Explore Leah York’s Coffeetón: Sold Out Coffee Raves

Sold Out… But With More Brewing

Just days after electronic and Latin DJ Leah York announced her next “Coffeetón” rave, tickets for the October 11 event were already sold out—and the October 12 tickets nearly gone, too. However, a major expansion to the mid-day coffee rave series is set for November 15.

By Emil Pierce

Guests party at Coffeetón at Pacha Collective in Seattle on August 16. Image provided by Leah York.

Not Your Average Rave

Instead of dark showrooms and strobe lights, Coffeetón’s guests are met with bright mid-day sun glowing through the windows of Pacific Northwest coffee shops. Instead of alcohol, people are usually seen holding a cup of coffee while they dance, and maybe a fan or a pastry, too. And most importantly, Coffeetón is one key new event where Seattle’s Latinos can get together for some dembow beats without staying up past bedtime. | Leah York plays a set at Coffeetón at Matta Café in Portland on September 21.

A Change to the Menu

While all 8 of the raves so far have taken place in cafés, on November 15, Leah will host her biggest Coffeetón yet: a special edition of the event on the Hiyu party boat in Seattle, complete with local food and coffee, Latin cultural activities, and some of the first-ever Coffeetón merch.

Planting the Seeds

Leah started plotting the rave series about a year and a half ago when she re-started her DJ career after relocating to Seattle from Ecuador. While she had managed to meet a few other Latino DJs, Leah felt like she was missing the day-to-day opportunities to engage with Latin music and culture and have a dedicated community of people with a culture in common, like she had been able to in Ecuador.

Leah York hangs out with guests at Coffeetón at Pacha Collective in Seattle on August 16. Image provided by Leah York.

After seeing stories of similar daytime parties cropping up in other cities across the U.S. and Europe post-covid, Leah decided that Coffeetón was what she needed to connect with other Latinos and break through the “Seattle freeze.”

Guests gather around while DJ Brayner mans the booth at Coffeetón at Matta Café in Portland on September 21. Image provided by Leah York.

“I am always worried about the community, and you can only feel that once you are far from your own community,” Leah said. “When you find something similar, you just want to take care of it. […] So, I really want a space for me to connect with other Latinos, I wanted a space to support Latin artists, we don’t really have a big platform here [and] give them a chance to express good music and play on a stage, even if it’s in a coffee shop.”

Guests pose with coffee and a Coffeetón fan at Coffeetón at Matta Café in Portland on September 21. Image provided by Leah York.

An Instant Hit

Since her first sold-out show at the café The Station featuring her resident DJ Brayner, Leah has gone on to feature several guest DJs, and the central Coffeetón Instagram page has reached 5,000 followers. The event series also serves as a symbiotic relationship for the cafés that host it, bringing in a surge of midday customers. In the past 3 months, Leah, Brayner, and their network of DJs have expanded the event to Portland and secured a long-term deal with Wunderground Coffee for extended two-day Seattle coffeetón events to keep up with demand.

The crowd at Coffeetón at Matta Café in Portland on September 21. Image provided by Leah York.

Leah remembers the moment at one of her August raves when 200 guests gathered around her, recognizing her from her “statement” of a red wig, to record the moment when she pressed play and got the party started. “I feel like I’m a superstar,” she said.

Guests gather around the booth while Leah York plays a set at Coffeetón at Pacha Collective in Seattle on August 16. Image provided by Leah York.

Finding the Fam

Above all, Leah is glad that her pet project has created a space where Pacific Northwest Latinos can have a safe, fun space and other curious Seattle and Portland residents can come and appreciate Latin culture and music. Some of Leah’s favorite moments have been when a non-Latina reggaetón superfan stepped in at the last minute when Leah needed someone to dance in a shark costume to “El Tiburón,” and when a fan emailed her asking to play at her wedding. | Shark dancers appear at Coffeetón at Pacha Collective in Seattle on August 16. Video provided by Leah York.

“It means the world. These are some of the best things that this project has brought to me, it’s like my baby. I really love Coffeetón, and I love more the community that we have created because it’s literally like a fam. I don’t think I can find another word to describe it—we are a fam, we’re familia.”
– Leah York

What’s Next?

The next Coffeetón raves will take place in Seattle, WA at Wunderground Coffee on October 11 and 12 from 3-6PM. Coffeetón will host an exclusive event on the Hiyu boat in Seattle on November 15, with tickets and more details on the way. Additional dates for Seattle and Portland will be announced in the near future.