Folsom Street East: June 21st

After a hiatus in 2013 due to the continuing makeover of West 28th Street, Folsom Street East came roaring back last year just one block away. Some details on this year's flesh fair:

Folsom Street East, Inc. (FSE) today announced that it will hold its 18th annual Street Fair on Sunday, June 21st, from 11 AM to 4 PM, in Manhattan on West 27th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues. Folsom Street East is the largest fetish block party on the East Coast; this year’s theme is “THE NEW YORK YOU WERE WARNED ABOUT.” FSE is proud to share visual branding illustrated for the 2015 Street Fair by visionary comic book creator Phil Jimenez. “Folsom Street East is a celebration of the rebellious spirit of the New York kink and fetish scene, and our imagery for this year’s fair depicts our community in all its vibrant diversity,” said Paul Harrison Phillips, Communications Manager for Folsom Street East. “We’re immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Phil Jimenez to realize an ass-kicking vision of our modern city that never sleeps.”

This year's beneficiaries are the New York City Anti-Violence Project and Visual AIDS. Updates and photos can be found on their Facebook event page.

TODAY: Folsom Street East 2014

Folsom Street East runs today on West 27th between 10th and 11th avenues. That's one block south of the street in front of the Eagle. The weather today is partly cloudy with highs in the mid-70s - perfect for an outdoor party.

Seen On The Mister Sunday Dance Floor

Folsom Street East director and popular DJ Dave Hughes sported his JMG shirt at yesterday's Mister Sunday party in Brooklyn. After a one year absence, Folsom East returns on June 22nd. It was Dave who suggested using the quote that is on the back of all the JMG shirt styles.

Folsom East Announces 2014 Lineup

Details and bios. I know most of these guys!

Folsom Street East To Return

Folsom Street East didn't happen last year due to the massive apartment building that is nearing completion on West 28th Street. The event returns this year, one block away. Via press release:

Folsom Street East (FSE) today announced that it will hold its 16th annual Street Fair on Sunday, June 22nd. In anticipation of final approval from the City of New York's Street Activity Permit Office, FSE also announced that this year's Street Fair will take place on 27th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues, one block south of its previous venue. "We're thrilled to bring Folsom Street East back to the streets of New York City," said FSE Board President and Street Fair coordinator Gary Martin. "We believe that 27th Street will be a great new venue for our event and are confident that our final permit will be approved in light of Community Board 4's unanimous recommendation to SAPO earlier this month that it go forward." This year's Street Fair will benefit the Anti-Violence Project, Housing Works, the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, and the HIV/AIDS-related services of The Center. The fair will be held from 11 AM - 4 PM, and feature 2 hour stage show starring New York's finest entertainers - bookings to be detailed in advance of the event. As in years past, attractions will also include a beer garden hosted by the Eagle NYC.

RELATED: If you'd like a brand new apartment with views of the Eagle and the city's most famous titty bar, a studio will run you up to $4000.

Folsom Street East 2013: Canceled

The organizers of Folsom Street East announced this afternoon that this year's event has been canceled.

It is with sadness that the Producers and Board of Directors of Folsom Street East have to announce that the 17th annual Folsom Street East Street Festival this June is going to be cancelled. Though we continue to receive support for this community-building and fundraising event from Community Board 4 and our neighbors on the block (including our producing partner The Eagle NYC), the ever-growing construction on the north side of 28th street has made it impossible for us to successfully and safely hold our annual street festival. Thank you for the years of support from our attendees, sponsors, partners, exhibitors, vendors, performers and volunteers; we are sad that we will not be able to celebrate Pride with you at our fetish-friendly event this year.

Shortly before last year's event I reported that the above-mentioned massive condo complex had been pressuring the local community board to close the fair.  But Community Board Four chairman (and 2013 City Council candidate) Corey Johnson tells me today that he "had no idea" that the fair was going to be canceled.

This cancellation was probably inevitable and many locals are likely surprised it lasted on West 28th for as long it did. Perhaps the organizers will find another location for next year, but don't hold your breath that another Manhattan neighborhood would welcome such carefree carnality. Below are a couple of shots I took in recent years. The lower one I took from the stage in 2007 while I was judging one the fair's more hilarious contests.

NEW YORK CITY: Chelsea Condo Owners Seek To Close Folsom Street East

New York City's Folsom Street East Fair is this Sunday and Jeremiah Moss reports that the owners of luxury condos nearby have petitioned the local community board to end the fair. Moss' site Vanishing New York has a quote from a resident:

Residents from several surrounding buildings have passed fliers asking our residents to write to the Community Board to relocate or totally eliminate Folsom Street East because "fetish" fairs shouldn't be allowed so close to so many residential buildings. There's word that a petition of some sort will be circulated but I'm not exactly sure what the details are. A letter was written to the Community Board asking how they can assure residents access to the building without having to walk through the fair itself. Another suggestion was to move it to the next block where it's bordered (for now) by commercial on two sides, Con Ed to the north, and West Street. The primary issue for us at 540 W 28th isn't the Eagle or even Folsom Street East. It's allowing residents access to the building without having to go through the fair itself. Other residents of the surrounding buildings and even my own building may have additional concerns with regard to the lewd conduct and nudity in full view from their units.

Moss and many others (including myself) have long pondered the future of the newly fancy West 28th Street. He writes:

Last year, when the second part of the High Line opened, I wondered how long the sex-positive Folsom Street East festival would survive on West 28th, now that the once-desolate block has become a destination for tourists and condo-buyers. Soon after, I looked at the arrival of massive condo-box Avalon West Chelsea, coming to the same block, right across the street from the Eagle gay leather bar, and predicted that the Eagle would not last much longer, either.

Folsom Street East tells Moss that they've not directly received any complaints, but have made some changes to the fair's layout this year to accommodate the new residents of the street.

We were surprised because we haven't been contacted by anyone. Folsom Street East is a community event, and is eager to work with the neighbors. We observed certain issues last year, so one of the ways we have adjusted the fair this year is to provide a 5-foot-wide sidewalk along the buildings that goes from 11th Avenue down to the condos at 540 W. 28th Street. That way residents don't have to walk through the attendees in the street. They will be able to walk alongside the buildings and enter their own home as usual.

It's the oldest story in Manhattan. A formerly shitty area full of gay clubs, titty bars, and danger suddenly becomes posh. And out goes the nightlife.

Folsom Street East: Sunday, June 20th

New York City's annual leather street festival, Folsom Street East, is next Sunday, June 20th.

Inspired by San Francisco's legendary Folsom Street Fair, FSE was founded in 1997 by former Gay Male S/M Activists (GMSMA) chair John Weis and a cohort of similarly-minded New York City leathermen. “I thought that having a fun day in the sun for the SM/leather community celebrating our diversity would go a long way in helping dispel myths and stereotypes,” said Weis. “We saw FSE as important opportunity for visibility, outreach and activism. A key part of that is taking a proud stand -- outside in the sunshine – embracing and celebrating sexual diversity.”

Since that first year, FSE has featured live music and performance art, bootblacks, barbers, health and community information, and vendors selling everything from cigars to harnesses to handmade floggers. From a handful of vendor tables and a few hundred attendees that first year, FSE has grown exponentially: the 2009 event drew over 50 vendors and nearly 10,000 leather and fetish-clad revelers over the course of the afternoon. FSE is also an opportunity for the community to flex some philanthropic muscle as well. The $10 suggested donation benefits a number of charities and to date, FSE has donated over $210,000 to a wide array of non-profit organizations, including this year’s beneficiaries: the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, the New York City Anti-Violence Project, and the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF).

You might recall that last year Porno Pete LaBarbera sent a hidden camera crew to the fair and posted photos and videos of unsuspecting attendees. He also made the typically ridiculous claim that "hundreds of fully nude men" roamed Chelsea's West 28th street engaging in "sadistic homosexual" acts in "violation of New York City's lewdness laws." But as you can see from the photo below, it was a cool and overcast day and hardly anybody so much as doffed their shirt, much less walked around naked. Let's hope for warmer weather this year!

Peter LaBarbera Lies For Jeebus. Again.

In a piece instantly lapped up by wingnut sites like World Net Daily and others, leather-fascinated closet case Peter LaBarbera has trained his beady pig-eyes for the first time on NYC's Folsom Street East. Sending an undercover cameraman into the paid-admission only event, Porno Pete has again published photos of unsuspecting fairgoers, making the ridiculous claim that "hundreds of fully nude men" roamed Chelsea's West 28th street engaging in "sadistic homosexual" acts in "violation of New York City's lewdness laws."

Reading LaBarbera's post, a friend of mine commented, "Wow, he makes it sound better than it was!"

Hundreds of naked men? Not hardly. I was there for five hours and saw maybe six nude guys out of about 10,000 attendees. (Six nude guys I could have done without, as these things always go. "The goggles! They do nothing!") There weren't even that many guys with their shirts off, thanks to the rain and chilly weather. Embiggen the photo below, taken at the height of the fair while Chi Chi LaRue was cracking up the crowd. Hundreds of naked men engaging in perverted sadomasochistic sex? NO. As always, Peter LaBarbera is a fucking liar for Christ.

Slideshow: Folsom Street East 2009

Despite the intermittent showers, the folks at Folsom Street East pulled off another huge success, with Chelsea's W. 28th mobbed at times from end to end. As per usual, there was a guy with a snake, a guy with a parrot, and just to shake up tradition - a guy with a weasel. Also: drunk boys, leather boys, and pony boys. My judging duties during the porn star contest called for slightly more interaction than last time, but of course those photos cannot appear here. The skies really opened up around 7pm, sending a tidal wave of wet leatherette into the Eagle, where tents magically appeared over the rooftop deck. Super fun day. Full-screen versions of the above photos can be found here.

Folsom East Umbrella Fair Today

As you can see, we're due for another wet Folsom East Fair today, but the forecast only calls for a half-inch of rain all day, so at best we're probably only gonna get sprinkled on. When it started raining last year, the 10,000 or so folks in attendance had nowhere to run, so we all just covered our beers and kept yakking. Was kinda fun. The fair starts at 2pm and runs until 8pm.

UPDATE: No rain yet (at my place, anyway) and the forecast is greatly improved.

Folsom Street East Update

Those perverts at the Folsom Street East fair asked that I post this updated flyer and mention that I'll again be a "celebrity" judge at the 5:30pm porn star contest. If you recall or were there, the last time I judged the contest...well, let's just say that no photos were appropriate for this here website thingy. The fair takes place this Sunday on West 28th Street in Chelsea from 2pm - 8pm. Last year it rained on and off during the fair, which actually turned out to be kinda fun.

Sunday In NYC: Folsom Street East

This Sunday over 10,000 kinksters, friends, and looky-loos will crowd Chelsea's W.28th Street for the 13th Annual Folsom Street East Fair.

Performers this year include Billboard Top Ten recording artist Sylvia Tosun, as well as Peppermint, Reina, Guy, the Johns, Kissy Kamikaze, The Imperial Court of New York, Noa Tylo and Fredrick Ford. Porn producer extraordinaire Chi Chi LaRue will return as the event’s emcee. And there will be lots of entertaining antics on stage and along the street all day long. The street will once again be lined with some 50 community groups and vendors that appeal to the LGBT and the kink communities and mobs of leatherclad musclehunks. A one-stop shop for leather gear, porn, and toys. And no throw pillow, magic mops, or tube socks – promise! Proceeds benefit the LGBT Community Center, the NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP), the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) and GMSMA. Admission $10 at the gate.

Bears, Otters, And 10,000 Assorted Pervs

Folsom Street East was a barrel of monkeys pony boys yesterday. Despite the on and off thunderstorms early in the day, West 28th Street was mobbed by 4pm. And when the rain returned for an hour or so, there was no available cover for most of us, so we all just left our cakes out in the rain. Pretty much every person in I know in the tri-state area was in attendance and I got to meet a passle of cute JMG readers as well. (Hello Rich, Sue, Brent, Wilson.) Congrats to John Weiss and his legion of volunteers for another great event. [Photo by Father Tony. Pictured: Farmboy C, Glennalicious, Little Nick, JMG, Chris. Here's a gallery of probably NSFW pics by Father Tony.]

Reminder: Folsom East This Sunday

Don't forget that Folsom Street East takes places this Sunday on 28th Street in West Chelsea. Even if you're not down with the scene, it's hard to resist any reason to stand in the sun and drink beer with 10,000 scantily clad perverts.

This year's performers include punksters Kissy Kamikaze, dance hotties Noa Tylo and Frederick Ford, SuperNova, Trai la Trash, and Sylvia Tosun. Best bet: Godfather of Punk and Blowoff kingpin Bob Mould goes on at 6PM.

For a glimpse at the venues of NYC's famed but mostly gone leather scene, check out this excellent post at Vanishing New York, where Jeremiah has posted a before-and-after photo essay of the city's once notorious leather hot spots.

Folsom Street East XII - June 22nd

The 12th annual installment of Folsom Street East takes place on June 22nd in West Chelsea on W.28th Street.

Folsom Street East is New York’s premiere s/m-leather-fetish themed street festival. Produced by Gay Male S/M Activists (GMSMA), Folsom Street East is the largest outdoor event of its kind on the East Coast attracting nearly 10,000 visitors.

Performances already schedule this year will feature Bob Mould, Sylvia Tosun, Fredrick Ford, Kissy Kamikaze, Trai La Trash, The Imperial Court of New York, Noa Tylo and Supa Nova. Porn producer extraordinaire Chi Chi LaRue will serve as the event’s emcee.

The street will once again be lined with some 50 community groups and vendors that appeal to the LGBT and the kink communities and mobs of leatherclad musclehunks. A one-stop shop for leather gear, porn, and toys. And no throw pillow, magic mops, or tube socks – promise!

Proceeds benefit he LGBT Community Center, the NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP), the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) and GMSMA. Admission $10 at the gate.

Congrats to the organizers for snagging Bob Mould for this year's fair. With the construction of luxury condos getting underway on W.28th, look for this year's fair to be an even crazier crush of menz. Who buys a "luxury condo" in between the Eagle and Scores, the biggest titty bar in town?

Smooth/Soften

Paging the Conde Nast art department: Father Tony (NSFW) has some mad photoshop skillz, evidenced here by the creamy complexions of Superdaddy and myself. My skin hasn't looked this baby-smooth since spring break '81 when I passed out drunk in the Marlin Beach Hotel and awoke to find that my friends had entertained themselves by giving me a cucumber-avocado facial. I smelled like guacamole all weekend. I can still remember the owner of said product screaming about them having wasted his Bal Harbor purchase on me. Thanks for being my volunteer aesthetician, Tony. Makes me totally wanna look into botox.

Folsom East Draws Record Crowd

Yesterday's Folsom Street East fair was a smash success, with a massive crowd of leatherfolk and looky-loos crowding W.28th Street from 10th to 11th Avenues. FSE head John Weis was ecstatic, telling me that attendance was an all-time high, somewhere around 10,000, putting the event on a scale with SF's similar Dore Alley Fair. Porn stars, media types, LGBT leaders and pretty much half of my blogroll (above photo) was in attendance. This year the weather was almost mild, compared to last year's blistering day.

At 7PM I was hustled backstage with the other judges (club promoter Mark Nelson and ONYX (NSFW) Vice President Master James West) for the "Nasty Pig Porn Star Pie Eating Contest", which turned out to be slightly different than I had expected. Oh, there were porn stars and there was pie. Lemon meringue, in fact. However, FSE's take on this classic America fair event was twisted. Three two-man porn teams took the stage in jockstraps, with one man on each team bending over to present his ass to the crowd as his teammate smashed a pie into his butt. And then ate it. Good clean fun. We unanimously selected the Treasure Island team as winners, which probably won't surprise anybody who has seen one of their movies. There are pictures, but nothing I can use here. Not if'n y'all wanna keep your jobs, that is. The photo to the left is my witty friend Alan, who is not a porn star, but should be.

The beneficiaries of this year's fair: the NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, the NYC LGBT Community Center, and the National Coalition For Sexual Freedom. Congrats to FSE and their army of volunteers for a well-run and successful event. It was a great Daddy's Day.

UPDATE: Gawker has a brief video of the fair, including a quick shot of a pony boy. Hi, Lynette!

BELOW: Crowd shot, via Patrick's Words (NSFW): BELOW: Father Tony (NSFW) provides an aerial view:

Folsm Street East: This Sunday

Folsom Street East, NYC's smaller but almost as pervy version of the legendary San Francisco leather fair, takes place this Sunday on Chelsea's W.28th Street. I'm told this year's festivities include a "porn star pie eating contest". Will there be actual pie involved? Inquiring minds, and all that. FSE is put on by GMSMA, the Gay Male S&M Activists. Hey, whatever happened with that trademark battle between the NYC and SF Folsoms?

UPDATE: Uh, oh. I've just agreed to be a judge in the porn star pie eating contest. This could be interesting.
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