Here is my take on various kink friendly events

All these events are ok to attend as a single and many singles do attend. There are lots of workshops and rituals you can attend either single or partnered at all of them. I would guess about 50% of attendees are single.

Here are some comparisons - I am interested in what others think too

New kinky event FetFest has just been announced for September 2011 at same location where Beltane is held. Th name is related to FetLife and there are lots of cool things to do and see there. The Primal Arts folks will be there, there is a Poly Village that Anita Wagner is coordinating and more kinky themes. They are shooting for 2000 attendees. Costs $99 for 3 days (Labor Day weekend) if you book soon. If you have wanted to experiment with kink in a free setting but never made it check this event out.
More at http://fetfest.com/

• 1st Tier: First 500 Tickets: $99 (First come, first served)
• 2nd Tier: Early Registration Tickets: $149 (January 11th - April 30th)
• 3rd Tier: Regular Registration Tickets: $199 (May 1st - July 31st)
• 4th Tier: Late Registration Tickets: $219 (August 1st - August 28th)

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we learn about Spanking for Health, Healing and Happiness with Steve Karuna Maitri and Rev. Jenellen Fischer. Do you want create deep connection with others? Do you want to release blocked emotions and reduce stress? Would you like absolutely transcendent sex with playfulness and joy?


For so many of us, spanking can act as a direct gateway to our emotions, sexuality, happiness and well being. Yet this practice has gone unrecognized as the powerful healing modality that it truly is. Steve Karuna Maitri will show you the limitless possibilities that spanking offers for creating deep connection, understanding, emotional health and absolutely transcendent sex. Find out how this practice can help you release blocked emotions, reduce stress and foster a deep and balanced partnership between you and those you love while adding a healthy dose of joy and playfulness to your life.


Steve Karuna Maitri has been a Zen Buddhist practitioner and meditation teacher in the Washington, DC area for more than a decade. In his practice, he combines mindfulness meditation, deep listening, spanking and massage to help his clients transform their lives and move forward on the path towards being whole. He has worked with clients to relieve stress, release blocked emotions and transform negative behavior patterns. He also works with couples to understand how spanking can deepen and transform their loving relationships.


Rev. Jenellen Fischer received her seminary and spiritual counseling training at The New Seminary Interfaith Minister Training Program, and One Spirit Interfaith Seminary of NYC where she was ordained in 2007. She is a Spiritual Counselor, Liturgical Singer, Reiki Master, Intuitive Empath, Energetic Healer, and a Sensual Shaman, utilizing sensual energy for the healing of geographic locations, people, and animals. She has been facilitating spiritual exploration for adults and children for over 20 years through her educational, meditation, and womens' spiritual support groups. As a sacred sexuality practitioner she is committed to helping expand people's awareness of the powerful therapeutic benefits and joys of spanking.

You can learn more at http://www.spankingforwellness.com

The workshop begins after dinner at 8pm.  I invite you to join us, though as always what ever choice you make you will be honored in.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we learn how to play with fire with Melanie. We will cover basic fireplay equipment (what it is, where to get it), basic safety practices (fire awareness, basic precautions, creating a safe setting for your scene, what will go wrong and what to do when it does), fireplay scene negotiation for tops and bottoms, basic fire wand techniques, fireplay "special effects" (using atomizers and flash cotton), erotic fireplay, fire cupping (if we can get cups), and fireplay aftercare. There will be a demo bottom and a chance for others to experience receiving fire.

Fire play is one form of what is termed edge play. It is also an advanced form of play. The term advanced is used here not necessarily to imply that one has to be in the lifestyle for a long time before attempting to do fire play, but rather that one should be mentored by one who is an experienced fire player instead of reading about it and trying learn it on one's own. Fire play is also a sensual play, meaning that it is more orientated toward sensual pleasure rather than toward pain.

Fire play is the only BDSM play form where there are always three living entities involved. Fire if left uncontrolled can , and will take on a life of its own so it should always be considered a living entity .The other two entities are the Dominant and the submissive. The Dominant fire player needs the ability to control all three at the same time to make a great and safe scene. From http://edmontonosociety.org/doc/fireplay.htm

The fire play begins after dinner at 8pm. I invite you to join us, though as always what ever choice you make you will be honored in.

After the event here is what Patti had to say (posted with her permission)

"last night at sandbox, i had the pleasure of being the demo receiver of fire from melanie the fire giver! it was a wonderful experience for me and i heard it was helpful to others present who had little or no understanding as to why anyone would want to play with fire! i wanted to share some of my experience with those who may have been afraid of the idea of fire play and missed out on a wonderful opportunity to be 'enlightened'.  :)

with lovely melanie as the presenter and fire giver, i knew i was in good hands. as mentioned, melanie attended a two-day intensive workshop at pre-beltane on fire play. after completing the workshop, i was one of her first recipients. we played outside, which added much to the experience. i am most grateful for david's drumming,
both then and last night. drumming brings so much to creating atmosphere and for me an inner calm open to receiving. thank you, kindly dear david.

it was very relaxing, even while pushing boundaries. the warmth of being under a flame as she blows it across my exposed, slightly chilled skin is a highly sensual and even at times erotic experience. the instrument used in fire play is called a torch. for reasons which need no explanation, i prefer to call it a firewand. the times when she literally runs the firewand across my back, then runs her hand lightly along the same path right after feels delicious, kind of like a
light massage with heat. mostly it was just a moving sensation of warmth and a caress spreading out all over my body. sometimes she would run over a ticklish spot and i would shiver. less frequently, i would feel the heat in a sharp but brief moment, not too startling; kind of like the snap of a rubber band. right after refueling with the alcohol, when she was dragging the wand across my skin i could feel simultaneously the cooling wetness of the alcohol and the warmth of the hungry flame licking it up! ooooooo...yummy shivers!
 
lying on my belly, i cannot see the fire. because i trust her it is actually easier for me to receive not seeing. once i turn over and can see the fire, it is definitely pushing boundaries for me, as i watch the wand, engulfed in flame coming up close to my breasts. sometimes i had to close my eyes and say to myself, "ah...yes, i do trust melanie" or hum, "yes, melanie loves me", especially when she introduced me to flash cotton. although so named, it is not
actually cotton, but nitrocellulose, the ingredient used in flash paper for theatrical effects. she pulled it apart into light wispy pieces and spread it across my tummy, just below my breasts. yeah, it was pretty theatrical!  *BIG* rubber band snap!!  campfire on patti! wow!

initially when asked about intensity of impact, wincing at the thought i opted for none. however, in a brief demonstration of what she meant, she tapped the wand across my buttocks in a light spanking motion...i found myself moaning....more please. now that really surprised me! what's that all about? hm, not telling! melanie gently brought me down from my journey with what her instructor called the 'excedrin treatment', where she warmed up her hands by holding the flame in her outstretched palm, closed them to snuff it out and then transferred the warmth to my face and forehead. yummy
warmth, gentle touch, lovely closing with a loving hug. in aftercare, sitting wrapped up in melanie's signature polar bear blanket and sipping water i was told that i was glowing. indeed!  thank you sweet, beautiful melanie! thank you also to michael/michelle and to sandbox!

glowing hugz,
patti