
BUS TOPS: With Whiplr laying on this year’s buses, should we expect even more of this malarky? Top Banner: Debbie and Noko at 2014’s LFW Subversion Special (both photos: Bobette)
London Fetish Weekend 2016 now ten events in four days.
London Fetish Weekend, taking place at various London venues between September 29 and October 2, has bumped up its 2016 programme to no less than ten public events over four days. With Whiplr once again as headline sponsor, the LFW offering includes parties from Torture Garden and Subversion, shopping opportunities at LAM and Le Boutique Bazaar, a Red Bus Tour, a politically inspired photo exhibition and more
The organisers have once again secured Whiplr as their headline sponsor, with the BDSM networking app providing not only this year’s Routemaster Bus Tour but also an extra event — the invitation-only ‘Elite’ lunch.
First event of the long weekend is Thursday 29’s Camden Crunch Special, from 6pm until late at a venue to be announced.
Hosted by the people behind the monthly Camden Crunch, this is a meet and greet-style evening in a vanilla venue with a vibe somewhere between munch and party/club night.
Dressing up is encouraged though not obligatory. However, drinking — certainly for Crunch regulars — is obligatory. You have been warned.
For those favouring the more traditional munch format, Friday 30’s London Munch provides just such an occasion during London Fetish Weekend 2016.
Hosted by Lady Emily in the Basement Bar, Inn of Court, in Holborn from 6pm to 11pm, the munch will take place in a private area of a regular pub, so the dresscode is vanilla.
That will be something to bear in mind if you’re thinking of taking in the munch as a warm-up for Torture Garden later the same evening.
TG’s LFW Ball this year is between 10pm and 6am at Qube in Victoria, a venue where photo ID is required.
No specific performances have yet been billed, but TG says you can expect aerial pole and fire performances, cage installations, Club Arena and Ballroom music spaces, a dungeon playroom and erotic play booths.
Like all TG events, it has an enforced fantasy dressode, which is broarder than regular fetish dresscodes but nevertheless requires suitable effort to be put in.
Saturday October 1’s festivities begin at noon when the doors open for London Alternative Market and Fashion Show at its new venue: the ILEC conference Centre in Earl’s Court.
This six-hour LAM combines fetish shopping opportunities with performances and fashion shows — details to be announced. There’s no dresscode but dressing-up is welcomed.
The next event in the London Fetish Weekend 2016 programme is Saturday evening’s new ‘filthy’ play party, Subversion Noir at The Hoist in Vauxhall.
Open from 10pm to 4am, this venue will offer multi-room play with slings, benches, crosses and a camo-net labyrinth, plus watersports area, glory holes and a latex shine boy.
In addition, a team of mistresses, masters and subs will be on hand to provide a safe environment for ‘players and those who like to be played with’.
There’ll be a strictly-enforced fetish dresscode, but be warned: high-heeled footwear is not recommended as the venue is ‘not fully high heel friendly’.
Taking over LAM’s venue for the day, the Workshops promise to provide ‘an exciting line-up of world class kink education’. More information will be posted when that line-up has been finalised.
Sunday daytime also sees a special LFW edition of Le Boutique Bazaar, London’s occasional fetish and alternative fashion market organised jointly by Torture Garden and Wasted Chic.
In an ideal world, of course, this pop-up shopping opportunity with up to 40 vendors (including a healthy contingent of latex labels) would happen at the start of the London Fetish Weekend 2016 programme. This would provide a chance of making last-minute outfit purchases for Friday’s TG and other dress-up events during the weekend.
However, the logistics of the weekend just don’t make that possible, so visitors will have to content themselves with outfit-shopping for Sunday’s Bus Tour, the LFW closing party and the rest of the autumn fetish party season!
LBB takes place from 1pm to 7pm at McQueen in Shoreditch, which is also the starting point for the bus tours that begin at 2pm (see below).
Sunday’s packed daytime programme includes the hosting of the invitation-only Whiplr Elite Lunch — details to come.
Whiplr is also sponsoring Sunday’s four Red Routemaster Bus Tours which depart from LBB venue McQueen at 2pm, 3.30pm, 5pm and 6.30-pm. Your seat can be reserved at the LBB reception desk and will be free if you show the Whiplr app loaded on your phone, otherwise there’s a £5 charge.
Each one-hour bus tour will stop at one or two London landmarks along the way, for those seeking to capture the perfect ‘Kinky Kodak Moment’.
The tours drop off at Revolution Bar, Leadenhall, where the rest of Sunday’s events take place.
Launch of the 13 Steps to Suppression Photo Exhibition happens there between 5pm and 7pm.
This free entry event highlights the 13 acts, such as face-sitting, whose depictions are banned under Britain’s current anti-porn legislation.
Final event of Sunday 2, and of London Fetish Weekend 2016, is the Happy Endings party, also at Revolution Bar from 6.30pm to 10.30pm.
The venue is set up to accommodate a blend of play, drinking and socialising with friends old and new.
The ground floor is the chill-out seating and drinking area, while the basement features the photogenic safety deposit box and cell room.
The vault room, with two suspension frames, is reserved for bondage, while the sub-basement, with its full range of dungeon furniture, will be where the majority of play happens.
STOP PRESS: OFFICIAL LFW HOTEL ADDED! The Official LFW Hotel is the Ibis London Earls Court, located at the ILEC Conference Centre, 47 Lillie Road, London, SW6 1UD.
Special rates for the LFW are: £110 B&B single occupancy or £120 B&B double occupancy. To get these special rates, quote ‘London Alternative Market Attendees block’ when booking. Note: the hotel only sells rooms — not event tickets. Book rooms with the hotel at: +44 20 7666 8446 or ilecconferencecentre.co.uk/hotel/
BELOW: Click dropdown panel for the complete London Fetish Weekend 2016 schedule at a glance, including ticket info. And check out Bobette’s galleries for a taste of 2015 and 2014 LFW action!
Evening: CAMDEN CRUNCH SPECIAL
Meet, greet and be merry at a Camden venue TBA
Dresscode: none, but dressing-up welcome
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 30
6pm–11pm: THE LONDON MUNCH
Basement Bar, Inn of Court, 18 Holborn, London EC1N 2LE
Nearest Tube: Holborn
Entry: free
Dresscode: vanilla
10pm–6am TORTURE GARDEN LFW BALL
Qube, 191 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5NE
Nearest Tube: Victoria
Tickets: £29 + fee advance
Dresscode: strict fetish/fantasy
Photo ID required
SATURDAY OCTOBER 1
Noon–6pm: LONDON ALTERNATIVE MARKET AND FASHION SHOW
ILEC Conference Centre London, 47 Lillie Road, London SW6 1UD
Nearest Tube: Earls Court
Tickets: £7 + fee advance; £9 door
Dresscode: none, but dressing-up welcome
10pm–4am SUBVERSION NOIR
The Hoist, Arches 47b & 47c, South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1SR
Nearest Tube: Vauxhall
Tickets: £20 advance; £25 door
Dresscode: strict fetish and more
LINK FOR TICKETS AND PASSES
For tickets, and passes for All Events, Friday/Saturday and Saturday/Sunday:
londonfetishweekend.com
Noon–6pm: WICKED WORKSHOPS
Revolution Bar, 140–144 Leadenhall, London
EC3V 4QT
Nearest Tube: Bank
Tickets: Individually priced for each workshop (details TBA)
Dresscode: activity-appropriate
1pm–7pm: LE BOUTIQUE BAZAAR
McQueen, 55 Tabernacle Street, London EC2A 4AA
Nearest Tube: Old Street
Tickets: £5 (with Facebook pre-registration) otherwise £7, door only
Dresscode: none, but dressing-up welcome
Daytime: WHIPLR ELITE LUNCH
Details of this invitation-only lunch are yet to come.
2pm–6.30pm: WHIPLR RED ROUTEMASTER BUS TOUR & TRANSFER
Departs: 2pm, 3.30pm, 5pm and 6.30pm from McQueen, 55 Tabernacle Street, London EC2A 4AA
Nearest Tube: Old Street
Seats (reserved at LBB reception): £5, or free if you show Whiplr app loaded on your phone
Drop-off: one hour after start of tour at Revolution Bar, 140–144 Leadenhall, London EC3V 4QT
Nearest Tube: Bank
Dresccode: kinky and fun, but no nudity
5pm–7pm: 13 STEPS TO SUPPRESSION PHOTO EXHIBIT LAUNCH
Revolution Bar, 140–144 Leadenhall, London
EC3V 4QT
Nearest Tube: Bank
Entry: free
6.30pm–10.30pm: HAPPY ENDINGS
Revolution Bar, 140–144 Leadenhall, London
EC3V 4QT
Nearest Tube: Bank
Tickets: £7.50 advance, £10 door or £5 with a workshop ticket
All events 18-plus
Updated August 24, 2016
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