SEXPO, Australia
Sexpo is an exhibition of health, sexuality and adult lifestyle. Debuting in Australia in 1996, this is the world’s longest running adult exhibition. It was originally formed to allow women and couples to experience all the adult industry had to offer and since its formation, the show has grown from strength to strength and is now one of Australia’s largest adult events. SEXPO aim to celebrate all lifestyles and sexualities in a fun, vibrant and safe environment for open minded adults.
The entertainment is second to none, with international performers, comedy hypnotists, and fetish demonstrations. Competitions run such as the world famous Amateur Strip and the acclaimed Sexy Cosplay. SEXPO provides multiple bars and lounge areas, and a fetish playroom. SEXPO is a unique opportunity to mix in a bit of shopping and socializing with world class erotic entertainment – what better way to spend a day out?
Folsom Street Fair, San Fransisco, USA
Folsom Street Fair (FSF) is an annual BDSM and leather street fair, held in historic Folsom Street during its Leather Pride Week. FSF is California’s third-largest single-day, outdoor spectator event with over 400,000 fetish enthusiasts spread over thirteen city blocks. It caters for every fetish you could imagine. Two hundred exhibitors sell everything from erotic books, fetish gear, and sex toys. You can expect to see public floggings, and people bound, gagged and dressed in latex, if they’re dressed at all.
FSF has a little bit of everything, with live music, erotic dancers, performers, carnival games, and food stalls. There are public “play stations” and “naked areas” and “The Playground”, which is a gender inclusive space for people to meet.
Fetish Fashion Party, Manifest Club Copenhagen, Denmark
This sextival is a more intimate experience. Started in 1995, it is a celebration of all things kink. International artists, designers and performers from all over the world come to take part. Some of the features include a rubber fashion show, performances, a rubber Vacbed, DJ’s, dancing, playrooms, darkrooms and after all that a much needed chill out room.
This is not one you can turn up in your gym gear too, there is a strict dress code if you’re not in rubber, leather, PVC, lingerie, lycra, parade/gala, or uniforms you are not coming in!
Shinto Kanamara Matsuri (The Festival of the Iron Phallus) Kawasaki, Japan
This festival celebrates everything penis.
The festival of the Iron Phallus comes from an ancient tradition, that serves as a celebration of fertility, long marriages, and healthy births. The story goes that in the 1600s, during Japan’s Edo period, local prostitutes would congregate at the Kanamara Shinto shrine in Kawasaki, where they’d pray for protection against sexually transmitted diseases. A more fantastic tale lies in the fabled “vagina dentata,” or toothed vagina, which supposedly castrated several poor young men on their wedding nights. The woman cursed with the toothed vagina (most likely a metaphor for syphilis, which was common then) went to see a blacksmith, who forged her an iron dildo in order to break the teeth of her inner demon, thus protecting the penis of her future suitor. The Kanamara shrine is dedicated to the blacksmith, and over the centuries sex workers have paid pilgrimage to the shrine to seek its powers of protection.
The event today sees visitors from all over the world come to pay tribute to the phallus. Expect to see penis hats, penis puppets, penis floats, penis costumes, with everyone from the young to the old sucking on penis lollipops.
The Kanamara Matsuri has also recently grown into an event of sexual health education as well as LGBTQIA+ rights advocacy, and is a major fundraiser for HIV research.
Seattle Erotic Art Festival Seattle, WA
Held over three days, the Seattle Erotic Art Festival showcases some of the finest erotic art the world has to offer. The provocative pieces grace the floors of the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. As well as the art there are daily entertainments from erotica readings, burlesque performances, art classes, erotic short films and festival stores that sell many unique items.
In the evenings, the vibe changes from a gallery to a sexy art party. The Late Night Festival is a sexy, fun time with DJs, performers, bartenders at the ready, and a fantastically energetic crowd.
Written by the Killing Kittens team.