Beats up, beans up!

Who thinks morning rave was a good idea? These people do!

When people think of partying, it is normal for them to picture endless alcoholic shots, flashing lights, illicit drugs and loud music. Well, not for this particular party, thanks to the late millennials and the early Gen Z for creating such an interesting way of raving. While they still have a DJ performing, music, and crowds dancing. This would be ideal for people who do not enjoy going out late at night, avoiding a bad hangover the following days, or finding another reason to get up early!

This coffee party has been around in Europe and America, only recently to set its feet and is considered very new to the Australian society. It was freshly launched in February 2025 by MILKLAB, the alternative milk company. It was initially hosted in Project 281 Coffee Roasters in Melbourne, Victoria, with Toni Watson a.k.a ‘Tones and I’ DJ-ing amongst the early risers.

While not wanting to be missed out within the coffee snobs, Perth did not miss a beat! This event was launched for the first time in May 2025 by the Cuppa Beats. Before the initial project was released to the public eye, they had been updating their upcoming project on Instagram since November 2024 and finally announced their soft launch in April 2025. This event was free, which is another good way to keep our finances healthy, and hopefully it will remain free. The co-founder of Cuppa Beats, Jonathan Tay, acknowledged that these thoughts came from his personal perspective, as he mentioned that he loved the idea of going out at night, drinking and enjoying the music, but rather he would feel flat the following day. This moved him to create a creative concept of being surrounded by people, yet refraining from feeling destroyed the next day. He also noticed that people around him were changing, leaning toward a healthier and active lifestyle.

I found this concept intriguing for a coffee enthusiast like me and others who love to start their day dancing and feeling pumped. Well, people don’t have to enjoy dancing to attend this party, as they could just come and sip good coffee and blend with others while making real connections like friends or perhaps finding love without being under the influence. Who knows?

I usually ‘side-eye’ trends that pop up, but this specific trend seems very positive, as well as the trends amongst the influencers showing us about their routines, including Pilates, turmeric shots, cold plunges, etc. Coffee parties developed around the wellness trend, and another contributor to why this has become very popular is that people do not want to miss out on what others are doing (FOMO).

Coffee ‘rave’ is unique and the cheapest alternative to partying without booze, unsolicited touching from creeps due to intoxication, and breaking the bank on a pricy ‘espresso martini’. These might have shifted our behaviour around alcoholism and created a safer community for us to rave where caffeine and green juice are the main characters. Despite nothing wrong with still going to the clubs, bars, and any nightlife attractions, this coffee party would be an option to enjoy those things in a distinct way.

I understood this might be difficult for shy people because meeting new people and introducing ourselves is difficult for some, especially since not everyone is confident enough to dance. The good news is that you don’t have to introduce yourself, we can just be present and vibe. Yet, it is an opportunity to socialise and step out of our comfort zone, to be seen and recognised by others.

Although I found it strange initially, my first thought was, how are people drinking coffee and dancing simultaneously? Thus, a strange feeling occurs because we have not exposed ourselves to the familiarity and have not allowed ourselves to experience new things. Right? Or maybe this is not only a matter of drinking coffee and dancing, but perhaps a matter of reconnecting within the communities, such as making new friends, networking between baristas, or as deep as setting aside the loneliness for a while and being surrounded by people with similar frequency. I have realised how the modern world has made us more individualistic and has driven us apart from our communities. This trend would be a stepping stone, opening a wider, inclusive community.