Kink, Drink, Music, Community: Off Sunset Returns to L.A. Sunday

It’s that time of year again! Time to don your best harness, polish those black boots, and slather on the sunscreen. Off Sunset Festival, Los Angeles’ “dirty little street fair,” is back, this Sunday only, from noon to 7 p.m. in Silver Lake.

Begun in 2013, Off Sunset has become an annual destination for LGBTQIA+ leatherfolk and their admirers to cut loose, strut their stuff, toss one back, and flirt ’til the sun goes down in the rare open-air environment of Santa Monica Blvd. across a half-mile-plus stretch between Hoover St. and Sunset. 

The fest is as much about the community’s history and culture as it is the live bands, DJs, gourmet food trucks (try Baby’s Badass Burgers), and indie merchants selling local wares. Need some handmade jewelry? They gotcha. Custom-built leather couture? Lots o’ that. Commemorative tee shirt, lube, and other bedroom-time enhancers? Check, check, and oooh yeah, check.

You can also learn more about enjoying your kinks responsibly by chatting with reps from the Men’s Health Foundation and Rainbow Hill Recovery, both festival sponsors this year. Other sponsors include Eagle LA (the heart of it all), Rough Trade Gear, Bud Light, Budweiser, and Akbar. 

Since Off Sunset started, music has been one of the primary draws for many festivalgoers, with past headliners including My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult, Missing Persons, Sweet, and English Beat. This year is no different: ABBA LA will close out the fest with their tributary homage to the world’s most famous Swedes (“Dancing Queen,” “Waterloo,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You”… the list of hits goes on). Featuring the live bands stage and a DJ stage, headlined by Baby Magick, Off Sunset treats your ears right no matter which end of the strip you’re showing off your new jock on. 

One of the more anticipated performers this year is none other than Bear World cover story artist Zee Machine. Building a name via consistent releases and persistent touring, Zee Machine has become a fast favorite of pop aficionados and queer music fans alike. 

Asked if they’re excited to be making their Off Sunset debut, Zee replied, “Absolutely. These are my people, this is my vibe, and this is where I thrive and I’m gonna give it to ’em,” adding that they’re “very excited to be playing a bunch of stuff I haven’t sung live before and wearing a lot of things I’ve never worn live before.”

A staple on the Bear World Spotify Playlist, Zee Machine takes stage at 4:20 p.m. before ABBA LA. Opening the day is alt-artist Milahroy, followed by the high-energy groove of Blimes and the Bando, the premiere of metal cover band Blood Moon, and the electro-punk sonic journey of Work.

Beyond the music and the gear and the debauchery, Off Sunset is more than just fun in the sun: a portion of the proceeds are given back to local non-profits that support area beautification, art projects, and LGBTQIA+ and youth programs. To date, the Off Sunset Festival Community Grant Program has donated more than $25,000 to such groups, with recent recipients including Silverlake Conservatory of Music, TransCanWork Inc., and Los Angeles Rebellion. So attendees can live it up knowing the money they spend is supporting their communities, both figurative and literal.

Tickets to Sunday’s Off Sunset Festival are available here, with both regular and VIP passes offered. For more on the Off Sunset Festival Community Grant Program, email info@offsunsetfestival.com.