EQUINOX IX: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a “Leathermen’s Weekend”?
This is an opportunity for leathermen to get together for an entire weekend — Friday through Sunday — rather than just a chance meeting at a local bar. At our location, we will help form and enhance the connections between our attendees, both socially and sexually. We will have some organized activities (both fun things and BDSM workshops), ample free time for you to relax and play, well-appointed playspaces set up for all the fun you can manage.
Other leather clubs refer to weekends like this as a “run”, a term dating from when leather clubs were more motorcycle-centric than they are today. We don’t refer to Equinox as a “run” in our flyers and posters because some men confuse it with foot races.
What happened at earlier Equinox weekends?
Seattle Men in Leather first held Equinox leather weekends in the early 1990s. Equinox III was held in March, 1993, but for various reasons (such as the wet early spring weather in the Pacific Northwest), we stopped holding the event after that.
In 2002, the Seattle Men in Leather leadership felt it was time to bring back a leathermen’s weekend in the Pacific Northwest. Equinox IV, held in September 2003, brought together 78 men at a site near Olympia, Washington. In 2004, Equinox was held as in-town “mini-run”, with bar nights and play parties at the Wet Spot and Club Z. In 2005, Equinox VI returned to a more traditional offsite weekend at The Longhouse in Redmond, and we have continued there since.
We anticipate about 50 men will attend the 2008 weekend.
What is the significance of the name “Equinox”?
Earlier Equinox runs occurred near vernal equinox in March, and near autumnal equinox in September. Equinox IX will occur in July, however: to heck with keeping to dates near the equinox, it’s a good name and July is a lot warmer for a clothing-optional event!
And besides, the name “Inferno” was already taken.
Do I have to be a member of Seattle Men in Leather to attend?
Seattle Men in Leather welcomes all men to attend, whether or not they are members of any leather club, and no matter where they live. We expect to draw most of our attendees from the Seattle metropolitan area, but we hope to have a number of attendees from elsewhere. (Previous weekends have seen attendees from throughout the Pacific Northwest, plus Missouri, Tennessee, and Michigan. 21 different clubs were represented among the attendees at Equinox IV.)
The price is less for members of Seattle Men in Leather, but non-members who register receive a year’s membership in SML as part of the package. SML has members all over the Pacific Northwest and from around North America. For information on joining Seattle Men in Leather, click here.
Why is Equinox for “men only”?
Seattle Men in Leather is a men-only social organization. Our intent is to represent the men’s leather, Levi’s, rubber, and uniform lifestyles in a spirit of pride, fun, and unity in cooperation with the larger gay community. Equinox IX is designed to focus on and strengthen the special bonds shared by men into leather.
Seattle Men in Leather defines “men” as those who are male according to state-issued identification.
We can always use more volunteers to help us put the event together. We will have about a dozen people on the committee, each focusing on a different part of the event (Marketing, Registration, Playspaces, Security, etc.). Each of the committee chairs needs people to work with him, to share the load.
At the event itself, everyone will be expected to take a couple work shifts during the weekend, varying from dungeon monitor duty to security to clean-up at meals. Shifts will be assigned at the event site, based on your skills and interests.
Equinox committee meetings are held every couple weeks, at the Cuff Complex. If you are interested in volunteering to help with any facet of Equinox IX, please contact us at equinox@seattlemeninleather.org.
Most of all, though, you can register for Equinox IX, and get your fellow leathermen to register as well! The more men who attend, the more exciting the weekend will be for all of us.
Can I register online and pay by credit card?
The best answer is to download the registration form (PDF), print it, and send it in with your check. The event pricing is included on the PDF form, or you can find it here. (Click here for help with Adobe Acrobat and PDF files.)
You can also register online via PayPal, using your PayPal account balance or by credit card. (We charge a $3 service fee for those who pay by credit card, to cover the fees that PayPal charges to us.)
As soon as we process your registration, we will send a confirmation letter or e-mail. Around June 30, a packet will be sent to all registrants with directions to the site and other details you will need for the weekend.
If you register online, we will still need to have a signed waiver from you before you can attend Equinox. We will have a copy of the waiver with your name on it at The Longhouse for you to sign when you check in. Or if you prefer, you can download the Equinox IX registration form (PDF), fill it out and sign it, and mail it to the Seattle Men in Leather address on the form.
Each year, we offer a limited number of Day Passes in order to make the run accessible to more people, since we know not everyone can attend the full weekend. At the current time, the Equinox committee has not made a decision on when to make Day Passes available and what the pricing will be for this year’s event. Please visit this page again in late June for updated information.
If you know already that you are interested in attending Equinox IX, but will only be able to do so on a Day Pass basis, please contact us at equinox@seattlemeninleather.org so we can move the process along sooner.
Where is the leather weekend being held?
Equinox VIII will be held at The Longhouse in Redmond, WA, about 30 minutes drive from Seattle. The Longhouse is privately owned and very friendly to alternate sexuality. (The Wet Spot holds their annual camping week, Paradise, at the Longhouse.)
Seattle Men in Leather will be the only group at the Longhouse that weekend. Although some for the site may be present during the weekend, they will stay out of our way and you probably won’t even know they are around. They definitely will not interrupt any of our events or play sessions.
Full details on the site and directions will be mailed to all registrants in late June. Click here for details about the site and some photos.
What are the sleeping arrangements? Do I need a tent?
The Longhouse is a lightly developed site. There are a few buildings, including the indoor pool and bathrooms, but we will mostly be roughing it. (Even the kitchen is outdoors.) Most of the attendees will use tents and sleeping bags. For those who want or need more traditional beds, there is limited bunkhouse space available on a first-registered basis for an additional $20 to $120 depending upon the space requested. We have three available kinds of space. The President's Cabin for $120, private rooms for $60, and a mattress in the common room for $20
Don’t have a tent, air mattress, sleeping bag, etc.? No worries! The world’s premiere outdoor adventure outfitter, REI, has been based in Seattle since 1944. (The are five REI stores in the area, including one in Redmond only minutes from The Longhouse.) And REI rents equipment, so you don’t even have to buy it to enjoy Equinox!
What’s for dinner? (And breakfast, and lunch, and…) And to drink?
The menu for the weekend has yet to be set up, but it will include dinner on Friday, three meals on Saturday, and brunch on Monday. Snacks, too. No one will go hungry! (If you have special dietary needs, we will do our best to accommodate them. Please let us know when you register.)
We will have several hosted “cocktail parties” during the weekend, including the Friday night welcome social hosted by our Seattle Leather Daddy and Seattle Daddy’s Boy titleholders. (Want to host a cocktail social? Contact us at equinox@seattlemeninleather.org.) There will also be beer and non-alcoholic beverages available during much of the weekend. (Including coffee. This is Seattle, after all!)
If you need snacks or beverages or other items, an Albertson’s is just a couple blocks from the entrance to the property.
What are the rules about nudity and leather play?
The Longhouse is very, very, VERY kink friendly. The site will be clothing optional the entire weekend, except during meals (you know, health code regulations) and near the front gate.
Leather, BDSM, and kink play is welcome and encouraged just about anywhere during the weekend (except during meals). We will have some playspaces set up specifically for certain activities, but there are also trees and rocks and a creek available for you to be spontaneous with. There will also be some “quiet zones” set up for the tents of those who may want to turn in early.
What will the playspaces be like?
There will be a variety of dedicated playspaces available at Equinox. There will be indoor playspaces specifically for BDSM play, complete with equipment such as a cross, a fuck bench, and a bondage table. And for those who want just a good suck-n-fuck space, we’ll set up our own version of a bathhouse for you to enjoy. There will also be designated quite space for aftercare.
There will also be a dedicated fisting space for handball players. Cleanout facilities (a shower) will be available, but you will need to bring your own cleanout equipment and other supplies.
The site also lends itself to outdoor play and some equipment will be placed to enhance those opportunities for outdoor play. If you have equipment you would like to offer for use during the weekend, please contact equinox@seattlemeninleather.org.
What other activities and entertainment will there be?
The Longhouse has several acres of minimally developed, forested land, allowing for ample opportunity to take a hike and go play in the trees. (Bring some rope!)
Our schedule of events is still being planned, but we expect to have some Tribal Instinct BDSM workshops on Saturday, and maybe some “Tribal Games” as well. Sunday brunch will be our awards ceremony.
Beyond that, the bulk of the weekend will be very freeform. Relax when you want, play when you want. (But don’t be late for meals!)
What will the weather be like? I’ve heard it rains a lot in Seattle.
We just tell people that to keep them all from moving here.
More seriously, while the Pacific Northwest is a damper climate, the “rain” that we get tends to be light rain — mist or drizzle, enough to keep the streets and lawns damp — and it often comes overnight, in the hours before dawn. Various parts of the eastern side of Puget Sound receive in the range of 50-80 inches per year, with the “rainy season” running from October to May. Mid-July is high summer, with daytime temperatures ranging from the 60s to the low 80s, giving way to cool nights, somewhat cooler at higher elevations.
When you pack for the run, plan for a little bit of anything, because that’s what the weather might be: a little of this, a little of that. Bring both shorts and a jacket, and you may well wear them both at the same time. Also be sure to bring sun block, since there are some parts of you that might be best left unburnt. Be sure you have a tarp for under your tent, and a rain fly for over it, and a good warm sleeping bag.
Unless you’re made of spun sugar, we doubt you’ll melt in whatever rainfall we get that weekend.
I’m coming by plane or train. Will there be a shuttle to the run site?
Seattle Men in Leather will be happy to provide transportation from Seattle to The Longhouse for both out of town guests and for any Seattle residents who need it; details on this will be made available in June. We will make pickup and transport arrangements for our out of town guests to and from the airport or train station, in addition to any shuttle service we may provide to The Longhouse. Please let use know your travel plans and transportation needs when you register.
I plan to visit Seattle for a few days before or after the run. Can SML members host me?
Seattle Men in Leather expects that some members will be able to host out of town guests for a couple days. Such hosting will be on an as-available basis, so if you wish to plan for such, please let us know when you register, and we will put you in contact with SML members who would be willing to host you during your stay.
We can also recommend hotels and bed-and-breakfasts (even some leather-friendly ones) which are convenient for longer stays.
The weekend after Equinox is the Up Your Alley Fair (aka Dore Alley) in San Francisco. If you’re from out of state, you might want to attend Equinox and then venture down to California for a truly great leather vacation.
What other vacation options are there for me in the Pacific Northwest?
The Pacific Northwest offers many options for travel and sightseeing. We encourage you to turn your trip to Equinox into a full vacation, either starting or ending a week’s vacation with the leather weekend.
The major cities are Seattle, Portland (2.5 hours drive south of Seattle), Vancouver BC (3 hours north), and Spokane (5 hours east). All the cities have spectacular views, assorted tourist attractions, shopping, and vibrant gay communities. And of course there are many smaller cities and towns throughout the area, each with its own attractions.
Outside the urban areas, there are vast expanses of nature to explore. The Cascades are littered with dramatic volcanic mountains, including Mt. Rainier National Park, Mt. Hood, and the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. West of Seattle is the Olympic Peninsula, with craggy mountains and a temperate rain forest. Further north, you can explore the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound, or venture to Vancouver Island and the city of Victoria, BC. Eastern Washington has broad expanses of mostly high desert, but also areas full of wheat fields, apple orchards, and other agricultural products.
In terms of leather life in the Pacific Northwest, the primary leather bars in Seattle are The Cuff Complex (which is also SML’s home bar) and the Seattle Eagle. Portland has the Eagle PDX and Urge, and Vancouver has the PumpJack Pub and the Leather Loft at Numbers (for special events). Each city also has at least one sex club or bathhouse, and each has at least one leather store.
More Info: equinox@seattlemeninleather.org
Problems: webmaster@seattlemeninleather.org
Last Update: 03/16/2008