Event review: Kinkfest UK 2014

Earlier this year, I was asked to take part and teach workshops at the UK’s largest and newest BDSM educational conference and event, Kinkfest UK. To say it was an honour to have been able to take part is an understatement and over the course of its 2 day debut, it quickly became my favorite event of 2014 and one of my favourite BDSM events of this past decade.

Concentrating more on the safety and knowledge aspects of BDSM during the day by hosting a large and very diverse assortment of workshops and classes, while during the evenings having a large environment to practice in and have fun with new-found skills, as well as having live performances of fire play and Japanese rope bondage, Kinkfest UK has it all. In fact, I think the only thing it lacked was a market.

Held in the same venue as they hold the Midland peer rope evenings at the Xtasia club in Birmingham, I ran several flogging workshops over the course of the event and I also managed to get in some very fun rope (photos below). They have expressed wishes to continue Kinkfest UK as a yearly event and I for one really hope they do. This event was simply awesome and given the chance, I would gleefully attend again.

The First flogging workshop on the 26th July:

My playtime while attending the peer rope workshop on the 26th July:

The last flogging workshop on the 27th July:

My rope model and workshop partner for the event: Jitsuka.
Photos courtesy of Kinkfest UK.
Photography by Red Fox Photography.
All images are copyright © KinkfestUK 2014.

Otonawa workshops with Peer Rope London

I have been incredibly busy this past month, but I finally have the time to sit down and write a few posts for my currently neglected blogs.

First up: A short post about the extended 4 day weekend of Otonawa workshops and Peer Rope London events that we had attended this past week while they are still fresh in my memory.

Mister Otonawa and his lovely wife Tsubasa are one of my favorite Kinbaku performance couples. They bring to the stage a mix of Kinbaku with stand-up comedy and sideshow theatrics. Their performances are incredibly unique and entertaining (Mister Otonawa is also the inventor of ‘Air Kinbaku’, rope without rope).

When Benjamin was asked to safety monitor the workshops and help anyone who may be having a little difficulty while taking the classes, I jumped at the chance to tag along and perhaps learn a few things in the process (I find it a little funny that Benjamin was so busy doing the monitoring over the 4 days that he did not get to tie me up at all).

One of the evenings was an open stage night and we were treated to a full performance by Mister Otonawa and Tsubasa. The word ‘Awesome’ comes to mind when I think back to that particular night.

Luckily, I had taken videos of all the lessons so that Benjamin and I can refer back to them when opportunities arise to practice. I personally sat in on one of the workshops, partnered up with a friend of mine, and I think we learned a lot.

I managed to break out my poi floggers and dragon tails during the evenings and moments between workshops (at one point having 6 people lined up in a row and bent over while I flogged up and down the line) and even encouraged Mister Otonawa and his wife to have a go.

I wish to send out a big thankyou to the organisers of the whole wonderful weekend (I am not sure if they are comfortable with names being mentioned, so I will simply say ‘organisers’ as they know who they are). We had a fantastic time.

It was a trip down Roper Lane that I will not soon forget.