[caption id=”attachment_1694” align=”aligncenter” width=”1000”] Alix Fox on stage right at the start of Sexhibition, she knows how to start a show[/caption]

Where do I even begin with what happened at Sexhibition? Let’s start with what Sexhibition is. Sexhibition is a brand new 2 day event in Manchester. It is for all walks of sexy life to come together and enjoy themselves. We were there to show off what we were doing and make floggers. But more on that in a bit. There were a lot of other stalls there, all showing off their stuff. There were also some top notch acts performing.

What I can't talk about

Unfortunately, there is one thing I can’t talk about and that is the acts. I would love to be able to tell you how awesome they were and who stole the show. But truth be told I just didn’t have the time to see any of them. My time was entirely taken up running our stand.

But what I can say is Alix Fox was compering and she was great, and I caught a little of Sukki Singapora doing her stunning burlesque. I wish I had gotten more time to actually stop and watch some of the acts because I get the feeling I really missed out on some good stuff. But as I say, my hands were full and I just didn’t have the time.

What I can say is...

[caption id=”attachment_1692” align=”alignright” width=”233”] The Red Room. This is as close as I got unfortunately. But sounded like people enjoyed it.[/caption]

But what I can talk about are the awesome people who were there. We got lucky and were on the main walkway through the event. We were also opposite the Red Room (the BDSM play area… don’t ask, I didn’t even see past the doors… busy). So everyone got to see us and we got to see them.

I was lucky enough to get a chance to talk to some of the other stall holders. I finally got to meet the mastermind behind JuJuJezebel and all I can say is “What a guy!”. One of the nicest people you could meet and has the most beautiful gear. I feel I must also give a huge shout out to Sheets of San Francisco. We had talked a little before the show so I wanted to say “hi” but I had no idea they would be such awesome guys, with a great looking stand, and a really cool product.

We were opposite Whips and Sticks with their huge selection of floggers and canes, as well as some really well-made furniture. There were so many amazing stalls there I just don’t have the time to cover them all.

There was also some truly beautiful artwork there as well. Again, I barely had any time to actually look but it was so good to see such a broad range of products on display.

So what happened

Friday

Getting up there was a struggle, took about 5 hours in all. There was an accident on the M6 which caused massive problems for everyone. The stalls were due to be opened to the press that evening. But, because of the problems, that got pushed back and finally didn’t happen. Just as well really as it made setting up a lot less stressful.

We got everything sorted out, though I will be honest with you: While I am pleased with what we have, I think we can make the stand look a lot better. We are working on it for the next show. But it worked and was functional at least.

After set up, everyone got kicked out so we went back to the hotel for a nice dinner and a much needed rest.

Saturday

This was it, this was the big one. The last month had been incredibly stressful getting everything sorted out. We only got the last of the printing done on the Thursday just before the event. In my haste it turns out I don’t know how to spell the word “attend”, so that was one whole banner that was useless. So if you want to “atten” one of our workshops in the future, make sure you know how to read my crazy writing.

The day of the (mini) flogger

It was going to be a very long day (doors opened at 10am till 5:30pm, then we would be back from 7:30pm till 1am). One poster down but we could cope with that. Everything else was good to go.

The plan. We would be making floggers; lots of them. They would be totally free and anyone could come along and make one. Whatever their skill level we would have to make sure they ended up with something they were pleased with. The aim was happy Sexhibitionists who would be armed with their very own flogger, a simple goal.

My thinking was perhaps a little skeptical. Maybe if we were lucky we would get one person at a time. Enough to keep us occupied, but that would be about it. How very wrong I was. Right from the very first people to walk past us we were packed.

If they build it, they will come

[caption id=”attachment_1218” align=”alignleft” width=”269”] This is what we were making. 134 by the end.[/caption]

The first two people looked us up and down for a moment, almost not believing what we were saying, but they sat down. Then the next two people sat down and we were off. OK that was a lucky start but it wouldn’t keep going.

Then the next two people stopped, looked and started queuing, then more, and more. By the first hour of Sexhibition, we had got through 2 and a bit tables of people and they just kept coming. They were sitting on the floor, getting upset if they felt someone pushed in front of them, asking if they could have the bits so they could stand to the side and do them without sitting.

It was amazing. Exhausting, but amazing. Pretty much everyone fell into a very specific pattern that was a delight to watch. At first they didn’t think it was going to go anywhere, then they realised we were serious and they would have to work, they got stuck in and made some jokes, then they went silent. When we started working them through the braid it got much harder and they couldn’t talk and concentrate on braiding at the same time. This was when they got frustrated. A lot got upset, complained it was too hard, said they couldn’t do it. We just reassured them and kept helping them until they got it.

By the time they got to the end they had been on a journey and now they had their very own flogger in their hands. One they had made themselves. The delight on people’s faces is something that made the event for me. Even the ones who just didn’t think they could do it walked away beaming with their new toy.

Saturday night

There was a short gap between 5:30pm and 7:30pm when the venue moved over to the ‘after dark’ portion of the event, and we managed to get out and have a quick bite to eat.

Again my skepticism stepped in. Yes, our flogger workshop had been popular during the day but there was no way we’d be so busy in the evening. There were shows on, play events happening, more drink.

How wrong I was. It was even more popular in the evening. Perhaps I’ll never learn. Even better than being popular is being popular with slightly drunk people… You know who you are.

Sunday

I would like to say that Sunday was a day of rest, but it wasn’t for us. It was the same pattern. While the event as a whole was quieter on the Sunday that didn’t stop people wanting to sit down and make toys.

Perhaps it is a universal truth that people will always have time to make a kinky toy?

Wrap up

I barely got to see anything at Sexhibition. I would have loved to have seen more, but I am not unhappy that I didn’t. By the end of the event, we had made 134 floggers. To me that is 134 happy people who all had something new to try out.

As I am writing this, I have already talked to one of those happy people. We did warn her it wasn’t a toy, that the flogger had a real bite to it. She agrees now, and couldn’t be happier.

I want to say a massive thank you to Horny Geek Girl. She is the best. She made a flogger for herself, took another to make with someone who couldn’t get to our stand. Then took a stack of flyers and talked to every single person in the queue waiting for drinks to tell them what we were doing. We don’t even pay her. Thank you.

Had a great conversation with Jessica’s Rabbit. We were so busy we couldn’t even squeeze her in to make a flogger, and she was nice enough to come back a few times as well.

The industry legend Cara Sutra couldn’t even get close to the stand, that is how busy we were. But thank you for trying a few times, Cara. Next time.

To all the people who stopped by the stall, and especially those who made a flogger… you rock!