Free party

A free party is a party "free" from the restrictions of the legal club scene, similar to the free festival movement. It typically involves a sound system playing electronic dance music from late at night until the time when the organisers decide to go home. A free party may be multiple sound systems. If the party becomes a festival, it becomes a teknival. Free in this context describes the entry fee and the lack of restrictions and law enforcement.

Organiser motivations range from political protest to simply wanting to have fun. An example of free parties as political protest was their prominence during the M11 link road protest. At most parties no money is asked for entrance since profit is not the aim. Some (often indoor) events request donations at the door to cover costs. Typically organisers make little profit or a loss setting them up. The term free party is used more widely in Europe than in the US. In Canada and some European countries, these events are also known as Freetekno parties. A free party might have once been described as a rave, and the origins of the two are similar. Since the birth of nightclubs in town centres in Europe the term rave had largely fallen out of fashion; however there has been a recent resurgence.

Squat parties are free parties with secret indoor locations. The address is obtained on the day of the event personally from organizers as the buildings are squatted. These parties often last more than 24 hours.