The Conductors, Nashville’s local levi, leather, and fetish club, will host its 34th annual leather run the weekend of March 4–6, 2016. The theme of this year’s run weekend, Track XXXIV, is “Under a Big Top.” Nashville will play host to leather men and women from all over the United States for a fun-filled weekend of leather, fun, and brotherhood.
The Conductors—a member club of the Mid-America Conference of Clubs—is also one of Nashville’s longest-surviving social service organizations. Originally founded in 1982 by a core group of friends who shared an appreciation for leather, the group has built fellowship within the local leather community, while building goodwill in the wider LGBT community by giving back.
The emergence of the AIDS crisis in Nashville shortly after the group’s formation, and the formation of Nashville CARES soon after, led The Conductors to focus fundraising efforts on offering financial assistance to clients of CARES.
The Conductors fund an emergency assistance program through CARES that assists clients with severe and emergent need who have exhausted all other sources of financial support. The Conductors program is anonymous. Member Jackie Walton is proud of the fact that “we support Nashville CARES and in 33 years we’ve never turned anyone down.” The group has funded prescriptions, co-pays, eyeglasses, utility bills, home repair, rent, among many other need items for those in dire need.
But the social element has always been at the center of The Conductors’ mission as well, and a big part of that is the annual run. From The Conductors' website: “Since our founding in 1982 we have celebrated our anniversary every year, primarily in March, with our club’s ‘Run.’ This is a chance for us to invite our leather brothers and sisters to Nashville for a weekend of fun and fellowship….”
The “Under a Big Top” weekend begins with registration at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 4, and the cocktail parties start at 5 p.m. (10–15 official cocktail parties are planned over the weekend). All food and drinks are included in the price of the run (except during bar crawls). Transportation will be provided for any events outside the host hotel. Final Farewells will be held Sunday, March 6, starting at 2 p.m. at the Stirrup, which is the club’s “home bar.”
A few of the events to look forward to during this year’s run include:
- Official events, like the Mid-America Conference of Clubs Fall meeting for all member clubs, the formal dinner with clubs in uniforms and colors, and awards, along with cocktail parties hosted by clubs, bars and members
- The Conductors Run show—a show unlike any other, featuring Conductors club brothers and associates in ways you always (or never!) wanted to see
- “Freak and Fetish,” an annual event hosted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at Trax
- Bar Crawls—Stirrup, Trax, Tribe, Play, Canvas, Blue Genes, and Vibe
- After Hours with demonstrations/teaching and playroom time
- Mr. Friendly
The Conductors promise that every moment of the event, between opening and closing, will be filled with opportunities for entertainment and brotherhood. For more information or to register, visit www.conductors.net.