First time in Minneapolis & St. Paul: where to start

Whether you're new to all of this or just new to Minneapolis & St. Paul, the order is the same: a munch, then a class, then a party when you're ready. Here is each step with the real places and their next dates.

Go to a munch. Nothing needed.

A clothes-on social in a public place. Turn up, buy a drink, say it's your first time. This is where you find out what's actually on, and who runs it well.

No munch in Minneapolis & St. Paul has opted in to be listed yet; many run by word of mouth. Ask at a class or an organization below, or read how munches work first.

The groups that run things here

Atons of Minneapolis · Open meeting second Sunday 4-6 PM; bar nights first Tuesday and third Thursday 7-9 PM
Twin Cities Spectrum · Business meeting third Tuesday monthly, 7:00-8:30 PM, in person and online
Minnesota Leather Pride
North Star Kennel Club

Take a class. Drop-ins are normal.

Rope and skills studios are used to strangers and sell single-class tickets online. A beginners' class is the easiest first evening, and the people in it are at your stage.

No class studio with a public website is listed in Minneapolis & St. Paul yet. The organizations above usually teach, and this guide says what to look for.

A party, when you're ready. Start this early.

Most parties want a membership, an orientation or a vetting chat booked days or weeks ahead, and many sell out. Read each one's rules on their own site, and go to your first with no plan to play.

Fri 9 Oct
Ground Zero Nightclub · Event
Northeast Minneapolis, Minneapolis
Alternative and goth nightclub with a long-running Saturday industrial dance night and a side room featuring staged performance shows.
Their site ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Before you go

Munches need nothing: A munch is a clothes-on social in a public place. Turn up, buy a drink, say you're visiting. It is the fastest way to find out what's actually on that week.
Parties need lead time: Most play parties want a membership, an orientation or a vetting chat booked days or weeks ahead, and many sell out. Start that before you travel, not after you land.
Dress codes are real: Fetish club nights turn people away at the door for ordinary clothes. Read the code on the event page and pack for it.
Classes welcome drop-ins: Rope and skills studios are used to visitors and usually sell single-class tickets online. A beginners' class is the easiest first night in a new city.

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