International Mr. Leather is a huge gathering of kinky, primarily queer folks in Chicago, hosted this year at the Congress Plaza Hotel. While centered around a contest and crowning of a new title holder, it’s now equal parts play party and social gathering.
There are a lot of official events, such as Gearblast and the Chicago Rubbermen meetup, that you can find a comprehensive schedule for here – and you can always find a party in the hotel lobby. There are a lot of offsite events, smaller and/or unofficial gatherings, that don’t make it on the schedule. So here’s a list of a lot of those! Anything that’s queer or kink-themed is fair game. Please note that this is not exhaustive and will be updated as new events are announced. If you have any suggestions feel free to contact us so that they can be added. Also of note: the only events listed are those that are reasonably open to the public. Some may be targeted at more select groups, but there won’t be any private room parties listed, or events that require a specific invite (unless that invite is accessible). The event text descriptions were provided by the event hosts unless not available.
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ALL WEEKEND
The Grabbys: honoring work done in the gay adult erotic video industry
Bear Pride: Chicago bear celebration
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Thursday, May 21st
5PM – 8PM
Leather64TEN 9th Anniversary Party: Michael and Eric invite you to a special gathering commemorating the opening of our current location of Leather64TEN (6410 N Clark St). Light refreshments provided. Come see our new look and celebrate with us! Plenty of fun things happening all night. Stay tuned for more details!
7PM – 9PM
Join the Leather Archives & Museum (6418 N Greenview Ave) for the opening of its newest Guest Artist Gallery show, Colorful Shades of BDSM & M/s. This exhibit features new water-color works by Master Morris. During the past fifteen years Morris Taylor has had 15 one-person shows at venues such as Grace Cathedral, Magnet in the Castro, Club Eros Gallery, and the Citadel. As Master Morris, he participates fully in the leather scene frequently giving workshops and demonstrations. He previously held the title, International Master 2013. Admission is free.
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Friday, May 22nd
9PM – 2AM
MACHO invites you to come out and dance the night away with the hottest men in Chicago! DJs, Gogo Bears, and YOU! OH MY! With D.J. Dennis Murray and David Charles on the decks, the Bottom Lounge (1375 W Lake St) will be THE place to be on Friday night. $15 with an IML or Bear Pride pass, $20 without. $1 from each ticket sold will go to the Howard Brown Health Center (Bear Pride’s charity of choice) and the Leather Archives and Museum (International Mr. Leather’s charity of choice.) Doors open at 9pm.
10PM
I Look F*#cking Cool with Alaska 5000 & Adore Delano: Kick off your Memorial Day Weekend with RuPaul’s Drag Race Stars Alaska Thunderfvck & Adore Delano performing LIVE on the Roscoe’s Tavern (3356 N Halsted St) dance floor stage! $25 for the Meet & Greet tickets, which are advance purchase only. To Purchase Tickets Call 773.281.3355 ext 7 or email shawn@roscoes.com. $10 Cover After 9pm
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Saturday, May 23rd
4PM – 5PM
Puppy Pride Yappy Hour: It’s time for us to COME OUT! IML is the biggest leather event of the year and it’s time for us puppies to come out and show the Leather community that we are an amazing part of the traditions, kinks and fetishes that get us hard and make us wag (Bark BARK!!!) Join us for the first Puppy Pride Yappy Hour at the IML Host Hotel Lobby, because while everything may be awesome, everything is MORE PAWESOME with a puppy!
5PM-7PM
Superhero Fetish Meetup: It’s time for all superheroes and villains to unite at IML! Join organizer Pablo Greene in the first Superhero Fetish Meetup at the main bar at the Congress Hotel. This meetup owes a lot to the leather community, IML and Gear Blast, so thank you to them. Wear your best superhero or villain cosplay!
8PM
The Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus show We’re Still Here, celebrating the music of Stephen Sondheim, is within walking distance from the hotel at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance (205 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601). Tickets are available at cgmc.org. For more information, call 773-296-0541 or email info@cgmc.org.
8-11PM
BLUF Chicago Reception: BLUF Chicago is hosting a reception for all interested attendees in the Oxford Room of the Congress Hotel. This is a free event; a cash bar will be provided. Note that this event has a dress code–leather uniforms or motorcycle cop uniforms ONLY. Last year we had nearly 150 hot guys show up, and expect even more this year. Everyone had so much fun socializing that we got a bigger room this year and extended the party another hour. We look forward to seeing everyone!
10PM – 5AM
RECON Full Fetish Chicago: Recon returns to the Windy City on Saturday 23 May 2015, bringing with us Full Fetish Chicago, the only play party during the IML weekend. Chicago is going to be flooded with hot fetish men from around the world, all looking for action. Make sure you’re ready for a night of fetish gear, dance and sleaze! Full Fetish is open to all dress codes including: rubber, sports, leather, uniform, skins, punks, Lycra, superhero, biker, jocks & boots, etc. You’ll find the party at Jackhammer (6406 N Clark St.) Tickets are$20, including $5 towards your first drink, and will be available on the door.
10PM – 5AM
Debauchery: The Official Grabbys Afterparty, featuring porn star gogo boys. $10 advance tickets at Grabbys.com, $15 tickets at the door. DJ Pornstar 10AM to 1AM), after hours with DJ Lulu till 5AM. $5 cover after 1AM, $5 domestic draft pitchers, $10 Long Island pitchers. Location is Charlie’s Chicago (3726 N. Broadway).
10:30PM – 5AM
Woof!! At the Circuit On Halsted (3641 N Halssted St). Get your leather outfit ready! SKIN Productions will take over Circuit Nightclub dance floor for IML weekend. Come dress in your fetish, jockstrap, gears or just in your underwear. The message here is be and express your fetish. $15 before 2am, $20 after 2am. DJ Alain Jackinsky (Montreal) will be spinning on the stage.
11:30PM – 5AM
Furball Chicago 2015 Bear Pride/IML Weekend!: Joe Fiore presents FURBALL CHICAGO IML/BEAR PRIDE Weekend! on Saturday, May 23, featuring:
DJ HIFI SEAN (London/UK), and DJ RON GERONIMO (Chicago.) Advance tickets are on sale now for $16, and can be purchased here. Tickets will be $20 at the door.
11:30PM – 6AM
Men’s Room Chicago at The Bijou Theater – Chicago (1349 N Wells St) is presented by Leather Archives and Museum w/ Shaun J. Wright, Juliana Huxtable, Banjee Report, Harry+Jpeg, and BDSM performance art by Derek da Silva. Six hours of DJs with dance floor, clothes check, classic porn, live BDSM performances, private booths, outdoor “garden,” free beer/water all night!
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Sunday, May 24th
12PM
Chicago Puppy Patrol Presents: IML Puppy Brunch at Second Story Bar: Join International Puppies Tork and Figaro, International Trainer Sir Justin StClair, and the amazing Carlos R Santos at Second Story Bar (157 E Ohio St 2nd Floor)the Sunday of IML for drinks, food, and fun! This bar is within walking distance or a short bus ride from the host hotel.
3PM
The Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus show We’re Still Here, celebrating the music of Stephen Sondheim, at the Wentz Concert Hall (171 East Chicago Ave, Naperville, IL 60540). Tickets are available at cgmc.org. For more information, call 773-296-0541 or email info@cgmc.org.
6-6:45PM
Happy Puppy Yoga: IML 2015 Edition: Going to Woof Camp? Come warm up first with some Happy Puppy Yoga. This will be a 30 minutes class to help get pups and Handlers all loosened up for romping around and playing with other puppies. Happy Puppy Yoga will be in the Alcove Ballroom at the Congress Plaza Hotel promptly starting at 6:15pm. Please come early to find a spot and settle in. This year, Steamworks Chicago is sponsoring and providing some yoga mats. It would still be wise to bring your own, but we will have some if you don’t have one.
8PM – 2AM
Brüt Presents Barcode Chicago IML: Barcode is back! Ready to come and rock out The Manhole – Chicago (3208 N Halsted St, Chicago, Illinois 60657)? Returning Dj Dan Darlington and DJ Peter Napoli are going to be serving up dirty beats, along with a little New York Gogo action. We have been gone long enough. $25 at the door and through the ticket link.
10PM – 3AM
Vespertine: The Play Party for Women: Vespertine Chicago is open to all women and transfolk 18 years of age or older. If you are a woman, or you identify as a woman and live your daily life as a woman or are a female-born transgender person who feels they have a connection with and love of the kinky/leather/fetish women’s community, YOU ARE WELCOME! Vespertine Chicago encourages education in the fine fetish arts and interactive, hands on role-playing, safe and consensual scene play and a person’s right to explore new and exciting ways to express themselves in a sexual manner, safely.
Our event May 24th at The Studio will feature Demos by Daddy Sky, Dominatrix Alexandra Sadista (aka Candyxxx) and Miss Ammunition. Bring your own toy bag. $20 per person, cash only. FETISH ATTIRE REQUIRED: Leather, Latex, Uniform, PVC, Rubber, Goth, Lingerie, Suit and tie, Dress to impress! No jeans, t-shirts, sneakers or ball caps. Vespertine Chicago rigidly upholds member confidentiality. Club events are private and open to vetted/qualified members only. No cross dressing cis gendered men allowed. You MUST RSVP with your legal name which matches your state issued ID, Date of Birth, and your valid e-mail address to skyvespertinechgo@yahoo.com. Party particulars sent upon RSVP. No RSVP/no entry/no exceptions.
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Monday, May 25th
9PM-4AM
Rebel Leather: Matthew Harvat and Scruff proudly present Rebel Leather (3641 N Halsted St.) The first large scale Memorial Day Monday dance party in Boystown in over a decade. Join us as we take over Circuit Nightclub for one night only and transform this 1000 person club into a leather playground. State of the art sound, all new laser show, startenders from NYC and LA and go go gods from around the globe! With a starting ticket price of $10, how can you go wrong?
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