Charity Step 3

Charity Step 3 felt like the moment the little engine finally roared. By then we had tasted the chaos, survived the learning curves, and built enough confidence to try something most sane people would call reckless. So we went for it. Fully. Absolutely. Joyfully. The vision was to create a night that felt larger than life, something that blended art, fashion, and dance culture into a full sensory world. We brought in the Westbury team again, and this time they built something the city had never seen. The first ever Studio 54 style LED dance floor. A living, glowing surface pulsing with color and movement, throwing light up through the feet of everyone dancing on it. It was the kind of choice that instantly changed the entire mood of a room, a beacon that said this night will be different.

 

The rest of the venue blossomed around it. Massive projections. Sculpted light. A space that never let your eyes settle for long. We built out four different fashion shows, each with its own energy and personality. Par Parrows. Hustle. Sister. Sixty Nine Vintage. Each group brought a different corner of Toronto’s fashion world, stitched together through a single idea. Creativity belongs in community. Models, designers, and callers moved in rhythm with the music, threading their shows through the crowd rather than apart from it. It felt intimate and expansive all at once.

 

The DJ lineup was stacked. Matt C returned bringing his signature heat. Medved, Scace, and Neill Brown each added their own twist, creating a night that stretched across genres and moods without ever losing momentum. Even the lobby had a DJ, which would have been perfect if the night had not been cold enough to freeze eyelashes. We adapted. Someone sourced heaters. The lobby became a winter rave nook, a little pocket of warmth where people gathered before heading upstairs.

 

And that upstairs level was magic. A greenhouse vibe, glass and air, a view of the stars and the Toronto skyline that made the room feel like a floating lantern in the winter night. The flyer even captured the spirit of the time, complete with flaming cocktails that seemed to say exactly who we were back then. Bold, playful, slightly ridiculous, and completely committed to a good time.

 

All of it came together in support of Habitat for Humanity. A celebration with purpose. A party that felt radiant, defiant, and full of heart. Charity Step 3 was the moment the series stepped into its full identity. A place where community, creativity, and impact danced together until the lights came up.