Atlanta Leather Pride 2026: Your Guide to ALP Weekend

Each year, the Atlanta leather community comes together for a weekend that's equal parts contest, party, and homecoming. Atlanta Leather Pride (ALP) 2026 returns to the Atlanta Eagle July 24–26 for a weekend of title contests, gear swaps, BDSM demos, drag performances, and some of the best parties of the year — all centered at one of the South's most iconic leather bars.

Founded in 2010 by titleholders SIR Alan Penrod and Nitro Hankinson, ALP started as a way to give Atlanta a "big kinky leather weekend" — and it's grown into one of the Southeast's premier leather events. Whether you're a seasoned leather person or just curious about the community, ALP is welcoming, educational, and genuinely fun.

• Dates: July 24–26, 2026 (the Atlanta Eagle's save-the-date highlights Friday, July 24 & Saturday, July 25, with the traditional Sunday tea dance closing the weekend)
• Location: Atlanta Eagle, 1492 Piedmont Ave NE
• Organizer: Southeast Black and Blue (SEBB), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
• Contests: Mr, Ms, and Mx Atlanta Eagle
• Gear: Encouraged but not required

What Atlanta Leather Pride Is

ALP is a weekend celebration of leather, kink, and fetish culture organized by Southeast Black and Blue (SEBB). The centerpiece is the Mr, Ms, and Mx Atlanta Eagle title contests — where community members compete to represent the Atlanta Eagle at regional and national leather events. But the weekend is much more than a contest.

Across three days, you'll find gear swaps, BDSM and fetish demonstrations, rope bondage workshops, bootblack services, cigar socials, drag cabaret performances, DJs, a victory party, and a Sunday tea dance. The vibe is celebratory, educational, and inclusive — the Mx title was added in 2024 to ensure gender-nonconforming and nonbinary community members have representation.

The Mr/Ms Atlanta Eagle contest dates back to 1995, making it one of the longest-running leather title contests in the Southeast. ALP weekend wraps all of that history into one event.

About Southeast Black and Blue

Atlanta Leather Pride is the flagship weekend of Southeast Black and Blue (SEBB) — formally ALP-SEBB, Inc., a Georgia 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has produced kink, leather, and fetish events in Atlanta since 2008. ALP itself launched in 2010, when local leather leaders Alan Penrod and Nitro Hankinson set out to give the Southeast its own big leather weekend anchored at the Atlanta Eagle. What began as a title contest and a few parties has grown into a full weekend with a genuine educational mission at its core.

That mission is what sets ALP apart from a straight bar crawl: SEBB exists to build safe, community-run educational spaces for marginalized communities across the Southeast, and the weekend's daytime demos, workshops, and the title contests all feed that purpose. The Mr, Ms & Mx Atlanta Eagle titleholders it crowns go on to represent the community and raise money for charity through the year — so buying a badge or a party ticket isn't just cover, it funds the nonprofit behind it all.

Friday — Welcome Night

Friday kicks off ALP weekend with social events designed to get people mingling and set the tone for the weekend ahead. It all happens at the ALP Welcome Night:

• VIP Meet & Greet (8:00 PM) — An early-evening reception where you can meet contestants, past titleholders, and SEBB organizers. A good chance to put faces to names before the weekend gets going
• Myah Ross' House of Love (9:00 PM) — A cabaret and drag performance in the Atlanta Eagle's Charlie Brown Cabaret Room. High-energy, funny, and a signature ALP tradition
• Cigar Social & Demos (9:00 PM–midnight) — Cigar enthusiasts gather on the patio while BDSM and fetish demonstrations run inside. Bootblacks are on hand all night for leather care and polishing
• DJ & Dancing (late night) — The dance floor opens up after the performances with resident and guest DJs spinning until close

Saturday — Contest Day

Saturday is the big day. The ALP contests run in the evening, but the daytime is packed with community events that make the whole day worth showing up for.

Daytime — Gear Swap & Beer Bust (2:00–6:00 PM)

The Gear Swap & Beer Bust fills the Eagle all afternoon:

• Gear Swap — Organized by Kink Down South. Buy, sell, and trade leather, rubber, and fetish gear. Great for finding deals on quality gear or picking up your first harness
• Beer Bust ($10–$20) — All-you-can-drink draft beer fuels the afternoon social scene
• Workshops — Past ALP workshops have covered sensual knife play, rope bondage, and consent in kink. Educational, hands-on, and led by experienced community members
• Cigar Social, Bootblacks & Vendors — Browse vendor tables, get your boots polished, and enjoy the patio. Barking Leather (ALP's Platinum Sponsor and Atlanta's leather goods shop) typically has a presence

The Contest (7:00–9:00 PM)

The heart of ALP weekend — the Mr, Ms & Mx Atlanta Eagle Contest. Contestants take the stage for a night of community celebration. The format includes interviews (closed, held earlier in the day), on-stage presentations, and speeches about what leather means to them. An ASL interpreter is provided.

The contest is equal parts pageantry and genuine emotion — watching community members step up and speak about identity, belonging, and leadership is the kind of experience that stays with you.

Victory Party (10:00 PM–close)

Once the new titleholders are crowned, the ALP Victory Party starts. Guest DJs, dancing, and the energy of a community that just celebrated its own. This is usually the biggest night of the weekend.

Sunday — Wind Down

Sunday brings the weekend to a close with daytime social events that are relaxed, communal, and a chance to say goodbye before everyone scatters.

• Drag Brunch (1:00–3:00 PM) — A celebratory brunch with performances. A great way to start Sunday, especially if Saturday night ran late
• Pup Tea & BLUF Social (2:00–5:00 PM) — A social gathering for the pup/handler and BLUF (Breeches & Leather Uniform Fanclub) communities. Open to curious newcomers
• Closing Tea Dance (3:00–7:00 PM) — The closing event. DJs spin on the patio, the beer bust returns, bootblacks and massage are available, and the vibe is warm and unhurried. This is where the weekend's friendships solidify

The Atlanta Eagle: A Leather Landmark

You can't tell the story of Atlanta Leather Pride without the bar it calls home. The Atlanta Eagle has anchored the city's leather scene for decades — and it carries a hard-won place in LGBTQ+ civil-rights history. On the night of September 10, 2009, a SWAT-style Atlanta Police force raided the Eagle without a warrant, forced patrons face-down on the floor, searched them without cause, and hurled slurs; not a single person was charged. The community fought back and won: in Calhoun v. Pennington, backed by Lambda Legal and the Southern Center for Human Rights, patrons secured a $1,025,000 settlement, sweeping reforms to Atlanta police practices, and the disbanding of the department's notorious “Red Dog” unit. It's often likened to a modern Stonewall.

The Eagle endures. It has since moved from its longtime Ponce de Leon Avenue home to a space on Piedmont Avenue, but it remains the beating heart of leather Atlanta — and hosting Leather Pride on its floor every year is part of how that legacy stays alive. When you gear up for ALP, you're stepping straight into that history.

Where to Go Beyond the Eagle

The Atlanta Eagle is ALP's home base, but Midtown has plenty more to explore between events.

• Woofs Sports Bar is Atlanta's gay sports bar and the host venue for Atlanta Bear Pride. Laid-back, friendly, and a solid spot to grab a drink and decompress between ALP events
• The Heretic is Atlanta's premier dance club for electronic and house music, with a massive dance floor and large patio. It hosts Bearracuda parties during Bear Pride and Pride Edition events — if you want to dance after the ALP victory party, this is where you end up
• Blake's on the Park is the Midtown neighborhood staple — legendary drag shows, a huge patio, and a mix of regulars and visitors. Open since 1988 and still the center of Midtown's social scene
• Barking Leather is Atlanta's leather goods shop and ALP Platinum Sponsor. If you're looking to pick up gear before the weekend, this is the spot — they also host pre-ALP Q&A forums on their back patio

Woofs Sports Bar, Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia

The Heretic Atlanta, Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia

Blake's On The Park, Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia

Barking Leather, Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia

Where to Stay

The Atlanta Eagle is on Piedmont Avenue in Piedmont Heights, bordering Midtown. Stay in Midtown for the shortest commute to all ALP events and the surrounding bar scene.

Stay in Midtown

• Hyatt Centric Midtown Atlanta — Top pick. Steps from the 10th Street bars and a short rideshare to the Eagle
• Moxy Atlanta Midtown — Social lobby, poolside bar, younger energy. IGLTA-affiliated

Hotel

Hyatt Centric Midtown Atlanta, Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia

Book Now

Hotel

Moxy Atlanta Midtown, Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia

Book Now

SEBB typically arranges a hotel block for ALP weekend — check sebbevents.org closer to the event for the official hotel partner and group rates.

Airbnb & Vacation Rentals

Airbnb and VRBO have strong options in Midtown, Virginia-Highland, and Piedmont Heights near the Eagle. Filter by Superhosts and read recent reviews for the best experience.

Browse Atlanta hotels on Expedia →

Getting There

Atlanta Eagle: 1492 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

• MARTA: The nearest stations are Arts Center and Midtown (Gold/Red lines), both about a mile away. A 5-minute rideshare from either station gets you to the door
• Rideshare: Uber/Lyft is the easiest option for evening events. The Eagle is in a commercial stretch of Piedmont Ave that's easy for pickup and dropoff
• Parking: Street parking is available on surrounding streets, and the venue has a small lot. For evening events, rideshare is safer and more convenient
• From the airport: Take MARTA's Gold line to Midtown Station (25 minutes, $2.50), then rideshare to the Eagle (5 minutes)

FAQ

What is Atlanta Leather Pride?

Atlanta Leather Pride is a three-day celebration of leather, kink, and fetish culture at the Atlanta Eagle, organized by Southeast Black and Blue (SEBB). The weekend features the Mr, Ms, and Mx Atlanta Eagle title contests, gear swaps, BDSM demonstrations, workshops, drag performances, and parties. It's been running since 2010.

Do I need to wear leather to attend ALP?

No. Gear is encouraged but never required. You'll see leather, rubber, harnesses, uniforms, and everyday clothes. The community is welcoming to newcomers regardless of what you're wearing. If you're curious about gear, the Saturday gear swap is a great place to browse.

When is Atlanta Leather Pride 2026?

ALP 2026 takes place July 24–26 at the Atlanta Eagle — the Eagle's official save-the-date highlights Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25, with the traditional Sunday tea dance closing the weekend. Check sebbevents.org or follow the Atlanta Eagle and SEBB on social media for the full schedule and ticket details as they're announced.

Is ALP beginner-friendly?

Absolutely. SEBB hosts pre-event Q&A forums (free, "classroom comfortable" dress code) where you can ask questions and learn about what to expect. The workshops are educational, the social events are welcoming, and no one will judge you for being new. Many people attend ALP as their first leather event.

How much does ALP cost?

Individual events have varying cover charges. The Saturday beer bust is typically $10–$20. The Friday meet & greet, contest, and tea dance have their own covers. There is no single weekend pass. Check sebbevents.org for specific pricing when tickets go on sale.

What's the connection between ALP and Atlanta Pride?

They're separate events run by different organizations. ALP (July 24–26, 2026) focuses specifically on the leather and kink community at the Atlanta Eagle, while Atlanta Pride is the city's broader LGBTQ+ celebration held every October at Piedmont Park. Different weekends, different vibes — but both are cornerstones of Atlanta's queer calendar, and plenty of people make a point of hitting both.