CircuitMOM returns to the White Party Palm Springs Stage

2023 marks the 25th Anniversary of drag superstar persona CircuitMOM. And to celebrate she is returning to White Party (her last appearance was in 2006) for both the Friday night party “Fluidity” with two of her favorite DJ’s, Dan Slater and Tom Stephan bringing some classic Chicago House Music vibe to the stage.  Then, she will be channeling her inner “cool mom” vibe celebrating CircuitMOTHER’s Day Sunday with a dazzling pool party “SOAKED” and her first time working with DJ Nick Stracener. Get ready for a poolside kiki like never before.

“Being invited to be a part of this epic and historic weekend is a career high point and I am ready to take in every glorious minute from beginning to end.  There is nothing better than being able to connect with the audience in person and between Friday night’s “Fluidity” party and being the lead in pool party to Sunday’s grand finale, I am beside myself with glitter-covered excitement,” says CircuitMOM, the alter-ego of Matthew Harvat.

Harvat is principal and lead designer of his own Chicago based event company, CircuitMOM Productions, and along with his business partner Edwin Martinez, have transformed both public and domestic spaces for more than twenty-nine years. Their event production includes such major venues as the House of Blues Chicago, the Aragon Ballroom, the Uptown Theater Grand Lobby, Sidetrack Video Bar, Chicago’s Museum Of Contemporary Art, Venue610, ABC 7 Chicago, Windy City Live and countless other performance spaces locally and nationally where they have worked as artistic directors, actors, performance artists, production managers, television producers, podcast talent, DJs and so much more. 

“For our 25th year, we have really tried to branch out and create some fun not only in Chicago, but in so many other cities and new venues.  Here’s wishing everyone a safe, successful, glitter covered, sweaty dance floor, gorgeous year.  Make sure you come shake it with me once or twice and share a hug or two. We need to uplift and support each other these days, and our dance floors are the perfect place to make that happen,” says Harvat.

In addition to event production, Harvat has been DJing for more than 30 years, including headline appearances in Vancouver, Prague, Miami, Chicago, Orlando, Toronto, and Hollywood. Harvat simultaneously developed the drag persona CircuitMOM, which has become an iconic presence at dance music festivals, night clubs and circuit parties around the world. Gay and straight audiences alike embrace their unique combination of over-the-top productions and performances that fuse glamour, wit, and audacity.

So, how did it all begin? Harvat tells GED Magazine, “It all started as a required participation, employee charity drag show way back in (checking the year—1995, I think) at Roscoe’s–now world famous for their exclusive “RuPaul Drag Race” viewing parties.  I was Jean Poole at the time, but while attending a circuit party weekend called “Hotlanta” in 1996, I randomly showed up on the dance floor carrying four pitchers of ice water (complete with plastic cups in the side pockets of my cargo pants because that’s what we wore to parties back then…shut it!) and a sexy, shirtless guy stopped me and said “Oh my god, you are our ‘circuit angel’ bringing us water!’ but his friend said “No, that is our ‘circuitMOM’! (Referencing the old Koolaid commercials where the mom would yell out ‘Hey, Kids! Koolaid!’ and then the Koolaid guy would burst through the brick wall to the delight of all the children…ha!)”

Their creativity is irrepressible and the keen eye for fostering talent has also become a hallmark of their productions. Up and coming artists, DJ’s, photographers, dancers, actors, musicians, costume designers and more, have not only added their incomparable talents to countless event productions, but have become family and continue to work as a collective force to bring audiences the very best in entertainment. So, how have they kept the party going for 25 years?

“Thankfully, I have had amazing mentors my entire career that have coached me to be experimental and take chances. Tracy Young, Ralphi Rosario, Frankie Knuckles, Brett Henrichsen, David Knapp, Manny Lehman, Tom Stephan, Bodhi Calgana, Abel, and one of my best friends on the planet, Tony Moran, have all lifted me up. “

“So many amazing memories! Some highlights would be me being so nervous before an eight-hour DJ set for the 2009 IML closing party at the historic Excalibur Night Club in Chicago that I threw up in the DJ booth trash can right as my first song started.  Once I got that out of the way, the night was amazing.  In 2010, I DJ’d the IML “Victory Party” and the stars and energy just aligned with the sold out crowd. When my last song ended that night, the love I felt from that audience was so overwhelming, I burst into tears.  There is nothing better than sampling a well-known beat or layering a vocal from one track over a different song and watching your dance floor giving you that “Hell YES, BABY” feedback.”

“I started building my brand in Chicago at Crobar with the help of Paolo Pincente and countless artists, and also landed headlining gigs for Black and Blue in Montreal, Toronto Pride, Vancouver Pride, Chicago Pride, Alegria Pride NYC and the epic White Party Palm Springs to name a few.  Fast forward to Chicago’s Market Days 2017, when we moved our Saturday night party from House Of Blues (our home for the last 23 years) to The Aragon Ballroom, which is 4 times the capacity, and I finally had the opportunity to design my dream entrance for a show which involved me lowering myself 55 feet from the ceiling down to the stage in the middle of the audience, in the round with 10 dancers waiting for me.  Hanging up there in the dark for 15 minutes, completely hidden, looking out over that crowd was very emotional and so much damn fun.  Once my show mix of Tamia’s “Stranger In My House” started and the lights came on revealing my dangling self, hovering over the crowd, it was a life core moment I will forever be grateful for.  All of that being said, being a part of two White Party events in 2023 is beyond humbling and I am ready to serve it up!”

Follow CircuitMOM on Instagram @circuitmom and grab your White Party Palm Springs tickets at whitepartyglobal.com.