8 Sex Festivals That Should Be On Your Bucket List

Forget the ‘Lonely Planet’ guidebook — with this list; you won’t need to be alone

The video was mesmerizing. I watched it several times. It was bizarre. It oddly was sort of sexual. It made me laugh.

It was Air Sex.

We have all played air guitar before. A great song comes on, and we mimic the actions of the lead guitarist and throw our arms around wildly, unleashing our inner rock star. But until the great day I found an Air Sex video, I had never heard of this delightful activity.

I was even more excited when I found that there was a world competition — the Air Sex Championships.

I had to put this on my travel bucket list. I have been to the Olympics and the Football World Cup, but this was one global competition I had to see.

And as often happens when I see something new, I turned to my research assistant and writing partner — Google, to see what other sexual events and festivals there were around the world. And Google duly came up with the goods.

There is a whole world of sex festivals, events, and competitions that are worth checking out. As the world opens up, then open your mind — and perhaps other body parts to the wide world of sex.

I present the very first Sextival Bucket List.

1. Air Sex Championships

The first air sex event was held in 2009 as a parody of air guitar. It proved very popular, and soon air sex events started popping up all over the United States.

The rules are simple. You get up on stage and, for two minutes, simulate anything sexual. It can be any form of sexual activity or even the art of seduction. You are only limited by your imagination. And I supposed your charade skills.

There are regional events, and the winners of each get to compete in the National Championship, which is usually held in Austin, Texas.

If you are interested in competing and want inspiration for your own air sex performance, then check out this documentary. Forget your inner rock star; unleash your inner porn star.

2. Folsom Street Fair

Do you like leather? I mean, really, really like leather?

Then you have to include the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco on your Sextival List. The fair celebrating BDSM and leather subculture is held each September and is the largest leather event in the world.

The event takes over 13 blocks in the city and features live music, entertainment, nudity, and yes — leather. Participants can be bound, gagged, and spanked.

For anyone who is interested in BDSM but has never tried it, there are public play stations that give you a chance to try some BDSM activities.

3. Shinto Kanamara Matsuri (The Festival of the Steel Phallus)

One day, a jealous demon with razor-sharp teeth hid inside the vagina of a young woman whom he was in love with. The envious demon bit off the penises of two men on their wedding night. Not overly happy with the dick-biting demon inside her, the woman asked a local blacksmith to make an iron phallus to smash the demon’s teeth.

From this charming bedtime story comes the Festival of the Steel Phallus held on the first Sunday of April in Kawasaki, Japan, every year. The festival celebrates all things penis. There is penis-shaped candy, carved vegetables, decorations, and of course, a penis parade — something I would love to see incorporated into the Macy’s Parade.

The event has become a popular tourist attraction and is now used to promote sexual health education and LGBTQ rights. So from a horrifying origin story comes a good outcome.

4. Kutemajrvi Sex Festival

If you like sex on a more cerebral level, then the Kutemajrvi Sex Festival in Finland may be your jam. Along with live acts from adult film stars and exhibits of sex toys are lectures on sex from prominent theorists on sex and sexuality.

The festival is held in the normally sleepy town of Kangasniemi, which has a population of just 5000 people. But once a year, the town comes alive and is filled with exotic dancers and people performing live sex shows. And of course lectures.

The festival highlight is the Aphrodite competition which is a nude beauty pageant. Just remember before you enter it can be quite cold in Finland….

5. Really Good Sex Festival

We head to my home country of Australia for this one. As someone who has worked in marketing for a long time, I do like that they haven't taken the route that many promoters do by over-promising.

They could have called this the Amazing Sex festival or the OMG! This Mindblowing Sex festival but dialed it down and went with Really Good Sex. Let’s set realistic expectations.

This event started in Sydney in 2015 and has expanded into other Australian cities. It encourages participants to consider what they consider good sex to be and the relationship between sex and their identity.

There is a wide range of workshops and performances, and it has more of a conference vibe than some of the other festivals on this list. Well, except for the clothing-optional sessions.

Topics range from “Making babies” to “Porn yoga for porn lovers.” In the latter, attendees are encouraged through live and video demonstrations to develop a more mindful approach to masturbating to pornography.

Never did I envisage typing mindfulness and pornography in the same sentence.

6. Kinky Copenhagen

Kinky Salon Copenhagen is “a cozy, hot, playful, sexy, magic place for creative expression and sexual liberation.”

This festival apparently has it all — whips, chains, latex, leather, live sex, and more. It has often been referred to as a ‘hedonist’s wet dream,’ and they encourage visitors to explore their deepest, darkest sexual fantasies.

Moreso than other festivals around the world, this one focuses on fringe sexual subculture. Think of it as a Comicon for kink.

7. Pon Festival

The Pon Festival (which seems to be missing the letter R in its name) is held annually in Java, Indonesia.

Each year revelers hike up Gunung Kemukus, a hilltop shrine. When they reach the summit, they partake in a holy ceremony to ensure they receive good luck and fortune for the year ahead. And the way they do it is by having sex with a random stranger.

Across the mountain top, participants engage in ritualistic nighttime sex with strangers. Couples even attend this event. They vid each other farewell at the start of the climb and reunite the next day once they are back at the bottom of the mountain. And you know, had public sex with a random.

For those interested in “Sex Mountain,” the good news is you never have to wait long. This event is held every 35 days.

8. Nudes A Poppin

We started this list with a competition, so I thought I would end it with one. This annual event has been held in Roselawn, Indian, since 1975 and features nude men and women competing in erotic dance and various competitions.

The Ponderosa Sun Club — a family nudist resort that hosts the event promotes it as The World’s Largest Outdoor Nude Beauty Pageant. Competitions across the 2-day event include Miss Nude Galaxy and Nude Couples Dance Contest. I did see one review that said that photography was very popular at this event. Guess it’s one for the voyeurs.

The success of this event saw this small town in Indiana once voted America’s kinkiest city ahead of New Orleans and Las Vegas.

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