Meow Wolf is bringing its imaginative worlds to the dance floor with Desert Hearts & Justin Martin All Night Long, a one-night event taking over Academy LA on Saturday, November 14. Presented in partnership with Insomniac, the 21+ event will unite Desert Hearts founders Mikey Lion and Marbs with Justin Martin for an extended House music session running from doors until 3 a.m., alongside roaming characters and immersive surprises from Meow Wolf.
The event brings together three creative communities that have each built their own identity around music, art and shared experiences. From underground desert gatherings to influential House music parties and immersive art installations, each has developed a distinct world for its audience.
Originally founded as an independent art collective in Santa Fe, Meow Wolf transformed a former bowling alley into an immersive environment filled with hidden passages and portals. The company has since expanded its installations to Las Vegas, Denver, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, with a new Los Angeles location planned for early 2027 and New York City following in 2028.
Desert Hearts began in 2012 as a gathering of friends, a sound system and a party in the Mojave Desert. Over the years, it grew into one of the West Coast’s recognizable House and Techno communities, building its reputation around costumes, sunrise sets and a single-stage format that brings everyone together on the dance floor.
Justin Martin helped shape another important chapter in West Coast dance music. His early renegade barbecues in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park helped lay the groundwork for Dirtybird, which grew into one of House music’s influential labels and a major presence in the underground scene.
For this event, Mikey Lion, Marbs and Justin Martin will share the stage from doors to closing, guiding the crowd through an extended set that moves from deep, hypnotic grooves toward more energetic dancefloor territory.
“A long set is a story, and you need time to tell it,” said Justin Martin. “We’ll start somewhere warm and groovy and end up somewhere interstellar. I played Meow Wolf in Santa Fe this summer, and the crowd lets go in a different way. Sharing that kind of night with Desert Hearts is pretty special. Mikey used to open for me, and now we’re closing it out together. So let’s dress up, dance hard, and get weird.”
The music will share the spotlight with Meow Wolf’s larger-than-life characters and theatrical atmosphere. Guests can expect oversized puppets towering above the DJ booth, along with costumed figures from other Meow Wolf worlds roaming the venue and interacting with the crowd. Attendees are encouraged to embrace the occasion with bold outfits, glitter and creative alter egos.
“Some of our characters wanted a night out before moving into their new home,” said Andrew Medina, General Manager of Meow Wolf LA. “We’ve agreed to keep an eye on them at Academy LA, and we couldn’t have asked for better hosts. We knew joining forces with Desert Hearts and Justin Martin would be a very good kind of trouble.”
For Desert Hearts, the night also reflects the community-first spirit that has defined the gathering since its earliest days.
“The first Desert Hearts was 200 friends in the Mojave trying to make strangers feel like they’d known each other forever,” said Mikey Lion of Desert Hearts. “That’s still the whole point. You don’t need to know a single track. Just show up as your loudest self, and you’ll be family by sunrise. Well, by 3 a.m.”
With an all-night set from Desert Hearts and Justin Martin, plus unexpected encounters from Meow Wolf’s imaginative universe, Academy LA is set to host a night where underground dance music and immersive art meet before the holiday season gets underway. Tickets on sale now at Meow Wolf.