Click on the link above to view ONYX Mid-Atlantic events and meetings.
National Observances
| Date | National Observance |
|---|---|
| February | Black History Month |
| February 7 | National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day |
| March | Women's History Month |
| March 31 | International Transgender Day of Visibility |
| May | Asian Pacific American Heritage Month |
| June | LGBTQ Pride Month |
| October | LGBTQ History Month |
| October 11 | National Coming Out Day |
| November 13-19 | Transgender Awareness Week |
| November 20 | Transgender Day of Remembrance |
| December 1 | World AIDS Day |
| December 8 | Pansexual Pride Day |
Local Chapter Events
- Business Meetings Occur the Second or Third Saturday of Each Month. Check our calendar.
- Exec. Board Meetings Occur One Week Prior to Each Business Meeting. Check our calendar.
ONYXMA INIQUITY Halloween Bar Night – Fright Night, October 31, 2026, 10 pm – 2 am, @Green Lantern
What are you doing for Halloween? Join ONYX for our annual Halloween Bar Night event. Come in costume! $10 Cover.
ONYX Mid-Atlantic Cocktail Party & Gear Show, January 16, 2027 2pm – 6pm
Hyatt Capitol Hill, Congressional Ballroom A (400 New Jersey Ave. NW, Washington DC)
Join ONYX at our annual Cocktail Party and Gear Show for Charity on January 16, Congressional A Ballroom on the lobby level, from 2 – 6 PM as part of Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend 2027. Our live auction offers amazing leather apparel and gear for bidding.
Our charity recipient is SPARTA Pride, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that’s home to a community of transgender service members, veterans, their families, and their allies.
Violet’s Bake Sale, February 14, 2027, Noon – 5 pm (Date / Location have not been formally announced)
Violet’s Bake Sale is an annual charity bake sale and live auction event in Washington, D.C., organized to raise money for local LGBTQIA+ community organizations. This event is typically held at the Crucible (412 V St. NE, Washington DC). More information will follow as it becomes available.
Recurring Local Events (Bar Nights and Events by ONYXMA Brothers)
Green Lantern Shirtless Thursdays. Join ONYX Mid-Atlantic at our home bar as we come out for fellowship each Thursday. See you there!!.
The BGKH Show with Dominion & Epic streams live on Wednesdays via YouTube, 8 – 9:30 PM Eastern. Join in the live conversation by subscribing to the channel at https://www.youtube.com/thebgkhshow?sub_confirmation=1
National Events
Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend, January 15 – 18, 2027, Washington DC
Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend (MAL) is one of the largest annual LGBTQ+ leather, kink, and fetish community conventions in the United States. Hosted by the Centaur Motorcycle Club (founded in 1970), the event draws thousands of international and domestic attendees every January. It typically coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend.
The MAL 2027 host hotel is the Hyatt Capitol Hill (400 New Jersey Ave. NW, Washington DC). In 2028 this event begins a new era at the DC Washington Hilton (1919 Connecticut Ave Northwest, Washington DC).
ONYX Cocktail Party and Gear Show, January 16, 2 – 6 PM, Hyatt Capitol Hill Host Hotel (Congressional A)
Join ONYX at our annual Cocktail Party and Gear Show for Charity on January 16, Congressional A Ballroom on the lobby level, from 2 – 6 PM. Our live auction offers amazing leather apparel and gear for bidding.
Our charity recipient is SPARTA Pride, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that’s home to a community of transgender service members, veterans, their families, and their allies.
North American Bear (NAB) Weekend 2027, February 18 – 21, Bearlesque Leather & Lace, Lexington, KY
Join over 1,600 attendees from all over the world for our 15th annual event in 2027. Start planning your costumes now for our leather & lace weekend! Our 4-day, action-packed schedule will include pool parties, dance parties, vendors, workshops, entertainment, food, cocktail parties, and more! Cheer for your favorite candidates in our signature North American Bear Contest.
Leather Leadership Conference 2027, February 26 – 28, Portland, OR
The LLC is driven by a shared mission to educate, connect, and empower Leather leaders and community groups. Our volunteers work tirelessly behind the scenes to create an inclusive, dynamic, and impactful space for learning, growth, and collaboration. Together, we strive to honor the legacy of Leather leadership while encouraging the next generation within our community.
LLC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization powered by the passion and dedication of volunteers.
International Mr. Leather (IML), May 27 – 31, 2027, Chicago, IL
International Mr. Leather (IML) is an annual multi-day celebration of leather, kink, and fetish culture held in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1979 by Chuck Renslow and Dom Orejudos, it has grown into one of the world’s longest-running and most recognized community gatherings, culminating in the crowning of a new International Mr. Leather and International Mr. Bootblack.
DC Black Pride, May 28 – 31, 2027
The Black LGBTQIA+ movement demands more than a party and more than survival. It’s a call to create, build, and reclaim what has always been ours: culture that moves the world, joy that isn’t performative, and community care that is real and practiced. DC Black Pride centers on Black LGBTQ+ artists, leaders, healers, and organizers while confronting what still makes Black Pride necessary, including HIV, inequity, homophobia, and transphobia. Memorial Day Weekend in DC is where the Black Pride Movement began, and this year we carry that legacy forward with purpose, style, and staying power.
The Westin Washington, DC Downtown will return as the host hotel. Booking details will be shared soon. 
DC Capital Pride, June 12 – 13, 2027
Capital Pride Parade, June 12, 3 – 7:30 pm. Route TBD
The iconic Capital Pride Parade is emblematic of the historic Pride movement. This beloved tradition honors our history and acknowledges the evolution of the LGBTQ+ neighborhoods in Washington, DC, while respecting the origins and importance of taking to the streets in our fight for equality.
Capital Pride Festival, June 13, 12 noon – 10 pm.
The free Festival will be the final electrifying day during the celebration weekend. It will take place on America’s Mainstreet, historic Pennsylvania Avenue. The Festival will feature hundreds of vibrant exhibitors, skilled artisans, delicious food, and beverage gardens. The celebrations will come alive with multiple stages, showcasing an array of multicultural and multilingual performances, making this an unforgettable experience.
Baltimore Pride, Mid June Dates TBD
Baltimore Pride is major annual weeklong LGBTQ+ celebration hosted by the Pride Center of Maryland that honors the culture, resilience, and history of sexual and gender minorities in Charm City. These include the Pride Parade, Festival / Vendors, and the final Festival in the Park. More information will follow as soon as it is available.
Folsom Street East, June 20, 11 – 6 pm. NYC (note: Date is tentative and yet to be formally announced)
Folsom Street East is typically held annually on a Sunday in mid-to-late June in New York City, intentionally aligning with New York City’s Pride Month celebrations. It serves as a large outdoor, sex-positive LGBTQ+ kink and leather street fair featuring local artisans, gear vendors, live DJs, and community resources.
Dore Alley 2027, July 23 – 25, 11 am – 6 pm, 2027, San Francisco, CA
More hardcore than its big brother, Folsom Street Fair, Up Your Alley (Dore Alley) is a fetish market not for the faint of heart! Enjoy a weekend of fetish parties and circuit events in the lead up to the final Sunday of the month, when the fair come to life and fetish lovers unite. The dates for Dore Alley have not been formally announced.
Dore Alley is held in the SoMa (South of Market) neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The outdoor event takes place on Folsom Street (between 9th and 10th Streets) and extends onto Dore Street (from Howard Street down past Folsom Street).
CLAW 2027, July 29 – August 1, 2027, Hyatt Regency, Columbus, OH
Founded in 2002, CLAW is one of the largest leather and kink non-profit organizations in the world. CLAW hosts immersive, educational events, hands-on kink, and inclusive community programming. The event organizers officially signed a long-term contract with the Columbus venue, scheduling the 2027 gathering for July 29 – August 1, 2027.
