You may have heard a lot about kink festivals, even more so if you’re in kink spaces or have friends who attend.
A kink festival is a lot of things. It’s a chance to show off your gear. It’s a chance to look for more gear. Most of all, it’s a chance to meet other kinksters.
These are also very consent-focused spaces. Everyone is very respectful, to make sure the very kinky and fast-paced atmosphere is also safe.
Now, I’ve only been to one kink festival-but I’ve gone to this one twice now.
So, I can give you something of an idea of what a kink festival is like. How to prepare, what you might see, and what you might do.
Prep
I attend these events, like most, with my partner.
The first thing we did, both times… was check the weather.
The festival I go to is Dore Alley, also known as Up Your Alley, in San Francisco.
If you’ve heard of the Folsom Street Fair, they’re pretty similar.
This is a street fair, which means it’s… in the street. They block off a street block and people set up on the road. So, it’s open air — not indoors.
Last year, both my partner and I got super sunburned. It was hot out. Most people aren’t wearing a lot of clothes, but we really tried to wear as little as possible for it.
Even then, even just the leather felt a bit too warm at times. It was very sunny and pretty warm.
If we dressed the same way this year, we would have been freezing.
So we checked the weather beforehand and dressed accordingly.
Last year, in the heat, we were mostly just in leather. Nudity is allowed at this event, and plenty of people enjoy that opportunity.
I wore a harness… and that was about it. My partner had his pony mask, hooves, and a leather utility belt.
This year, we actually wore clothes. I went with a crop top, ripped jeans, my harness, my collar, and a leather jacket that I kept taking on and off.
As for supplies, we made sure to bring the basics: phone, wallet, and keys, of course. This year, I brought a tote bag for my jacket and any other items I might buy.
My partner had a backpack full of gear, as we planned to meet with someone afterward.
Most importantly, we both had changes of clothes. Nudity is permitted inside the event, but you may want to wear more conventional attire once you leave.
Last year, we just drove home. This year, a friend of ours got a hotel nearby. This is pretty common, and it meant we didn’t have to drive back that day.
So we were packed and ready.
We arrived, found the entrance, made a donation, and were able to walk right through.
What Kinds of People Do You See?
There’s a huge variety in who goes to kink festivals.
To be expected, there are a lot of people in kink gear. A wide range of leather harnesses, pet play hoods, and even leashes.
I even saw someone in what looked to be one of our hoods… though they were busy, so I couldn’t ask.
We mostly saw pups, but much to my partner’s excitement, we also saw a few ponies. Part of the fun is seeing other people’s gear setups. It’s inspiring to see the creativity.
I also personally always love seeing the leatherdaddies.
Also, many people are only in gear, so expect to see a lot of skin.
Other than the expected kinksters, there were also a lot of furries!
Some people were in full fursuits, but we saw many others in just their fursuit heads. Usually, if they just had the head… that was all they were wearing. That, and maybe some kink gear.
And, of course, some people dressed casually. Most people attending were part of the kink scene, but some people were just curious to see what it all looked like.
There’s also a big variety in ages. Of course, this is an 18+ event-and we saw just about every age group past that.
It’s also a very queer event. I was thrilled to see not only many gay people, but a lot of other trans people there.
What Kinds of Stuff Is Sold There?
A significant part of this kink event is the vendors, or sellers.
It’s a great time to look for gear or just browse what you might want in the future. Many vendors had online shops to look at later.
Honestly, it’s a lot of leather.
Of course, there’s leather gear. Harnesses, impact play tools, handcuffs, collars… I could go on.
There isn’t only gear, though. These are normal leatherworkers. They also had stuff like wallets, bracelets, and non-collar necklaces. If you want to really browse some good leather, a kink festival is perfect.
There was some silicone gear for sale, too, but not nearly as much as there was leather gear. We definitely have a wider variety.
It’s also a good place to look for chainmail. We saw harnesses made of chainmail, leashes, and typical bracelets and necklace chains.
There were also many small artists, featuring some very beautiful art and jewelry. I saw paintings, prints, home-made jewelry, and even colorful coasters for sale.
Not everything being sold was explicit, though most vendors had something kink-related for sale.
Except for the people selling brownies… They were just selling brownies. They were very good brownies, though.
There was also a variety of food trucks, of course, selling a range of food. There were a few booths selling alcohol to those of age and water to anyone else.
If you’re all about showing off your gear or hunting for that next perfect piece, keep your eyes on Smitizen this November. Our Black Friday event is the best time to grab new kink essentials — from realistic muscle suits to full-body monster suits, hoods, and tails — all at irresistible prices. Whether you’re planning your next Dore Alley look or want to upgrade your transformation play, this is your moment to stock up, gear up, and strut your stuff.
What Else?
There were also numerous booths and setups for items other than vending.
We saw a few booths being run by local health agencies. This is a great way of doing local outreach. Some were even doing STI testing on-site.
One of the health booths had people in huge penis costumes walking around and getting photos with people. Wonderful.
Similarly, there was also a first-aid booth, just in case.
Both years we’ve gone, there was a booth dedicated to boot-blacking.
This time, there was also a booth where people were offering haircuts right next to it. Certified barbers and everything!
Both cost money, being such unique experiences.
Every year, there is… a puppy pen. Pups could go in and play with other pups, along with various toys – all modeled after a doggie day care.
Now, sex isn’t actually allowed at Dore. The rule is no penetration, since it is still technically a public street.
So, of course, there was a covered booth just for play. That way, people could enjoy themselves safely.
There was also a full stage! A DJ was featured, and performers were showcased in cages throughout the event. Occasionally, we heard them announcing a kinky version of the game Twister to be played on stage.
There were also numerous demonstrations, both official and unofficial.
A well-known leather store in San Francisco had a kink set-up near their booth. Once, when we walked by, we got to see some intense impact play going on.
There were also smaller impact play demonstrations, by attendees who decided to on their own. For a lot of those, the submissive was restrained to a street sign or a lamppost.
So, What Do You See at a Kink Festival?
Skin, mostly. A lot of skin.
You see a lot at a kink festival!
Gear you may have never seen before, or gear that you plan to buy.
Kinks you may have never heard of, or might want to get more into.
Above all else, you see a lot of other kinksters.
You see the community, and as much as you could want.
