For more than two decades, Leather Retreat brought leatherfolk together for a long weekend of education, fellowship, and tradition. This site preserves that history as a community archive.
What the retreat was
Leather Retreat was an annual leather and BDSM gathering rooted in the Indianapolis area, drawing attendees from across the Midwest and beyond. From its founding in the mid-1990s through its final years around 2019, the retreat served as a place for the leather community to teach, learn, and pass on what the old guard called "the lifestyle" - not as a brand or a marketing posture, but as a way of relating that took practice, patience, and the company of elders.
A typical year combined classroom-style workshops with social meals, evening play parties, and quiet time in the cabins. The format borrowed from earlier leather contests and runs but pushed the educational side harder. Presenters were peers, not celebrities. Newcomers and veterans took the same classes and ate at the same tables.
What you'll find here
A history of the retreat
How the gathering came together in 1996, how it grew, and what it meant to the community that built it. Read the history ›
A list of past presenters
Names of educators, leathermen, leatherwomen, and elders who taught at the retreat across its run. Pulled from public archives. View presenters ›
Workshop topics, year by year
Class titles spanning rope, impact, protocol, leather family dynamics, M/s relationships, sensation play, and more. Browse workshops ›
A look at past events
A year-by-year archive of what the retreat looked like across its 20-plus year run. View past events ›
A note on stewardship
This site is not the active retreat. We do not collect registrations, we do not represent the original organizers, and we do not claim to speak for the leather community. We are simply keeping the lights on at a domain that means something to people, so that the work and care that went into Leather Retreat is not lost when search engines forget.
If you attended, presented, or organized at the retreat and want a correction, attribution, or addition, please get in touch.