Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend Moving to Washington Hilton in 2028
Organizers say the leather event has outgrown its longtime home and will hold one final bash at the Hyatt Regency Washington in 2027.
Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend (MAL), the annual gathering of LGBTQ leather, kink, and fetish enthusiasts, will bid farewell to its longtime host hotel after one final bash next January.
For nearly two decades, the convention-like gathering has been held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, where it will return from January 15 to 18, 2027.
Beginning in 2028, however, MAL — which traditionally coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend — will relocate to the Washington Hilton.
In an open letter to the community, MAL organizer Centaur MC explained the need for a larger venue.
“As we look toward the future, it’s become clear that MAL is beginning to feel the limits of our current space. What matters most isn’t simply getting bigger, but making sure MAL remains welcoming, comfortable, and true to the sense of community that has made it so special,” the motorcycle club said.
“To do that, we need to consider a venue that gives us the room and flexibility to bring people together, support our vendors, and continue creating the experiences that make MAL what it is.”
MAL typically features the Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather contest, Leather Cocktails, a leather mart selling everything from vests and harnesses to slings and rubber toys, a puppy mosh, kink demonstrations, bootblack chairs, cosplay gatherings, support groups, and parties.
The hotel lobby is typically MAL’s most popular gathering place, drawing hundreds of people — including many who are not staying at the Hyatt — to socialize, grab a drink, flirt, and show off their best (or sexiest) gear.
Centaur MC’s leaders thanked the Hyatt Regency Washington for nearly two decades of support and hospitality.
“Within those walls we’ve celebrated victories, forged lifelong friendships, welcomed newcomers into our community, danced until sunrise, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity, and created countless memories that will stay with us forever,” the letter reads.
The letter concludes on a celebratory note.
“We want this last MAL weekend at the Hyatt to be our biggest celebration yet; a chance to honor nearly twenty unforgettable years, thank the staff who have taken such great care of us, reconnect with old friends, welcome new ones, and create one final set of memories in the place so many of us proudly call home. Here’s to one last unforgettable weekend at the Hyatt…and to the beginning of an exciting new era at the Washington Hilton in 2028.”
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