con details
i heard a lot is changing this year?
this year in order to pull together a great event in about half the time as past years, we’re trying a different approach.
there won’t be formal classes or workshops, however we will have a few select keynotes. we will also have an unconference format on sunday where anyone and everyone can teach a thing!
for context, most of the producer team stepped down this year and volunteer staff members stepped in. but because of the timing event planning got started much later than it normally would, and with some learning curve for the new team of course!
we faced having to cancel the event all together due to the reduced planning time, or get creative in our approach to make it happen. the overwhelming consensus was that the unique community experience that is unabashed is something we all need and deeply value, but even especially in 2025.
next year also may not look the same as this year. we will seek feedback on the different approach via survey after the con so that next year we can combine the best of everything so far in the history of unabashed and make 2026 better than ever!
what is an unconference?
an unconference elevates the idea that we all have something to teach and many things to learn, no matter experience level, education, if you’ve ever taught officially, whatever!
in this style you all can submit options for a class, workshop, discussion, group project, anything you can imagine really! these ideas will be put up live during the con and then everyone can vote on the session ideas they’re most interested in. winning votes (with a few other considerations) become a session on the schedule. in this way we create a “class schedule” just like you’d typically have for a con but it’s done in real time, it’s completely community created, approved and executed, and it shatters pedestal culture!
unconference sessions tend to be far more expansive and creative than formal con education. real unconference sessions from other events included large group project scenes, more pressing discussion group topics, and even a hodgepodge of smaller things that folx wanna learn and wanna share but that wouldn’t normally be enough to create a whole class around.
i have never been to a kink con before. what should i expect?
we’re stoked you’re thinking about getting social with your kink. we’ve got some practical details in the questions below, but check out our what to expect page for more.
how many people will be there?
capacity for this year will be 175 - there may be just a few give or take as we accommodate different staff needs. there’s so much focus on “more” in the world - things are always getting bigger, usually at the cost of both quality and community. we want to take this year to focus on reworking some of the issues we had last year, so that the people who attend have an even better experience.
we’re hoping to strike a balance between keeping things communal and offering more community space, while making sure everyone has physical space for all the sexy shenanigans they’d like to get into.
we also get that folks may still be feeling some anxiety around larger groups right now. track our covid policies here.
to keep things communal, cozy, and manageable in our first year, we capped attendance at right around 100 people, including attendees, presenters, and staff. we expanded in our second year to 150ish all told, and again in year 3 and 4 to 200.
what is the minimum age?
unabashed is for adults 18 and up. you must be 18 before the start of the event to attend.
what’s the schedule like?
we’ll release a full schedule ahead of time, but the hours of the event are roughly:
Friday: 3p-1:30a, with events from 6p-1:30a
Saturday: 9a-1:30a, with events from 11a-1:30a
Sunday: 9a-11p, with events from 11a-8:30p
what should I bring?
your government issued ID will be needed for registration. bring a water bottle and, if you plan on getting cozy with the coffee bar, your favorite coffee mug/tumbler. many people like to bring notebooks and pens for taking notes during sessions. for the parties, bring your toys, safer sex supplies, and aftercare gear, plus any towels or tarps you need to keep the space tidy. there will be spots to keep clothes and gear if you plan to get ready at the venue.
we’ll have some accessible seating again at the venue, and we’re looking into ways to get even more for 2024.
what is the dress code for the presentations?
we want you to feel good in your skin. please wear whatever that means for you. folks have worn everything from jeans and a tshirt to tie-dye jumpsuits to a long jean vest with a rope chest harness and a tail butt plug.
we only ask that you keep it street legal when you are outside the building, and that you sanitize seating before and after sitting if you plan to be naked.
what should I wear to the parties?
we are enthusiastic about seeing all your fetish and kink outfits, but our number one goal is for you to experience the party in whatever outfit makes you feel the best.
is this a sex positive space?
yes. our venue is a sex positive space.
we understand that not everyone wants to be in a space where sexual activities are occurring. we will have a low sensory space that will also be sex free.
in the past we’ve had a no sex play space, based on feedback we will not have a specific play space this year that is sex free.
i am queer but my partner isn’t. can they come?
while we appreciate and acknowledge our straight allies, this space is not for them.
why isn’t unabashed a hybrid online/in-person event?
while we have been known for throwing steamy online parties during the off-season, there are a couple of reasons why we haven't made the con a hybrid online/in-person experience. firstly, hosting a hybrid event requires a different infrastructure, staffing, and agreements with educators and attendees about the vulnerable nature of sharing online in a world of screenshots and recording.
secondly, as a small con, streaming all or some of the workshops would require additional resources that we do not currently have at our disposal. who knows! as we continue to grow and expand, there may be a right time to make this happen. for now we’re focused on a delicious in-person experience.
we apologize for any confusion over the use of the word “hybrid” for combination presentations (ex. discussion + demo) delivered solely in person. we will not use this language in 2024.
what’s up with the people of the global majority (PoGM/BIPOC) play space?
in previous years, the con featured a segmented dungeon with affinity spaces each night. we offered a PoGM play area on the first night of each event. feedback on this was not only largely positive (with some adjustments) but also a desire for more!
this year we will not only have a PoGM play space when the dungeon is open, but we are excited to add that this PoGM space will be maintained throughout the entire con. this means it can be used for unconference sessions as well, or for anything else that our friends desire. our aim is to center and uplift PoGM experiences based on direct feedback.