Top 5 Kink Destinations

This week OntarioKink.com is helping you add a few more items to your bucket list! Here are the Top 5 Kink Destinations that we think every kinkster should check out in their lifetime!

5. The Armory – San Francisco, California – United States of America

The Armory is one of the best known kink destinations. In fact, if you’ve ever spent time watching kinky bondage porn, or have seen Star Wars, you’ve more than likely seen The Armory on screen (sort of)! Built in 1914, The Armory was operated by the National Guard until 1976, George Lucas used it as a location for some Star Wars shoots, and it was acquired by Armory Studios in 2006. It became the home of Peter Acworth’s Kink.com and its various subsidiary websites, including The Upper Floor. There are also play events held at The Armory, so you score some extra points if you manage to attend one! Otherwise, you can take a facility tour or pop in for a drink at The Armory Club , situated directly across the street and open for drink service 7 days a week!

4. Torture Garden – London, United Kingdom

Torture Garden is the worlds largest fetish/body art club, in London. Holding monthly events, they draw between 900-2600 people depending on the event and season. There are themed rooms, radical performance art, body ritual, fashion shows, burlesque cabaret, live music, art installations, and eclectic music. Although primarily a fetish club, Torture Garden has always fused other underground cultures such as body art, goth, industrial, burlesque, electro etc, to create a diverse and unique scene and crowd all of its own. Past performances include: Dita Von Tease, Fakir Musafer, The Tiger Lillies, Ron Athey, Franko B, Archaos Circus, Masuimi Max, The Divine David, Death in June, Suka Off, Midori, Porcelain Twinz, Lukas Zpira, Lucifire and Empress Stah.

Torture Garden has regular franchise events in Tokyo, Rome and Athens, and has staged tour events in Moscow, New York, LA, SF, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Berlin, Zagreb, Helsinki, Lyon, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Manchester and Brighton. Readers in Canada might be excited to learn that TG also has a leg of the tour that brings it closer to home, with Torture Garden Toronto being another gear in SUBSPACE_Craiger’s unstoppable subspace fetish event machine.

PRO TIP: Torture Garden does have an ‘enforced fantasy dress code’, to help create a great ambiance. Just make sure you cross the pond with some proper attire, or buy some when you get to London!

3. Shibaricon – Chicago, Illinois – United States of America

Shibaricon is an annual pansexual conference that focuses on education and information exchange for lovers of rope bondage, by lovers of rope bondage. Shibaricon’s instructors are the best in the world, assembled from all corners of the globe.  Consisting of 4 days of classes, this event offers something for any skill level. Focusing on practical ‘hands on/minds on’ techniques that you can actually use, Shibaricon has become the premiere instruction event for rope lovers. Each evening you can also make use of the event playspace and put all your new found rope knowledge to use!

Shibaricon has been running for 11 years already, and it’s 12th event runs from May 22-25th, 2015.

2. Morpheous’ Bondage Extravaganza (MBE) – Toronto, Ontario – Canada

Morpheous’ Bondage Extravaganza earns its spot on this list by being one of the most visually engaging events you could possibly attend, with amazing rope bondage scenes taking place for 12 hours. MBE happens each year during an art exhibition called Nuit Blanche, which takes over much of downtown Toronto from dawn to dusk – 7pm-7am – on the first Saturday of October. While not technically part of Nuit Blanche (let’s just say the corporate sponsor’s aren’t comfortable with fetish art), MBE has been running since 2006 when founder Morpheous wanted to participate in Nuit Blanche with a public rope bondage art exhibit and was refused inclusion in the event. He and a friend (RetroDeviant) found a venue within the exhibit area and tied up women. In the past 8 years, MBE has grown into the largest rope bondage art exhibit in the world with more than 80 performers, and entertains thousands of people walking through the exhibit.

If you’re not able to make it to Toronto, don’t despair! MBE has also expanded into other cities! Orlando, Florida was the first to join in the fun in 2013, with San Francisco, California being added to the mix in 2014! To make things even better, all MBE locations webcast a FREE video stream! Visit www.MBEworldwide.com to learn more about this amazing event!

PRO TIP: Don’t forget to explore some of the Nuit Blanche art exhibits while you’re visiting MBE! It’s a very cool night out in Toronto!

1. Folsom Street Fair – San Francisco, California – United States of America

With more than 400,000 fetish enthusiasts attending this event that spreads out over 13 city blocks, its safe to say that the Folsom Street Fair has established itself as the world’s largest fetish event since it’s birth in 1984 when the gay community was facing opposition from community leaders. Taking place in San Fran’s ‘South of Market’ district, the event caps the city’s Leather Pride Week and is an experience you really need to experience in order to fully comprehend. The Fair operates as a non-profit organization, with proceeds from the gate sales and beverages (totalling roughly $250,000) being distributed to local charities. You can virtually drown in a sea of leather while enjoying a variety of fetish and musical performances, hundreds of exhibitors and vendors, and some great fetish events at local clubs. In 2006 Folsom introduced a women’s/genderqueer area called Venus’ Playground featuring entertainment, demonstrations, and play. This year’s Folsom street fair is happening on Sunday, September 27, 2015.

Honorable Mentions:

Montreal Fetish Weekend – Montreal, Quebec – Canada

One of Canada’s most renowned fetish events takes place in Montreal. The Montreal Fetish Weekend is actually a bit of a misnomer – the 7 day long event consists of a latex fetish ball, kinky cabaret, fetish fashion show, workshops, and vendors expo. Produced by Eric Paradis aka MasterSin, MFW is entering it’s 11th year of operation in Montreal’s ‘Village’, running from Sept. 2-7, 2015.

Cleveland Leather Awareness Week (CLAW) – Cleveland, Ohio – United States of America

Cleveland Leather Awareness Week is heading into it’s 15th year of raising money for charities, and entertaining the LGBT and leather communities. Participant’s usually stay in the event hotel, and participate in skills seminars, vendor markets, fundraising auctions, as well as field trips to Cleveland tourism destinations and gay clubs. During the day many of the activities are slightly more reserved or ‘vanilla’, but at night things can get pretty crazy! The organization has raised more than $460,000 for AIDS, LGBT, and other community service organizations since it’s inception. This year’s CLAW runs from April 23rd-26th, 2015.

Is there a kinky destination that you think should have made the list? Tell us all about it in the comments below!