In April 2005, Mr. Oregon State Leather 2004 Andy Mangels and Ms. Oregon State Leather Theresa “Darklady” Reed hosted the inaugural Leather Sash Bash Weekend, inviting current leather titleholders from around the country to visit Portland for a contest-free weekend, giving them a chance to network and bond in a low-key atmosphere.

Among the titleholders who attended in 2005 were International LeatherSIR Robert Davis, American Leatherman Robert Napolitano, International Deaf Leather Teddy O’Rourke, International Ms. Deaf Leather Steff, Ms. Olympus Leather Caro, Mr. Olympus Leather Freddie, and new West Coast titleholders Washington State Mr. Leather Rusty Jones, Washington State Ms. Leather Shelley Denton, and Mr. Los Angeles Leather Cody Haugland.  Several other past regional titleholders were also present.

Following the event, a small group of attendees from Seattle and Portland decided that it would be great to have Leather Sash Bash Weekend continue on an annual basis, redubbed as Northwest Sash Bash.  The event would rotate between Northwest cities, with the next one planned to be in Seattle.  This would give titleholders the opportunity to visit the Northwest each year but without overloading any one city or making the event grow stale.

Events being what they are, the initial targetted 2006 event in Seattle did not occur, but Northwest Sash Bash has returned in 2007, again in Portland.  (We’ll try for Seattle again in 2008.)

Northwest Sash Bash 2007 is organized under the direction of Ms. Oregon State Leather 2006 Tommie, with assistance from Seattle Leather Daddy 2004 Jim Drew and Mr. Oregon State Leather 2004 Andy Mangels.  Stage managers are Don Hood and Michelle.  Special thanks to Cheryl Spector of Blackout Leather Productions and Seattle Leather Daddy 1998 Jeff Henness for their advice.