Minnesota Leather Pride 2013 features appearance by Hardy Haberman

This year’s theme: “Perfect Union/Coming Together”

(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #470, June 6, 2013)

Hardy Haberman

Internationally known author, filmmaker, leatherman and gay activist Hardy Haberman will be making a speaking appearance in the Twin Cities as part of this year’s Minnesota Leather Pride celebration. Haberman’s appearance is just one of many events taking place June 14-30, 2013.

Minnesota’s Leather Pride celebration has been bringing Minnesota’s leather/BDSM/fetish community together since the mid-1990s. The celebration started as a single-afternoon, post-Pride Parade get-together at the Gay 90s in Minneapolis. Within a few years, however, it had grown to its present form: a multi-event celebration spread over several weeks in June, culminating in the annual Ashley Rukes GLBT Pride Parade up Hennepin Avenue and the Twin Cities Pride Festival in Loring Park.

This year’s Minnesota Leather Pride celebration mixes perennial favorite events like Floggapalooza with new events including rope and electrical play demonstrations and a Leather Pride bicycle ride to complement the traditional Leather Pride motorcycle ride. Also new this year is a Recovery in the Lifestyle twelve-step meeting and an “Adventures in Fetish” leather/fetish fashion show (followed by “FUNdRaver! 2,” a rave dance party).

One of the goals of this year’s Minnesota Leather Pride (MNLP) planning committee is to encourage more involvement by local leather/BDSM/fetish community members in planning the theme and events for this year’s celebration. MNLP representatives attended many community events, parties and meetings last December and January to gather community input. Community members were given a chance to vote for one of three proposed themes, either with a paper ballot or online, and were asked to suggest ideas for new MNLP events.

Besides new events, the board also has added new venues for Minnesota Leather Pride events. New venues The Southern Theater, In The Heart of the Beast Theater and Clare House join returning venues Camp Bar, Patrick’s Cabaret, Smitten Kitten, The Minneapolis Eagle/Bolt/Bolt Underground complex, and Loring Park.

The Minnesota Leather Pride dog tag for 2013, the latest in a long and distinguished line, looks great and also provides discounts at certain Minnesota Leather Pride events (see sidebar). Get yours while supplies last at participating businesses (see MNLeatherPride.org for details) and at Minnesota Leather Pride events.

The theme of this year’s Minnesota Leather Pride celebration, “Perfect Union/Coming Together,” was chosen to show Minnesota Leather Pride’s support for marriage equality in Minnesota. Now that marriage equality is the law in Minnesota, this year’s theme can signify celebration of that fact.



Minnesota Leather Pride 2013 Events

Reminder: Visit <MNLeatherPride.org> for full details and the latest updates.

Friday, June 14: Electrical play demonstration presented by the Electrical Play Group. 8-10 P.M. Camp Bar, 490 N. Robert St., St. Paul.

Saturday, June 15: Recovery in the Lifestyle (RITL) meeting. Open to anyone living the leather/BDSM/fetish lifestyle in any Twelve-Step Recovery program. 7-9 P.M. Clare House, 3105 23rd Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Sunday, June 16: Unity Through Rope demonstration presented by MSDB. 2-5 P.M. Patrick’s Cabaret, 3010 Minnehaha Ave. S., Minneapolis. $10; discounts with 2013 Minnesota Leather Pride dog tag and for MSDB members. If desired, BYOR (bring your own rope).

Friday, June 21: Twin Cities Leather “Adventures in Fetish” fashion show and bootblack party. 7:30-9:30 P.M. Followed by FUNdRaver! 2 rave dance party, 10 P.M.-2 A.M. Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis. $10 for each event; discount with 2013 Minnesota Leather Pride dog tag or with combination admission to both events.

Saturday, June 22: Guest speaker Hardy Haberman presented by Leather Journey. 1-4 P.M. In The Heart of the Beast Theater, 1500 E. Lake St., Minneapolis. $10; discount with 2013 Minnesota Leather Pride dog tag.

Sunday, June 23: Leather Pride Motorcycle Ride presented by Knights of Leather. 10 A.M. departure; meet at 1610 Harmon Place, Minneapolis.

Sunday, June 23: Leather Pride Bicycle Ride presented by PEPRMNT. 10 A.M. departure; meet on Midtown Greenway in front of Freewheel Bike/Midtown Bike Center, 2834 10th Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Monday, June 24: BDSM Creative Collective presents readings from its 2013 Leather Pride Anthology of Art, Poetry, Photography, and Short Fiction. 7-9 P.M. Smitten Kitten, 3010 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Tuesday, June 25: Leather Pride Swap Meet presented by MAsT Twin Cities. 6:30-9:30 P.M. Camp Bar, 490 N. Robert St., St. Paul. No charge to shop; $5 to vend.

Thursday, June 27: Cigar and Pipe Smoker presented by Atons of Minneapolis. 8-11 P.M. On the patio of the Minneapolis Eagle/Bolt/Bolt Underground complex, 515 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Friday, June 28: Floggapalooza presented by Knights of Leather. 9-11 P.M. Camp Bar, 490 N. Robert St., St. Paul.

Saturday, June 29: Visit the Minnesota Leather Pride booth at the Twin Cities Pride Festival. 9 A.M.-5 P.M. Loring Park, Minneapolis.

Sunday, June 30: March with the Minnesota leather/BDSM/fetish community contingent, and help carry the giant leather pride flag, in the Ashley Rukes GLBT Pride Parade. Meet at 10 A.M. at 3rd St. and Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. Parade steps off at 11 A.M. Also, visit the Minnesota Leather Pride booth at the Twin Cities Pride Festival. 9 A.M.-5 P.M. Loring Park, Minneapolis.