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2014-07-23 Pride Weekend 2014 in Review, and Events as of July 23

Photos by Scott Smith.

From the desk of Sir Magnum...



It's been said that actions speak louder than words. Well, I was truly a witness to in action this past weekend from weeks of planning, commitment, dedication and powerful action of our Leather & Kink community at last week's San Diego LBGT Pride Weekend celebration.



Here's a few observations and acknowledgements I'd like to share.

I got all pumped-up, energized and inspired by the keynote speeches at the "Spirit of Stonewall Rally and Flag Raising Ceremony" on Friday. It was a perfect afternoon to recognize and honor our LGBT leaders who are "in action" to preserve our progress and history and to meet the challenges facing our collective communities.



Click here to see the photos from 2014 SD Pride Parade Leather Contingent, Part 1

Then it was time to get the party started with the Pride Parade on Saturday morning. Our Leather, kink and BDSM community (near & far) showed up magnificently with all of our brilliance, style, swagger, love, powerful energy and authenticity as the biggest leather contingent I ever witnessed here in San Diego.

A BIG shout-out to Ms. San Diego Leather 2012 Wish Linda and Mr. San Diego Leather 2013 Eli Correa and others who took the time to coordinate, to plan and take action to make this happen!



In addition to the parade, FMSD stepped up and took action with creating, planning and presenting an "FMSD information table" at this years Leather Realm within the SD Pride Festival.



Our members had dialogue, gave testimony, we shared and invited hundreds men with our hearts and spirit along with our fabulous info cards showing what its like to be a FetishMan.



A huge acknowledgement to JP, who lead the team, Lee, Scott (our resident photographer) and Felix & Mike (photographers in training) and all the members who staffed the table and booth. Thanks for your time, efforts, creativity, commitment and excellence to this project!

I trust we'll see a few new men at our Men's Discussion on Wed July 30th.



As a member of FMSD for the past year, I want to express that the support, love and fellowship I have received has given me the possibility and opportunity to be my unique self as a leatherman.

I'm ready to follow a path that is uniquely mine and to take action to be authentic and be of service to my fellow brothers & sisters in San Diego leather/kink community and beyond.

Lastly, I want to extend a HUGE, BIG, JUICY wet kiss and LICKS of leather love to the members of Club X and the Leather Realm Team.

Thanks to Sir Duke, Bikkja Amy and Bootblack Cobi for allowing me and members of FMSD to be of service as ambassadors, info people, ushers, security, tear up/tear down and clean-up crews.

Your club's commitment, action and leadership set the stage for us to play, flog, spank, electrify, restrain, engage, be wild, be fully expressed, authentic and PROUD of who we are (as kinksters) and to show, dispel and break the old stereotypes of our lifestyle and our Tribe as a whole.

With pride and confidence, I'm touched, moved and inspired to make a difference in the world as a leatherman and to enjoy and celebrate the crazy ass freak in me!

Happy Leather Pride & Have an awesome week!




"Pervertables" Hands-On Demo Night.

Cobi

Nikita
Here's a message from Cobi:

Cobi & pup Gladiator Nikita will demonstrate how easy it is to make BDSM toys that won't break your bank account or require you to have an engineering degree.



This is a make-and-take demo!

If you're looking for some new ways to have fun and are somewhat crafty you're going to love this workshop. Bring duct tape if you got it!

The theme will be "Creating Your Own Pervertable Toys" with items from Homo Depot, Dollar Store, Goodwill, etc. RSVP at signmeupforevent @gmail.com





Sunday, July 27: Up Your Alley Street Fair in San Francisco

http://www.folsomstreetevents.org/alley/





Tuesday, July 29 at 7:00pm - "Manning Up" Launch Party for Visible Bodies: Transgender Narratives Retold‎.

Transgress Press and Visible Bodies invite you to attend the "Manning Up" Launch Party!

Manning Up: Transsexual Men on Finding Brotherhood, Family & Themselves is a groundbreaking collection of 27 personal narratives by a diverse group of North American transsexual men who span class, ethnicity, ability, and age locations. Award-winning writers and new voices come together to tell their stories of doubt and discovery, invisibility and belonging, isolation and paying wisdom forward.

Manning Up offers readers a fuller image of transition’s place within men’s larger life pictures, ultimately challenging academic, medical, and bureaucratic narratives of transsexual people and expanding on cultural understandings of masculinity.

What to expect...

- Snacks & beverages begin at 7pm
- Signed books available for purchase
- Readings by local contributing authors
- Prints of the cover art available for purchase, courtesy of Visible Bodies: Transgender Narratives Retold

This event is FREE and open to the public. Donations are welcome and tax-deductible.

Parking & accessibility: the Joyce Beers Center is located in the shopping center on University, near Ralph's. Two-hour parking is plentiful. Joyce Beers is wheelchair accessible. We are currently working to find ASL interpretation as well -- updates to follow.

All ages are welcome, but please be aware that some authors' excerpts may have mature content.

Co-hosted by Transgress Press, Visible Bodies, and the San Diego LGBT Center..

Further information and reviews...

The official Manning Up webpage: www.manningupbook.com

Review from the Good Men Project: www.transgresspress.org/2014/02/08/the-good-men-project-review-of-manning-up/

Other reviews:
www.transgresspress.org/reviews/manning-up-reviews






Leather/BDSM 101 Discussion




Also we'll be having a Wed Discussion at 7PM on July 30th on the topic of "BDSM 101" for our new and returning members. The facilitation will be lead by Brett & Co.

Here's Brett's synopsis:

BDSM 101: Learn what it's all about! This crowd-sourced discussion led by Brett will cover the basics of BDSM, leather protocol and hanky code, as well as some tips for getting involved in the gay men's leather/kink/fetish community.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about FMSD, and the very fine and friendly men who make it all happen. Location: Mission Gathering



July 30-Aug 4: Lazy Bear Weekend in Guerneville, California

http://www.lazybearweekend.com






Friday, August 8: Cirque Reinvente
Cirque Réinventé is just that for one night the San Diego LGBT Center will be transformed into a Circus unlike any other. Drawing on the Power of 6 and the build up to AIDS Walk San Diego, help raise money for this amazing cause!!

DOORS OPEN 6pm

******Guaranteed to be a night packed full of surprises! With acts including and not limited to stilt walking, Poi, Burlesque, Impersonations, shenanigans and excitement.
Tickets are 15$ on the night of the event in exchange you will receive 20 tickets that you can use to enjoy the nights festivities with more tickets available for purchase once under the big top for 1$ a piece.

Join together and enjoy the many Fantastic facets of the San Diego LGBT Community.
Circus theme Shot Boys and Candy Girls will be walking around all night along with a bar for even more indulging.

AND MUCH MUCH MORE!!!!

**I call upon as many members of the San Diego community to support and in the spirit ask if there are any talented performers that are interested in join the line up of performers. please message me.

Cant make the event?? Wanna donate?? No worries feel free to donate directly to the Power of 6 online! http://events.thecentersd.org/site/TR/Events/General?fr_id=1080&pg=teamlis






ROMP 2014 Schedule (San Diego Leather Pride)

Call for Contestants: Download an application to be the next Mr or Ms San Diego Leather

Friday, 8/22/13: located at the Victory Theater:

8 pm - 9:30pm: Meet and Greet
9:30 pm - 9:45 pm: Opening Ceremonies
9:45 pm - 11 pm: Celebrate Eli and Colt at the Cigar Social, with Hors d'oeuvres and drinks

Saturday, 8/23/13: all events located at the Victory Theater

10:00am - 4:00pm - Unofficial Gay Day at Sea World Learn more here
10 am - 3pm: Educational Classes
6 pm - 8:30 pm: Mr and Ms San Diego Leather Contest and Bootblack Contest
8: 30 pm - 9:30 pm: High Leather Cocktails with Tray Service and Cigar Social
9:30 pm: Announcement of Mr and Ms San Diego Leather 2013 winners
9:30pm-11:30pm: Cigar Social celebration with our new titleholders!
11:30pm: Afterparty at the San Diego Eagle

Sunday, 8/24/13

11 am - 1 pm - Victory Brunch Location TBD



12 noon to 8PM, Sunday: Leather Street Fair and Cruising Parking Lot Party - Urban Mo's





September 5-6: Las Vegas Pride, with the parade at NIGHT, from 7-10PM, on SATURDAY, Sep. 5.

http://www.lasvegaspride.org/




Sunday, Sep 21: Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco

http://www.folsomstreetfair.org

Tips for Folsom Newbies

MINOR SHIFT IN FOLSOM STREET FAIR LOCATION

Annual fetish fair will take place on Folsom Street between 8TH and 13TH Streets

((San Francisco, CA - Wednesday, June 4, 2014) While the South of Market streets have changed fairly drastically over the last 20 years, the location of Folsom Street Fair hasn't changed at all. In 1995, the fair expanded its footprint to include the block of Folsom between 11TH and 12TH Streets; however, in all of the years since then, the fair's footprint has remained constant and unwavering. Until this year, that is. For the first time since 1995, Folsom Street Fair will be updating its layout to accommodate the needs of a changing city.

According to Demetri Moshoyannis, Executive Director, "The Board of Directors agreed to move the fair slightly in order to achieve three major objectives: 1. Improving street traffic around the fair; 2. Minimizing impact on residential side streets; and, 3. Engaging new community businesses. The shift of just one block in our fair footprint means that we can improve traffic flow by opening up 8TH Street to live traffic; we can engage fewer residential side streets; and, we can create new or improved relationships with community businesses like The SF Eagle, Sports Authority, and Cat Head's BBQ - all of whom will be able to participate more actively now. Getting the Eagle onto the fairgrounds feels especially relevant for many of us in the leather community!"

According to Phillip Babcock, Board President, "Folsom Street Events hopes that this shift is an improvement for the event, the community, the businesses and our fairgoers. We don't want to keep producing the same fair year after year. In fact, we meet and plan frequently in order to work towards a more improved experience for everyone. We hope that the community likes the change; we're excited to try something a little different."

Sponsorships for 2014 include: PRESENTING RECON, Steamworks, Mr. S Leather, Kink.com, and GLOSS; PRESENTING LIQUOR Distillery 209, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, and Southern Comfort; PREMIER 9x6 Lubes, Blow Buddies; CHARTER eXtremeRestraints.com andBoyzShop.com, Factory Video and CumUnion; SUPPORTING Powerhouse, Orchid & Serpent, 440 Castro, Falcon Studios/Raging Stallion Studios, and Adult FriendFinder; MEDIA Bay Area Reporter, SF Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, Frontiers, and GayCities; OFFICIAL PARTIES PLAY T-Dance, Full Fetish, and Aftershock; and, HOST HOTELS Kimpton Hotels, MisterBNB.com.

Bay of Pigs - Saturday, July 26, 2014 

Up Your Alley - Sunday, July 27, 2014

Magnitude - Saturday, September 20, 2014

Folsom Street Fair - Sunday, September 21, 2014

DEVIANTS - Sunday, September 21, 2014

Folsom Street Events is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that creates world-class leather and fetish events that unite adult alternative lifestyle communities with safe venues for self expression and exciting entertainment. Our events raise funds to sustain San Francisco Bay Area-based and national charities. For more information, please visit www.folsomstreetevents.org.



Dear BDSM Enthusiast,

This September, over 500,000 men and women will be gathering in San Francisco for the "Folsom Street Fair", "Leather Week" and for our Inaugural Kink.com open house - BOND CON!

Please join us to exhibit your crafts, artwork, gear, toys and demos at the first annual BOND CON!

At BOND CON 2014, you'll be exhibiting to bondage enthusiasts, models, practitioners and the curious for two days Friday, September 19, 2014 and Saturday, September 20, 2014 at Kink.com's recently remodeled drill court, now The Armory Community Center. 30,000 square feet of exhibit-hall space has been made available to YOU and other vendors from around the country for an international, national and local audience, located just 3 blocks from Folsom Street Fair!

We plan to have something for everyone at BOND CON 2014 and we know you won't want to miss this opportunity with a "Meet & Greet" on Thursday, September 18; followed by the expo! Check out our exciting schedule of events, tours, workshops and entertainment.

And, turn your two day exhibit exposure to a three day EVENT and exhibit at the 31st Annual Folsom Street Fair, our partners in kink, leather and BDSM.

To exhibit at BOND CON 2014, click on the link below to complete your application. See you at BOND CON 2014!

Michael Beatty

Exhibitor Manager

exhibitor @bondcon.com



October 18-19: Bearquake in San Diego. BearQuake grew out of an idea of forming an alliance between the various clubs in Southern California and elsewhere. A "Bear Weekend" was planned where we could all get together and get to know each other. A contest was also held for Mr. So Cal Bear and Cub. The success of that first event opened the door to future gatherings which has become "BearQuake".





October 30 - November 2: Desert Leather Pride in Palm Springs

Note: This is a BIG CHANGE in the scheduling, since this usually happens on the SECOND weekend of the month  - Make a note of it!


Here are pics from last year:





Nov. 7-9: Palm Springs Gay Pride, with the parade on SUNDAY, Nov. 9




January 16-19, 2015: Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend

Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend is a three-day long party and event with participants that now number in the thousands. The heart of the weekend is the historic leather formal Saturday evening cocktail social, Leather Cocktails. Leather Cocktails is the weekend lynchpin gathering from which all other weekend events evolved.

The Weekend also includes official events organized by weekend hosts, Centaur MC that include a bustling Leather Exhibit Hall; Sunday brunch; Mr. MAL Contest and the official Sunday night closing party, REACTION. In addition, Weekend hosts provide hotel space for what has evolved into a huge leather-loving community and affinity annual reunion. Weekend participants may purchase a full weekend package that includes access to all events. Tickets to a few select events are sold separately.