San Francisco’s leather district let its freak flag fly on Sunday for the Folsom Street Fair, the world’s largest gathering of kink lovers. 

The crowd of tens of thousands flowed through the streets in varying degrees of dress. Some wore no clothes at all, some just enough to cover their privates, and some wore enough to cover everything but their privates.

Ultimately, though, nothing was private. Whether it was a naked Twister or doggystyle in the alley, no one could be seen judging or giving side-eyed glares. Phones were out to document the whole thing. 

Each block filled with vendors carrying spanking paddles, chastity belts, dildos, and other accessories. In some corners, attendees stood on ladders so as to get better views of the action: random blowjobs, large pup meetups, wrestling matches.

A few attendees said they had been up all night working on their costumes. One attendee dressed like a Labubu to pay homage to the dolls that have taken the world by storm over the past year. He said it was the dichotomy between the innocent nature of the toy and masochism that drew him to the character. 

A festivalgoer going by Nikon Z-9 came dressed like a K-9 officer. He said his partner hadn’t allowed him to join the military, and this was the result.

Adjacent to one another was a daycare, with participants dressed up like little kids with diapers, and a dog kennel, with people dressed like dogs. Just a dozen or so feet away from a man dressed as a toddler with a pacifier were two men mating in pup costumes.

In the spank-a-thon section of the fair, Rob Cork was allowing strangers to attach clothespins to various parts of his naked body. He compared himself to the first person to climb Mount Everest.

“I’m pushing the envelope,” he said. “It’s the shock value to the audience. It’s a challenge to myself to see if I can take it.”

Mr. Milk was dressed as the “pope of kink,” and he certainly looked the part. Milk’s partner, Milk von Cakez, has been coming to the fair for 23 years, since she was 18.

“I’m a sinning sister out here spreading the gospel of blasphemy,” she said.

Those who did take part in sexual activities walked around the fair with an aura of peace. They smirked gently as they kissed their new lovers goodbye and sat down, touching themselves and looking out to the crowd with glee.

Other members of the BDSM community seemed content just to people watch — and to leave the sex, pain, pleasure, or all of the above to everybody else.

Bumpy, who was dressed in plain clothes, said he appreciates the fair because it’s the only time of year you can really take part in the community in public. When asked what he loves most about the BDSM community, he said it’s the “truthfulness.”

His partner, Juicy, noted that it’s a great way to socialize — to build genuine relationships with people outside of work and beyond technology.

“It’s everyone just totally being themselves,” she said.