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2013-05-02 First Annual FetishMen's Family Reunion in San Diego, May 31 to June 2, 2013

I will update this same page as time goes by, and plans solidify.
Update, May 31:

I've learned much in the last few days:

- The cheapest place to get movie-tickets is at Gold Star - Half off!  Five bucks for the Saturday, June 1, 10PM showing of Interior. Leather Bar. 

- We are actually going to be shown FOUR separate kinky films - Short subjects plus the main attraction.

- Various folks affiliated with the film (particularly the raunchy portions) will be available for a short Q&A.

- We are gathering outside the theater at 9PM for various fun activities an hour early. I've got it all planned out.  It's going to be a hot mess, and that is JUST the way that I like it.  The endorphin-rush of Tribal Joy is going to intensify!  The gay FetishMen's community may be scattered in disarray in many other places, but we are stronger in San Diego than ever before.

- I have a special rig that I will be using to get the best crowd-photo in the history of our Tribe anywhere - Every city on earth with a leather community will be boggled when they see it!

- I'm hearing from a lot of men who plan to be geared-up.  This is a smart move, because it will be a perfect time to show our pride to the planet. The media will be there. The Gear Contest is going to be ferocious.

More events like these are already in the pipeline.  Events have to MEAN SOMETHING to our Tribe, not just be a way to make money. This is our proud culture, taking off like a rocket!


Update, Wednesday, May 29:


On May 29, 2013, at 1:54 PM, Jeff Conley wrote:
Just to confirm.  You want us at the theater at 9 even though the movie doesn't start until 10 pm?
Yes!  The plan is to assemble, swarm, meet, play with the Gear Contest, gather together for the REALLY BIG group photo (I expect it to be MUCH bigger this time around, to the point where I will be using the Panorama function on my iPhone and a BIG, bright light) and THEN hit the movie inside, because we will be chased out of the building the moment that the show is over - they don't want to be charged a penny extra for us staying overtime, much less the actual $500 it would cost!  After that, we will walk a block and half over to the Eagle to talk about the movie, and admire the crowd photo on my iPad.

It's not the schedule that I would have chosen, but everybody is locked-in by the existing festival plans, and we have to work around it.  I don't mind in the least, because this is a big, exciting deal, when Hollywood comes a-knockin' at our door, looking for our approval.  Michael (the festival's organizer) just now gave FetishMenSanDiego a big shout-out (by name) on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross.  

We are a selling-point.  We are the spice in the local culture that is dependably bringing the fun and the Tribal Vibe. We are TRENDY (as opposed to thirty years ago, when we were the shameful and sinful outsiders).  Lots of folks are figuring out that gay FetishMen are the grrrroooviest thing to happen to boring old San Diego ever, and we're just getting started!

I'm spending the whole day dealing with excited folks confirming plans for when they pull into town for the weekend. The Jungle Drums are going CRAZY. I'm thrilled!


Update May 13: The movie tickets are ten bucks per person, and it looks like they might sell out… In the last few days, there have been 391 page views on this page that you're reading now!
Better get your tickets early!

Update May 16: New, surrounding events are being announced as they come in.
The first ones are listed here.


Trust me on this one, guys. As you can see from this small selection of images, 
I'm rarely (almost never) wrong about predicting turnout and satisfaction-level.
June 1 weekend is going to be our biggest turnout ever.

Now that there are FetishMen clubs in San Diego, Palm Springs and Los Angeles, with brothers from all over Southern California finding better and better reasons to bond together as brothers, it's time for us to come together for a REALLY BIG, superb and INEXPENSIVE event.

Bring air-mattresses, sleeping-bags and bedding down to San Diego, preferably ride-sharing when you travel. Why?  Because we don't want you to have to spend money for a hotel. These are tough times, and your COMPANY is what we crave. Send an email to papatony @ mac.com if you need lodging.

The men of San Diego warmly welcome our brothers from other cities, and want you to join us for a major cultural event.  Starting at 9PM on Saturday, June 1, we will be gathering outside the Birch North Park Theater for warmup events (such as our biggest group photo ever, and a Gear Contest) before enjoying the West Coast Premiere of the movie "INTERIOR. LEATHER BAR."

James Franco & Travis Mathews' fresh-from-Sundance film "INTERIOR. LEATHER BAR" screens its West Coast Premiere at FilmOut San Diego's 15th Anniversary LGBT Film Festival on Saturday, June 1st at 10:00pm. Screened with Fernando Garcia & Anthony Diaz' "LEATHER AND GRACE," Jörg Fockele's "RITUAL," and Michael J. Saul's "ADULTS ONLY." Sponsored by ABC-10/Azteca-15 and Co-Presented by FetishMenSD, Micky's West Hollywood and GayTravel.Com. **THIS IS AN 18+ ONLY SCREENING**  Cast/Filmmakers Attending!


First Movie Night, November 2011. 
Cruising, with Al Pacino

Second Movie Night, August 2012. 
Kink Crusaders (the history of the International Mr. Leather Contest).
That's the director on the far right.

Why are they doing this in San Diego?  Because we have the largest, most-cohesive community of gay FetishMen OF ANY CITY ON EARTH.  We can fill an entire movie theater with just us guys… IF we have our brothers from other cities with us, happy and sharing in a powerful film about the missing forty minutes of hardcore action that was destroyed after the movie Cruising was edited down to become less raunchy.

The timing couldn't be better.

Now that we have a thriving, rapidly-growing FetishMen community that spans the lower half of California, we can now find excellent reasons to gather in brotherhood, cultural events and fun!

There is NO dress-code. Your company is what we crave. There WILL be a Gear Contest out on the sidewalk for your entertainment, however. Wear it if ya got it!

More details will be coming as time goes by. Lots of people will be creating surrounding events during the weekend for arts, fun and male-bonding!

If you're not already on the FMSD (San Diego), FMLA (Los Angeles) or DFA (Palm Springs) email lists or Facebook pages, now would be a good time to get connected. The gay FetishMen movement is accelerating, and there's room for all good-hearted men, no matter what your age, color, body-style, experience-level or wardrobe!