8th Annual Leather Masked Ball: Fetish Event Helps Raise Tens of Thousands for Charity
by: Mike Halterman
The eighth annual Leather Masked Ball, the largest charity event and party organized by the leather and BDSM (bondage/discipline, sadism/masochism) community in south Florida, will be held on Saturday, November 30 at Bill’s Filling Station, located at 2209 Wilton Dr. in Wilton Manors. The theme of this year’s event is “New York City Underground,” and DJ James Torres has been flown in from San Francisco to spin the music at this event. The VIP experience starts for special ticket-holders at 8 p.m., and the doors open for the general public at 9 p.m.
The Leather Masked Ball will boast multiple BDSM demonstration stations, a VIP lounge, a silent auction (which benefits the charities selected for the year), and bootblacking stations for those who want to keep their leather boots and shoes in top shape. If you’re not into the BDSM or leather subcultures, supporting the leather community and their charities is more than welcomed, especially if you wear a special Leather Masked Ball T-shirt (e-mail admin@lmbftl.org for information on how to purchase one).
The event is organized by the Leather Men’s Brotherhood, and proceeds from ticket sales go to the Brotherhood, the Leather Archives and Museum, and to local charities. The very first event, held in 2006, benefited the HIV/AIDS prevention and advocacy organization Care Resource. The Leather Masked Ball has gone on to benefit many local and state organizations such as Equality Florida, Broward House’s teen suicide prevention program, and The SMART Ride. Over $140,000 in charitable grants have been awarded as a result of the Leather Masked Ball since its first event in 2006. The beneficiaries this year are still being decided, and should be publicized by this issue’s street distribution date. To find out more, go to leathermaskedball.org.
Tickets are being sold right now at My Tropixxx (1514 NE 4th Ave., Fort Lauderdale), LeatherWerks (1226 NE 4th Ave.) and J. Miles Clothing Company (831 N. Federal Hwy.), as well as at Alibi on Thursdays and Bill’s Filling Station on Fridays. It is also possible to order tickets online via Eventbrite; visit leathermaskedball.org for details. VIP admission costs $55 in advance and $60 at the door. General admission is $35 in advance and $40 at the door.
