Lupercalia: Roman Rite and Modern Gatherings
Lupercalia began as an ancient Roman festival held in mid-February. It was tied to shepherds and to the god Lupercus, and it opened as a ritual asking for abundant crops. Over time the request for fertility extended to women, and the festival became known for one of its stranger customs.
In the Roman version, young men took part in a ritual run through the streets, striking bystanders with strips of animal hide. Many onlookers deliberately stepped into the path of the runners, because being struck was believed to promote fertility. Since fertility depends on sex, the sexual side of the celebration gradually took centre stage in later retellings. Two thousand years later, that history gave a name to community events in Canada.
A Canadian festival with Roman roots
An early-2010s profile described a three-day pansexual festival in Edmonton, held each February and centred on BDSM education and community. According to the profile, the event grew from a single afternoon in a bar into a full weekend over about a decade, drawing presenters and writers from outside the province as well as local community members. Details of the programme reflect that period only, and the event may have changed or ended since.
Workshops and education
Education forms a large part of festivals of this type. Workshops have covered a broad span of BDSM-related subjects, from specific techniques to legal questions around consensual kink. Organizers of such events often say that no single topic stands out as the most popular, since attendance is spread across a wide range of interests. Sessions that give an overview for the whole community are also common.
Social events and marketplaces
Between sessions the schedule at such gatherings has included a welcome gathering for first-timers, themed costume parties, contests and charity auctions. A vendor marketplace often operates over part of the weekend, with makers of leather goods, toys and clothing, and community tables where sex-positive organizations can display information.
Who attends
According to the profile, the crowd blends long-time scene members with people new to fetish. Gatherings of this type, in Alberta and in other Canadian cities, serve as a meeting point for people who otherwise connect mainly through online groups or small local social meetups known as munches.
Frequently asked questions
What was the ancient festival of Lupercalia?
It was a Roman pastoral and fertility festival held in mid-February, in which young men ran through the streets and struck bystanders with strips of hide.
Related reading
- Fetish Festivals in Montreal
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- Building a Kink Scene in Quebec City
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- A Member-Run Kink Society in Halifax
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- Inside the fetish club night: a Vancouver example
A look at how fetish club nights are organized, why dress codes cause debate and what one early-2010s Vancouver event tried to do.
- Open Space Unconferences in Kink Communities
How the Open Space format lets attendees at kink and sex-positive gatherings write the schedule themselves.
Updated November 2026. General information only, not medical, legal or professional advice. See the disclaimer and the medical disclaimer.