Experience a weekend of erotic entertainment at the second annual Bellingham Erotic Ball — Whatcom County’s premier adult Halloween event. This year’s theme is “Leather and Lace" and will be hosted at the historic Hotel Leo in Downtown Bellingham on Saturday, October 19, 2024. This year’s event will be a “hotel takeover”! This allows us to use all the public spaces of the hotel for Erotic Ball events and entertainment. You're invited to wear your sexiest costume — or whatever you feel comfortable in!

This year’s event will feature…

  • Dancing & Live Entertainment in the Crystal Ballroom

  • A vendor hall showcases erotic and queer artists’

  • Light appetizers are included in admission.

  • Kink Demonstration Room: a fun kink exploration space 

  • Queer short film showings in the Clark Gable Theater on the lower level

  • And more!

This event is put on by the Bellingham Queer Collective — a 501(c)(3) organization. Proceeds from the event will support the new BQC community center opening in May. 

PURCHASE tickets

Standard Admission

Attend the Erotic Ball on Saturday night. Doesn’t include hotel reservation.

After September 19th general admission tickets will increase to $85.

Contributor Admission

Want to go the extra mile and support the BQC further?

Includes early admission, a swag bag, access to a private roped-off area, and priority line skips to bar.

Your Guide to The Weekend’s Events

Stay at the Historic Hotel Leo

Make a weekend out of the event by reserving a room at the historic Hotel Leo. When Saturday night partygoers reserve a room using our custom link, a portion of the proceeds will go to the BQC!

Discounted rooms are also available on Friday and Sunday nights if you want to spend a long weekend in beautiful Bellingham! Use the button below to access our special pricing.

Friday, October 18th

Community Mixer / Meat & Greet at Amendment 21 Lounge

Kick off the weekend with a Friday evening no host mixer in the Hotel Leo’s Amendment 21 Lounge — a Prohibition-era cocktail lounge serving craft cocktails, local brews, fine wines, and a shareable bites menu. All community members are welcome to attend the no host mixer; no registration is needed.

Unlock the Hotel Leo

Guests can take part in Unlock the Hotel Leo — a one-of-a-kind immersive escape-room-style adventure that takes you through the nearly 100-year-old historic hotel, listening to the stories it tells and unlocking the mysteries it holds. The adventure can accommodate parties of up to eight people.

This tour requires walking throughout the hotel and is not wheelchair accessible.

Saturday, October 19th
Morning & Afternoon

Explore What Bellingham Has To Offer

Looking for some ways to spend Saturday morning and afternoon? There is so much to see and do in Bellingham! From mountains to waterfront sunsets, lush farms to verdant forests, and gigantic murals to abundant bird species, you will absolutely love just looking around.

Saturday, October 19th - 7:00pm
Bellingham Erotic Ball: Leather and Lace

This year’s event will be a “hotel takeover”! This allows us to use all the public spaces of the hotel for Erotic Ball events and entertainment. You're invited to wear your sexiest costume — or whatever you feel comfortable in!

  • Dancing & Live Entertainment in the Crystal Ballroom

  • Erotic and queer artists’ vendor hall

  • Light appetizers are included in admission. Meals available for purchase at A21

  • Amendment 21 Lounge for mixing, mingling with drinks, and food options

  • Kink Demonstration Room: a fun kink exploration space 

  • Queer short film showings in the Clark Gable Theater on the lower level

Sunday, October 20th

Drag Variety Show At the Hotel Leopold

Join us Sunday morning for a special drag and variety show in the Hotel Leo’s Crystal Ballroom from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm. This event will showcase several local performers and artists as they share their talents.

GET INVOLVED

Volunteer At The Erotic Ball

This is a large fundraising and entertainment event and we need lots of help! Some volunteers will be needed in the weeks before the event to prepare, some are needed for set up and tear down on the day of the event, and others for help during the event.  

Thanks for being an essential part of the success of our fundraising event!  We are hosting a volunteer appreciation event in mid-November to celebrate our volunteers. 

Vendor Application

We're seeking artists and makers who create erotic art. This could be anything sexy, erotic, playful, and explicitly or inherently queer. If your work fits the bill, we'd love to have you showcase your creations with us!

Please Note: Vendor space is limited, and submitting this application does not guarantee selection for this event. If chosen as a vendor, you agree to donate one piece of art for prizes or a silent auction and pay the vendor fee by cash or check by September 1st. Please see the application for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • “Eroticism is not sex; it’s sexuality transformed by the human imagination.” This party is a way to celebrate our identities and sexuality in a friendly, safe environment by dressing up in outfits and costumes that make us feel good or sexy or playful or powerful or creative. There is no nudity or sex allowed at this public event. A cocktail dress, shirt and jacket are appropriate for a party. It’s Halloween and costumes are encouraged. Some people may choose to reveal more skin than others. Some may choose to wear pasties to conceal their nipples or a thong to cover their genitals. In other words; No Nips and No Bits are to be exposed. We will have drag and burlesque performers who will exude eroticism through reveals and erotic dance. This will be an opportunity to exercise our imaginations!

  • You are on your own for dinner, but we will be serving appetizers throughout the night. Food and drinks — both alcoholic and non-alcoholic — will also be available for purchase at Hotel Leo’s Amendment 21 Restaurant & Cocktail Bar - located inside the hotel. Water will be available at no cost.

  • The Kink Demonstration Room takes place in a separate room and features a variety of kink experiences where guests sign a waiver and then participate in a kink “tasting”. Tastings are short sessions where guests can be flogged, spanked, tickled, experience ropes play and other safe explorations of non-traditional sexuality in a non-judgmental space. Full nudity, sex acts, and penetrative sex are not permitted. The focus is expanding guests’ understanding of kink and play. We do not offer “hard core” or more advanced session in the Erotic Ball environment. The goal is to titillate and excite guests with authentic kink experiences without going too far.. We focus on consensual play, being respectful of all guests and providing a fun, exploratory experience. If sexual expression and exploration makes you uncomfortable we recommend you stay out of this area. If you are curious, open-minded and want to explore you sexuality, particularly with a partner, safely, you will have a great time. Thank you for supporting sex positive events and welcome to the Bellingham Erotic Ball!

  • Overnight parking is complimentary for guests in the Hotel Leo parking lot located off Cornwall Ave. Parking is limited and based on a first-come, first-serve basis.

    Additional Parking Options Downtown

    • Metered, street parking is available throughout downtown Bellingham.

    • Be sure to check the time limits posted at each meter.

    • Off-street parking is available at numerous parking garages and lots within 1-2 blocks of the hotel.

    Please plan ahead if you plan to drink alcohol and consider a designated driver, Lyft or Taxi instead of driving.

  • The BQC is a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect, celebrate, unite, and advocate for the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC organization. We started as a social group on Facebook in November, 2022 after hosting two social events at the Mount Baker Theatre to build up our queer community. The first was a film documentary screening of “Ahead of the Curve” and the second was the “Winter Glitter Ball”. These two events and monthly BQC Advisory Meetings helped us envision what our queer community could look like post-COVID. With over 1200 members in our Private FB now, and several affinity groups needing a safe place to meet, we are ready to start raising funds to open a community center where community members can be assisted in navigating resources, being in community, attend educational workshops, and more. Our programs will grow as we grow as an organization.

  • This is an inclusive event for 21+ adults who are part of our LGBTQ+ and BIPOC community, AND all of our friends, allies, and supporters who embrace and celebrate all sexualities, genders, racial and ethnic identities. This is not an event for people who are not supportive or accepting of these community members; yet. We will be hosting educational programs to help those who are not comfortable with these communities to learn more in a different environment.

  • We’ve partnered with Hotel Leo to provide discounted rooms on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights if you want to spend a long weekend in beautiful Bellingham! Use this link to access discounted pricing.

    Use this link to access discounted pricing.

  • Whatever makes you feel comfortable or sexy or scary or trendy or funny or erotic or kinky or furry or clever. This is a sex-positive, queer-hosted event where all are welcome. We want all guests to dress for a night of fun exploration and express themselves any way they want! It is also a night to enjoy the creativity and eroticism of all of the guests! It’s OK to stare, just don’t be creepy or disrespectful, and don’t touch without consent!

    There will be a coat check so dress in layers and protect that sexy, fun, leather, lace, or furry costume!

  • Direct any questions you have to events@bellinghamqueercollective.org

  • All funds raised from this event will be used to support the Bellingham Queer Collective, a nonprofit organization whose mission is the connect, celebrate, unite, and advocate for the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. We are in the beginning stages of grant writing and fundraising to open a community center in the downtown Bellingham Arts District.