Photos by Dale Simmons
If you're into dressin' up sexy and putting on some of those fancy leather chaps, we North Americans seem to forget that there's more to life than the various coastal Folsom parties: Beyond LA, New York, and San Francisco (or Chicago, for example!), we most often forget about Canada and her fabulous gay capitals.
How foolish to neglect Toronto, we realize, because coming in two weeks is DREAM, hosted by Northbound Leather. Long-billed as the "world's largest fetish party" and this premier leather event (and fashion show!) in Canada's most populous city takes place every fall, and now there's less than two weeks left to buy your tickets!
First held in 1979 at the St. Lawrence Centre in Toronto, the party was hosted by Northbound—the fetish boutique and designers responsible for dressing 80s and 90s punk and metal bands and singers, like Iron Maiden, Rough Trade, Carole Pop and Lee Aaron. The label began presenting its fashion show along with the festival in 1988, setting the precident for the Betty Page Social Club, a long-running Toronto fetish party, and the popularity of DREAM: the whole shebang brings in 3,000-5,000 revelers every year (Nowadays their looks are worn by pop stars we won't mention and featured in movies, like the Total Recall remake starring Colin Farrell)!
This year's events will include a lengthy fashion show, with a 50 Shades of Gray-themed section where models will dress up as Christian Grey, Anatasia Steele and other characters from the celebrated sexy triology. Also appearing at DREAM (and on the runway in deliciously designed leather gear) will be Ray Olubowale, the 6'7 heavyweight boxing champion of Canada, fitness model Helen Petras and Boylesque star Dew Lily.
Tickets are $45.00 in advance, or ten dollars more at the door. There are also a limited number of $125 VIP Packages. Tickets can be purchased by calling Northbound Leather at 416-972-1037 or online at www.northbound.com.
Strict fetish dress code enforced: Must have some form of leather, rubber, PVC, fetish sex wear, drag, lingerie, uniforms, athletic wear, and gothic—basically, not your civvies, kids!
