Friday, Aug 31, 2012    Text size: 

LOS ANGELES — The Pleasure Chest and sponsors Masque, Fun Factory and LA Weekly will host the second annual Gloryhole to be held on Sept. 13 at its West Hollywood store.

This year’s event, which also coincides with the CatalystCon conference, will include a XXX Gloryhole installation featuring appearances by Nina Hartley, Buck Angel, April Flores, Reid Mihalko and more.

Lenora Claire will serve as hostess of Gloryhole, which also will feature a dominion spanking station and $3 tacos provided by Pink Taco.

Last year, The Pleasure Chest presented Gloryhole: The Pleasure Chest Uncut, as a gala reception to celebrate the company’s 40^th anniversary.

 “Gloryhole was a big success for us,” Kristen Tribby, The Pleasure Chest’s director of creative development and strategy, told XBIZ following last year’s anniversary event. “We were really happy to see so many faces from the community, and to see the tremendous diversity of our customer base. We estimate that over 1,000 people came out for it. The response was very positive. People especially liked how many different activities there were.”

Held inside and outside in the parking lot of The Pleasure Chest’s landmark location on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, Calif., last year’s Gloryhole featured a crafting area, a spanking booth, a stripper pole, a photo booth and a bus with a dance party.

“We also had a stilt walker, a sword swallower, and yes, even a monkey,” Tribby said. “Our staff really went the extra mile to make it go well. And, we had a lot of help from our friends in the industry. Belladonna did her beautiful silks routine. Nina Hartley did a hot threesome in our gloryhole. This was really just a celebration of sexual freedom.

“We don’t usually throw big parties, but as we were going through archival photographs from the last 40 years, we stumbled upon a bunch of pictures from the West Hollywood store opening in 1980. At that time, the clientele was mostly gay men, and a lot of people from the leather community. The owners put a tent over the parking lot and had a huge daytime keg party with a marching band and carnival booths. So, the idea behind Gloryhole was to recall our history, which has a deep connection to gay and leather culture, while also celebrating the diversity of sexuality of all genders and orientations.”

Those interested in attending the second annual Gloryhole event can RSVP by sending an email to gloryhole@thepleasurechest.com . Attendance is free.