World's Largest Disco

Festival Location: Buffalo, NY, USA

Festival State: New York Festivals

Festival Type(s): Dance Festivals, Parties

World's Largest Disco Media:

By: © Nelson Taylor 2009

At the sun began to fall on the 1970s, as the world began to turn their back on disco music, in 1979 one last hurrah was held in Buffalo, NY. Gloria Gaynor and the Trammps were on hand singing their anthems of the era, "I Will Survive" and "Disco Inferno." Over 13,000 people showed up to point their fingers to the sky and dance the night away for what they thought might be the last time. That night entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest dance party in history. But with the advent of punk and new wave music storming the nation, disco records in the 80s were burned, shunned like leprosy. But while the music may have stopped, it was not forgotten.

In 1994, on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the original event, the World's Largest Disco was revived. Again, the Trammps were on hand, singing to a new generation of disco fans. While only 1,800 people showed up, local promoters thought it was a success and have been throwing the party every year since, held annually the Saturday after Thanksgiving in the Buffalo Convention Center. In 1999, a capacity crowd of 7,000, who each paid $20 to enter, showed up to juke and jive to 72,000 watts of disco under a rainbow of lights.

In year's past super 70s celebs like Isaac Washington from The Love Boat, Greg Brady from The Brady Bunch, the Hanson Brothers from the movie Slapshot, Tabitha Stevens from Bewitched and Deney Terrio from Dance Fever have been on hand. And a painted replica of the Partridge Family bus is always parked in front.

About 70% of the crowd dresses up every year. "It's kind of like Halloween in November," promoter Dave Pietrowski says. Local formal wear and costume shops stock lots of powder blue tuxedos, platform shoes and giant afro wigs just for the event. "Those who don't dress up always feel out of place," he says. If you've got a little night fever left in your bones and feel like staying alive, this is the place for you. Dynamite!