub, promising the intricate set and lights and mind-blowing music and performances we've come to expect from Neverland. Not to mention hordes of sexy men clad in white and gorgeous gogo boys in spectacular wings.
"When I first moved to Chicago, there wasn't really a big LGBT option for New Year's," DiFiore said." People would go to bars and house parties. As we started to develop Purity Ball and move it from around Christmas time to later in the month, it gradually turned into the largest New Year's dance party for our community. Now we get 800 to 1,000 people, over half of whom are from outside Illinois. Already more than 50% of our pre-sales are from other states. It's been cool to watch this party evolve."
Purity Ball celebrates the first anniversary of Neverland's eye-catching photoshoots, which accompany each of their meticulously planned parties. The tradition evolved from a random house party where cofounders DiFiore and Martin Luna dressed friends up in white outfits (these became the promotional posters for the first Purity Ball) to the elaborate and edgy concepts that have come since. This shoot features the hunky Wade Smith and gorgeous transgender model Lila Star as 'Adam and Eve', as photographed by Andres Silva and Jose Rondon of Guys and Queens Photography in the studio of prominent Chicago wedding planner Derrick Joseph Taylor.(Also look for a special post-Purity Ball spread in January that will be shot on this year's set just hours before the doors open on the 30th.)
The party is sure to be a show of everything that the artists and creators who make up Neverland's amazing and tight-knit collaborative team can do. This year's Purity Ball features the work of long-time members like Martin and Raul Redaggio on costumes, beats by Alain Jackinsky, Joe Gillan managing lights, Timmie Foley designing another unforgettable theatrical set and favorite Chicago queens Shea Coulee and Vixen.
"I love Purity Ball because the whole family comes together to create really amazing stuff," DiFiore said. "The hosts and costume designers always put so much work into their Purity Ball looks, and the music is exceptional because Alain's been doing this party for 4 years in a row and it has a special place in his heart."
Purity Ball also brings some amazing talent to Chicago -- and I'm not just talking about the sexy out-of-towners on the dance-floor. In the last two years Queen Bee Ho and Naomi Smalls joined the party and this year you won't want to miss critically acclaimed drag queen and visual artist Sasha Velour. Hailing from Brooklyn, Velour is a performer, illustrator and the creative force behind a bi-yearly drag publication as well as the star of "Nightgowns," a drag event called "[the] thinking queens drag show" by Time Out NY. (You can check out some of her amazing work at www.SashaVelour.com.)
"I'm really excited about two brand new hosts who are doing Neverland for the first time," DiFiore said. "The first is Soju (Instagram @soju_love), who has been a rising star in the Chicago drag scene, working her way up through amateur competitions at Berlin to becoming a fan favorite in some of the city's best drag gigs. The second is Eva Young, who we've known for the past four years, and who just this month is turning 21 and will be eligible to host Neverland. Eva is an ultra-talented makeup artist and drag queen who I know will take this city by storm now that she's of age."
The doors at Fantasy Nightclub (3641 N Halsted) open for the Purity Ball at 11 p.m. on Friday, December 30th. Tickets are available for $29.99 online at www.ThePurityBall.com or at the door for $40. This year's party is sponsored by White Party Palm Springs -- one of the largest and most legendary LGBTQ dance festivals in the country. Neverland will be doing a ticket giveaway for free passes to White Party, so the earlier you show up to Purity Ball, the better your chances. Check out their Facebook event or www.neverlandchicago.com for more information, pictures of past events and more.
Oh, and did we mention that the confessional is back?
"The stories I heard of what happened inside are now LEGENDARY," DiFiore told ChicagoPride.com. "It's those kind of experiences that define Purity Ball and make it so much fun for returning party-goers. All year long we have these crazy ideas in our heads, and we bring them to life on Dec. 30th."
The fifth annual Purity Ball White Party from Chicago's popular series of high-concept theme parties is taking over Fantasy Nightclub, promising the intricate set and lights and mind-blowing music and performances we've come to expect from Neverland. Not to mention hordes of sexy men clad in white and gorgeous gogo boys in spectacular wings.
"When I first moved to Chicago, there wasn't really a big LGBT option for New Year's," DiFiore said." People would go to bars and house parties. As we started to develop Purity Ball and move it from around Christmas time to later in the month, it gradually turned into the largest New Year's dance party for our community. Now we get 800 to 1,000 people, over half of whom are from outside Illinois. Already more than 50% of our pre-sales are from other states. It's been cool to watch this party evolve."
Purity Ball celebrates the first anniversary of Neverland's eye-catching photoshoots, which accompany each of their meticulously planned parties. The tradition evolved from a random house party where cofounders DiFiore and Martin Luna dressed friends up in white outfits (these became the promotional posters for the first Purity Ball) to the elaborate and edgy concepts that have come since. This shoot features the hunky Wade Smith and gorgeous transgender model Lila Star as 'Adam and Eve', as photographed by Andres Silva and Jose Rondon of Guys and Queens Photography in the studio of prominent Chicago wedding planner Derrick Joseph Taylor.(Also look for a special post-Purity Ball spread in January that will be shot on this year's set just hours before the doors open on the 30th.)
The party is sure to be a show of everything that the artists and creators who make up Neverland's amazing and tight-knit collaborative team can do. This year's Purity Ball features the work of long-time members like Martin and Raul Redaggio on costumes, beats by Alain Jackinsky, Joe Gillan managing lights, Timmie Foley designing another unforgettable theatrical set and favorite Chicago queens Shea Coulee and Vixen.
"I love Purity Ball because the whole family comes together to create really amazing stuff," DiFiore said. "The hosts and costume designers always put so much work into their Purity Ball looks, and the music is exceptional because Alain's been doing this party for 4 years in a row and it has a special place in his heart."
Purity Ball also brings some amazing talent to Chicago -- and I'm not just talking about the sexy out-of-towners on the dance-floor. In the last two years Queen Bee Ho and Naomi Smalls joined the party and this year you won't want to miss critically acclaimed drag queen and visual artist Sasha Velour. Hailing from Brooklyn, Velour is a performer, illustrator and the creative force behind a bi-yearly drag publication as well as the star of "Nightgowns," a drag event called "[the] thinking queens drag show" by Time Out NY. (You can check out some of her amazing work at www.SashaVelour.com.)
"I'm really excited about two brand new hosts who are doing Neverland for the first time," DiFiore said. "The first is Soju (Instagram @soju_love), who has been a rising star in the Chicago drag scene, working her way up through amateur competitions at Berlin to becoming a fan favorite in some of the city's best drag gigs. The second is Eva Young, who we've known for the past four years, and who just this month is turning 21 and will be eligible to host Neverland. Eva is an ultra-talented makeup artist and drag queen who I know will take this city by storm now that she's of age."
The doors at Fantasy Nightclub (3641 N Halsted) open for the Purity Ball at 11 p.m. on Friday, December 30th. Tickets are available for $29.99 online at www.ThePurityBall.com or at the door for $40. This year's party is sponsored by White Party Palm Springs -- one of the largest and most legendary LGBTQ dance festivals in the country. Neverland will be doing a ticket giveaway for free passes to White Party, so the earlier you show up to Purity Ball, the better your chances. Check out their Facebook event or www.neverlandchicago.com for more information, pictures of past events and more.
Oh, and did we mention that the confessional is back?