All those of you would couldn’t take the time off to go all the way to Chicago for IML, or felt you couldn’t afford those five days of high hotel prices might want to think about getting away this coming weekend to somewhere much closer, in fact a comfortable few hours’ drive East into Arizona.

Southwest Leather Pride welcomes you to enjoy a fun-filled weekend completely supported by their sponsors. Go enjoy the Southwest LeatherSir/leatherboy 2006 contest. Their local businesses and leather groups have joined together to make this a weekend you won’t soon forget. Temperature isn’t the only reason this desert is HOT! This year promises to be bigger and better than ever! It takes place from June 16-18 in Phoenix. They had a great time last year, and invite you to join them again this year, and bring your friends!

Here’s the schedule:

Friday, June 16 - Meet and Greet and Formal Wear and Speech part of contests. 9:00pm at NuTowne Saloon with a Leather Play Party at Flex Phoenix.

Saturday afternoon, June 17 - Phoenix boys of Leather and Tucson United in Leather present a Watersports Party at the Bunkhouse. Buns & Meat and & Drinks provided by Southwest Leather Pride. 1pm - 4pm

Saturday Evening - 6:00 - 7:00pm Charlie’s - Leather Family Cigar Social and Leather Cocktails. 7:00pm - 10:00 pm, also at Charlie’s - Southwest LeatherSIR/boy contests and Southwest Leatherwoman contest. Features: Contestants, AGRA Royalty, The Imperial Court, Charlie’s Cloggers, and hot fantasies on stage.

At 10:00pm there’s a Leather Bar Romp. Get your tickets Saturday night to ride the Leather Bus to local bars. Also at 10:00pm – Leatherlords do their Poker Run. There’s also another play party that night at Flex.

Sunday: Noon - 3pm: There’s a Leather Party hosted by the Arizona Women of Leather at the Cash Inn. Go and meet the new titleholders. Once again there’s a play party at Flex Phoenix. At 9:00pm the Padlock hosts "Come and show your bare chest in leather" Night. Sounds like a full weekend to me!

Meanwhile, going on here in the Palm Springs area at the Tool Shed they’re celebrating Father’s Day all weekend, so all you Dads get on down there and maybe a few boys will give you a Father’s Day surprise! On Sunday it’s also Charlie’s birthday. The Barracks has the usual weekend events and the beer bust.

Another good opportunity to get away for a weekend some time soon and also to get away from the Desert heat is to go to San Francisco. There’s lots going on these days and coming up soon. In April MEN IN GEAR gathered at the Eagle, in May at the Powerhouse…now, it’s set for Daddy’s/440 Castro on June 6^th from 6-10pm.

Here’s an excuse to get your gear ready this coming Tuesday at Daddy’s – leather, uniforms, rubber/latex, boots, cigars, sports gear, masks, harnesses, armbands, jeans…whatever your fetish and whatever turns you on.  Remember, MEN IN GEAR is not about entertainment, speeches, contests, or fundraising.  Meet some other men, have a few beers, cruise, relax.

Also BLUF gathers the first Saturday of every month at the Eagle…it’s been getting bigger and bigger each month.  Good crowd, some hot and horny men.  I’m told that there were quite a few that got some play last night.  I also hear that BLUF will be hosting a Dore Alley party…watch out, it should be one of the hottest parties that weekend. Check back nearer the date to find the confirmed date and location.

And, Stomper’s hosts a Boot Night the first Friday of every month at the Lone Star.  Pretty good crowd I hear. Andrew the bootdog did some good keeping boots in good condition. 

On the same topic, in Palm Springs the new Division of the Boots and Breeches Corps meets informally on the third Thursday of every month at a different location each time. Last time was at Ambiente Inn. If you want to know the next location, drop me a line at daddydon@leatherdaddy.org.  These Thursday nights feature a brief club meeting for members, followed by a pot luck, and occasionally a night out at a local restaurant. We’re also hosting the beer bust at the Barracks from 9pm every fourth Friday. 

After the gathering at Daddy’s on Tuesday, get ready for MEN IN GEAR on Saturday June 17^th at the Eagle…the first weekend gathering…no excuses…gear up.  David Morgan is working on a date for July – but will not be planning anything to conflict with other leather events and gatherings.  The whole point of MEN IN GEAR is to get you out more often.  David will be announcing info about July soon – and more details to come about MEN IN GEAR at Blow Buddies in August.

PLAN AHEAD

Coming up in July - The whole world goes to the Folsom Street Fair in September, and the street is crowded with the bridge and tunnel crowd, looky-loos from the East Bay come to gawk at the leather folks and mock the faggots. Not as bad as Hallowe’en but getting there. However, Dore Alley Fair is a whole different story. This serves almost entirely leather family, there are no gawkers and it occurs on a weekend when there’s lots more going on to make the trip worth while.

On Friday evening, July 28^th, it’s the venerable Leather Daddy Contest at The Eagle. Many people come from all over the country to be part of this event. Pre-judging takes place privately and the contest itself is in evening. Judges are usually previous holders of the title, of whom there have now been twenty three.

On Saturday night it’s the Northern California Sir and boy title contest, at the DNA Lounge at 375 Eleventh Street (two blocks from the Eagle), and it’s an early one, starts at 4pm and finishes at 7pm, in time for people to go out and have dinner and then hit the bars. Next day, all day, is the Dore Alley Fair, which takes place at Folsom Street and Dore Alley, which is close to 9^th street and opposite the Powerhouse Bar. Some condos have recently gone up on the parking lot which previously was the vendor area, so I don’t know what’s happening there now. Rest assured, the fair is going on and it will be much more interesting and more purely leather family than the more famous Folsom Street event. I’ll see you there.