Janelle Monáe & BACARDÍ Rum Host Wondaween Festival

Janelle Monáe's Vampire Beach Presented by BACARDÍ Rum

Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty

Janelle Monáe has long held the crown when it comes to Halloween. She doesn’t simply dress up; she transforms. For her, Halloween has become much more than a single night. It has become a playground for creativity, an annual ritual of world-building, character immersion, and communal celebration. In a recent interview, Monáe said, “I love Halloween because it’s one time the world gives itself permission to be creative.”

Her past costumes have been nothing short of theatrical spectacles. One year, she embodied Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas, fully committing to the character down to the hairstyle and mannerisms. Another year, she chose Diva Plavalaguna from The Fifth Element, and earlier had taken on the alien role of E.T., appearing in a full-body suit and detailed special effects makeup. Whether it’s an iconic film character or a completely original concept, Monáe commits to nuance, extra props, and an immersive ambiance. Friends and fans often note that when she enters costume, she IS the costume. It isn’t just an outfit, it’s a performance.

But Monáe’s Halloween enthusiasm doesn’t stop at the wardrobe. She’s now taken it to large-scale immersive events. This year, her creative mind expanded into the world of festival takeover with the Wondaween Festival event, titled Vampire Beach, on the Santa Monica Pier, in partnership with BACARDÍ Rum. Imagine the pier lit in moonlight, the waves murmuring under your feet, but the entire zone transformed into a vampiric beach club. The “sand” is midnight black, the boardwalk filled with DJs, laser lights, and costumed guests gliding in vamp-attire from head to toe. Entry is selective (“only 1,000 lucky Wondaweenies” were admitted). That was the scene.

Once inside, guests were treated to more than just a DJ set; it was a fully sensorial Halloween world. The signature cocktail for the night? The “Rave Yard Mojito,” created by Monáe and Bacardí, combines Bacardí Superior Rum with mint, lime, and wild-berry syrup. Along with themed bars, unlimited rides on the pier’s attractions, immersive installations and a strict dress code (vampire chic required), the vibe was club-meets-theme-park-meets-costume-ball. As Monáe said, “Whether you’re sipping one or just dancing in costume, it’s about joy, community, and creativity.”

That’s where it circles back to what Monáe has always done with Halloween— she makes it communal. She turns what might be a solitary costume into a shared event where people arrive in character, take part in a world she’s built, drink, dance, laugh, and connect. So the Vampire Beach night isn’t just a party, it’s an immersive experience in a world she’s designed, where Monáe leads, the sea meets the supernatural, and the cocktail is part of the art. Check out some photos of Janelle from the event below!