Sexpo is one of the biggest adult industry shows in the UK. This is its first year here and taking place at Olympia it has a lot to live up to. We managed to get in and show off what we are doing and met up with some of the other amazing people doing their thing in the UK. One thing this show has taught me is that it is a bustling time for the UK adult industry. There are a lot of really great companies coming out with unique and interesting products, and shows like this are the place to go to see them.

One thing I can’t talk about are the acts they had on the stage. I only caught a little of what was going on and it did look good. Cara Sutra has a much better look at what was going on.

First things first, supporting the Mark Gorry Foundation We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who came and made a flogger. We made 189 mini-floggers in the end and raised £157.57 for the Mark Gorry foundation. That is amazing, thank you everyone at Sexpo who took the time to do it.

Squee moment

So there is something you should really know, Olympia is something a little special for me. It is the place I went too the very first time I was allowed to go to an exhibition on my own. It was Live’93, a tech and computer show (I went to 93, 94, and 95). I’m a nerd, I don’t mind admitting it. It was the first time I had been to anything like that, and it was amazing. Packed with the latest tech (it was 1993 so don’t get too excited) it was the first time I got to try out Virtual Reality. The first time I played Lazer Quest (Nerd remember). And just the first time to really wander around one of these things.

[caption id=”attachment_2289” align=”aligncenter” width=”700”] Almost the entire show, we are in there[/caption]

So being back at Olympia with my own company showing off what we are doing was a bit special.

Friday - setup

We got to the show at 1pm. Slots to get into the parking area were tightly controlled and turning up 40 minutes early was met with a brisk no and told to come back at my time. Fortunately there are some great cafes and pubs very close by so it really wasn’t a problem.

[caption id=”attachment_2287” align=”alignleft” width=”200”] The grid wall. Still need more work, but it worked OK[/caption]

Once we did finally make it in the parking area it was a case of going to find our space. B30 was ours. Stepping inside the main hall we were immediately met with carnage. The main stage still being put together, all the stands being put together, people rushing around.

We found our little corner of paradise and set to work. One of the things we learned from Sexhibition was to slim down what we took. Everything was preprepared into boxes and reduced down from the last show we did. So getting it all into the show area ran like clockwork. While Pixie stood and talked to Sheets of San Francisco I lugged everything in (I’m not bitter… honest :P).

Then as any good Englishman should do when faced with a ton of work and a looming deadline, I insisted we sit down and had a sandwich. On the chairs we brought and at one of the tables. I have standards.

Lunch eaten, van parked it was time to do the setup. It is hard to make setting up this sort of thing interesting even at something like Sexpo. We had already planned out most of what we wanted to do. Smut Manchester had shown us that the grid wall was pretty crap and we needed to come up with a better way. So this time the legs were abandoned and we went for a concertina approach which worked really well.

Hold on a second, that's not right

Tables were setup, product was going out and we heard the announcement that the doors would be opened at 4pm. Hold on a second, the doors should be opening at 4.30 that is when they are opening. This was about 3.20 and what we thought was a good hour to have everything done had just gone down to 40 minutes. I’m still not entirely sure how that happened, but happen it did. Lunch wasn’t looking like such a great idea now.

[caption id=”attachment_2269” align=”alignright” width=”200”] Managed to get the new candles ready for the show. They were very popular.[/caption]

“OK lets not panic, we can get this done” are the words I think I used. Even with a fairly sparse display like ours it still takes ages to get out. Then we had to get the tables sorted, and the mini-flogger kits ready to roll.

It all just about got there. We knew people wouldn’t be over to us straight away (even if we did start our first flogger making at 4.15). Kinky people are a forgiving lot so they were more than happy to sit for a moment while we finished up.

Let the rush begin

I am still a little surprised at just how eager people are to make their own floggers. Once we show them how fun it is, and explain they will make it themselves they normally say “There is no way I can do that, I’m not good with my hands”. But as soon as they start I would hear “Oh, this is just like making friendship bracelets”.

On the Friday night from about 4:15 to the close we were packed with a queue of people all waiting to have a go. Everyone had a great time and there were a lot of happy, smiling, flogger-meisters.

Show security some love

I would just like to say to the security people at Olympia, you are a great bunch. You do a hard job and you were curtious and professional all the way. I even managed to get a couple of them to come and sit down and make their own floggers after they clocked off.

If you are going to have security walking around an event like Sexpo, you want them to have a flogger hanging from their belt ;) It just seems right.

Saturday begins

Saturday was of course going to be the busiest and hardest day out of the lot. The doors opened at 11am and wouldn’t be closing until 10pm that night. To spend the entire day standing is one thing, to spend it making floggers is exhausting. But… so much fun.

Anyone will tell you being at a show like Sexpo is hard work, there is so much to do. But the people coming through Sexpo were awesome. It is easy to forget you have been standing there for 6 hours when you just keep having fun conversations. The look on some ones face when the pile of paracord they have been given turns into a sexy toy they can use right away.. that is priceless. It makes the whole thing worthwhile.

Saturday morning emergency

Then of course there are the emergencies. On the whole we were really well prepared but there was a problem on Saturday morning. The lovely kinky people were using a lot of tape… and I mean a lot. We had brought a good 10 rolls with us which we thought was going to be enough.

It turns out the kinky people in London like a lot of tape in their floggers (to make them more secure) so we were running out of tape quickly. What are you to do when you are faced with such a sexy problem? Find the nearest DIY hardware shop of course (Where else would you go for your kinky kit?).

Fortunately there is a lot very close to Olympia so finding a shop close by wasn’t a problem. The look on the face of the guy who served me was priceless. I came in from the rain in my Kink Craft t-shirt and asked where the electrical tape was. He pointed to the corner then obviously read what my shirt said and froze up a little. It was OK, I was on my way to the corner already.

Then I proceeded to clear them out of all of their electrical tape. 6 large rolls and all the small rolls they had. Another look of shock on his face as I dump that lot onto the counter and ask him if they have anymore. I was greeted with another priceless look.

“That is everything we have, we won’t get any more till Monday”

“That will have to do then I guess, thank you!”

I don’t think he really knows what happened, but with tape in hand I headed back to the show to keep everyone happy.

Sunday

Last day of Sexpo and the day didn’t start out so great for me. For the first time ever my alarm decided it didn’t want to go off. I am not a morning person in any way, but I have never gotten out of bed so quickly in my entire life.

[caption id=”attachment_2291” align=”alignleft” width=”225”] Apology breakfast at Sexpo[/caption]

It was one of those moments where you look over to the clock and it says 8am, it takes you just a moment to process it, then your eyes go wide and you are anything but asleep now. I didn’t just get up, I left the bed at a run, cloths on, and out the door. To find a Pixie less than impressed with my lateness.

Fortunately we still had plenty of time, just not enough to have any breakfast. So I went and got “Forgiveness Breakfast Sandwiches” from a local cafe. They seemed to do the trick.

Sunday went off without a hitch, plenty more made their floggers and everyone had a great time. The very last people who made floggers were an absolute treasure. With only half an hour before the doors were closed they were wandering past. I managed to nab them and got them to sit down. They were really not sure but obviously wanted to give it a shot, one last little bit of fun before it all ended.

They whizzed through their making and had such a laugh, both got into a mess, helped each other, and walked away with their own new toys. The cherry was when they said thank you and that we had made the show for them.

Thank you, you made my show as well.

Others at Sexpo

I feel I have to talk about some of the others that we met at the show. You really couldn’t ask to meet a nicer bunch of people. They didn’t have to be that way of course, but I think we managed to charm them ;)

Quietly Kinky

Chris and Jo are quietly kinky, a lovely sexy couple who make films together, educate, and are just generally awesome. Unfortunately I missed them TWICE at Sexhibition but I was determined it wouldn’t happen this time. We were lucky they dropped by a couple of times and caught up. If you do get a chance to meet them do it.

JuJuJezebel

[caption id=”attachment_2283” align=”alignright” width=”200”] Beautiful Taboo’s beautiful work[/caption]

If you need anything made of leather there really isn’t anyone better than JuJuJezebel. We met at Sexhibition and for their shear enthusiasm alone they are worth talking to. Their leather work is beyond anything I have seen from other people. It is just so beautiful, and when the time comes I need something made this is where I am going to go.

Beautiful Taboo

Our stall was opposite Beautiful Taboo, there is another amazing company that are worth your attention. I spent a lot of the show looking at the wonderful leather harness and suspender set they were showing off. It was a thing of beauty. They design all their own items and have them made to the highest standard, and it really shows.

Behind Barz

You really couldn’t meet a nicer crew than them. They make the most astounding metal chastity belts I have seen. They are only making male ones at the moment, but I am hoping they will start making female as well. Even if it isn’t your thing they are worth talking to. If you ask really nicely they might even do some custom work for you.

Fet and Fun

A wonderful couple making their own wax play candles, chainmail, and jewelry. We had a lot of fun with them at the show, got to crack one of our whips as well. I am expecting a lot more from them in the future :)

Wrap up

Sexpo was a lot of fun, exhausting but amazing fun. It is a real shame we didn’t get to see any of the shows that were taking place. From everything I have heard they were very good. I caught a glimps of the of Pyrohex and that looked very good.