The Expo, the internationally acclaimed celebration of flesh, fetish and fantasy, is a two-day event that features live entertainment and more than 100 selected exhibits showcasing the latest in exotic fashion, erotic art, adult products, games, websites and novelties.
The Ball, which occurs on Saturday night, Oct. 27, is widely considered the world’s No. 1 adult-themed party event. As part of the alliance, XFANZ will be the lead sponsor of the Ball, while XBIZ will market the Expo portion of the event to the adult industry and consult with it to enhance its B2B offerings.
“XFANZ is unique, just like our event,” said Ball Producer Howard Mauskopf. “We see tremendous growth potential here that largely mirrors our own. We want to be part of that, and look forward to a promising and fruitful relationship.”
“Joining forces with a legendary event such as the Exotic Erotic Ball & Expo was a clear decision”, said XBIZ/XFANZ President Alec Helmy. “This is an adult-themed event that has grown over the past 28 years to become a tradition for tens of thousands of people who flock to it every year from all across America. The Ball’s mass consumer draw is a natural fit for XFANZ, and the Expo portion is a perfect match-up with XBIZ. This is clearly a win-win.”
The entertainment fills a large arena, an even larger exposition hall and several smaller themed rooms, covering six acres in all.
Snoop Dogg performs live at the Expo on Friday night as a benefit performance for The Healing Circle. He joins Tera Patrick and Danny Bonaduce the following night to judge the Ball’s famous costume contests. Winners will share cash and prizes now worth $12,000 (and counting), including four nights at Mexico’s Cabo Villa Beach Resort.
A customized Spike & Mike’s Sick & Twisted Animation Festival will air at both the Expo and Ball. Musical performances include the West Coast debut of The Spyderz (the latest rock outfit from Evan Seinfeld), glam rapper Mickey Avalon and the little person tribute band Mini-Kiss.
Indie-music powerhouse SonicBids is a Ball sponsor and is fielding hundreds of submissions from hopeful applicants to fill two guaranteed slots at the Ball. Paul Nathan is back as host, emcee and ringleader of Main Stage activities. So is the Wheel of Depravity, a giant wheel that could land on Eat the Bra off the Porn Star, Get A Public Flogging, or everyone’s favorite — Lesbian First Kiss.
Dutch Playmate Ancilla Tilia will perform her internationally acclaimed erotic shaving show, as one of more than 50 burlesque, fetish, circus and novelty acts to grace four stages. Dancers from Chippendale’s, the lovely ladies from the newly re-opened Mustang Ranch, and adult stars including superstar Tera Patrick, Violet Blue, Devinn Lane, Sunny Lane and Raquel Devine will be on hand.
“I look forward to this show — it is always great fun, and it’s San Francisco,” Patrick said.
Expo activities also include panel discussions on 1st Amendment rights, wine tasting with adult stars, fashion shows, erotic poetry, a spiritual oasis with psychic readings and massage, body painting; a classic adult cinema and a human petting zoo.
Yet despite the plethora of entertainment, it’s the costumes and outfits worn by the attendees — colorful, creative and captivating — that make the show unrivaled.
Presenting sponsors of the event are Clips4Sale.com, Eros.com and SexSearch.com. Other sponsors include URentDVDs.com, Faris Lingerie, Mustang Ranch Museum, SonicBids and Purely Personal.
“We approach sponsors we feel could benefit the event, and benefit from the event,” Mauskopf said. “We are a purely independent enterprise and as such, we are able to go into the marketplace, select companies for whom we believe we can offer real opportunities, and then propose ways to exploit their brands in a manner they’re not likely to find elsewhere.
“Attendees at our event will be able to meet available SexSearch.com ladies in the flesh, and become temporary SexSearch.com members for free. Eros.com will celebrate its 10th anniversary at our event and they will be inviting fetish celebs, prodommes and other adult entertainers to the show to mingle with guests. Clips4Sale.com brings an incredible reality to online video — clips of real-looking people doing real nasty things, and we just find their stuff incredibly hot, so we’re building a free theatre at the Expo and showing their hottest clips all weekend.”
To celebrate the alliance with XBIZ and XFANZ, Ball founder Perry Mann is inviting every adult retailer in America to attend the show at an amazing rate.
“I’ve been doing this for 28 years and everybody knows the Ball,” Mann said. “But I am so proud of the Expo, the business it generates and especially the new alliance with XBIZ, that I am sending an invitation to adult retailers and storeowners all across America and inviting them to attend for $300. The $300 includes a ticket to Friday’s Expo, Saturday’s Expo, three nights in a nice hotel close to the venue, a ticket to see Snoop in concert and a VIP ticket to the Ball. They’ll see new products and services they haven’t seen before; I guarantee they’ll write business, and they’ll have the time of their lives.
“We have secured entire floors of major hotels close to the venue, and for the first time, our guests can all stay together on the same floors,” Mauskopf said. “We love it when people tell us they’ve traveled from afar to attend. This may be the best year ever for making that trip.”
To order tickets, call the festival hotline at (415) 567-BALL, or visit ExoticEroticBall.com