Pup play is at its best when it's shared. Gear is fun, JetPack is great for connecting online, but nothing beats meeting your pack in person - barking across a dance floor, tail-wagging at a mosh, or just lounging with other pups who get it.
The challenge most pups run into, especially newer ones, is that pup events aren't always easy to find. They're often tucked inside larger leather, kink, or LGBTQ+ events, promoted through word of mouth, or buried in group chats. So we put together a guide to help you find your pack - whether you're a seasoned alpha or just lacing up your first collar.
Types of Pup Events to Look For
Pup Moshes are the heart of the community. These are dedicated play spaces where pups can romp, wrestle, sniff, and just be pups, usually with handlers watching over. Moshes happen in dungeons, private spaces, and increasingly at larger kink events. They're the best entry point if you're new - most are welcoming to first-timers and you don't need a full gear setup to show up.
Pup Contests like International Puppy, Mr. L.A. Leather Pup, and regional title contests are some of the biggest weekends on the calendar. Even if you're not competing, contest weekends are full of social events, classes, and afterparties packed with pups from across the country.
Pride Events have become much more pup-inclusive in recent years. Many cities now have official or unofficial pup contingents in their Pride parades, and pup-themed parties have become Pride weekend staples in cities like LA, NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, and Berlin.
Leather and Kink Events like IML (International Mr. Leather), Folsom Street Fair, Mid-Atlantic Leather, and CLAW almost always have pup-specific programming, including moshes, gear demos, and community meetups.
Local Munches and Meetups are casual, gear-optional social gatherings - usually at a bar or restaurant - where local pups and handlers connect outside of play spaces. These are often the best way to plug into your city's pack.
How to Actually Find Them
Here's where it gets tricky. Pup events are scattered across Facebook groups, FetLife, Eventbrite, Discord servers, and word of mouth. There's no single calendar that lists everything.
A few approaches that work:
- Follow your local pup club on Instagram or FetLife. Most major cities have one (LA Pups, NYC Pups, Chicago Pups, etc.) and they post regional events.
- Check kink-friendly event platforms. Gaytherings.com is an LGBTQ+ event discovery platform that's been adding more pup, leather, and kink-friendly events to its listings, which makes it easier to find things in your city without having to dig through ten different group chats.
- Ask in the JetPack chat. Genuinely - our community is global, and someone in your city has probably been to (or is hosting) something.
- Look at bigger weekend events and use those as anchors. If you can travel to one IML or Folsom a year, you'll meet pups from everywhere and find out about smaller events back home.
Showing Up: A Few Tips for First-Timers
If it's your first pup event, a few things worth knowing:
You don't need full gear. A collar, a tail, or even just a pup mindset is plenty. Most moshes have gear-optional policies, and many seasoned pups will tell you their first event was in jeans and a t-shirt.
Knee pads matter more than you think. The floor is unforgiving and you'll regret skipping them within 20 minutes.
Bring water and snacks. Pup space is real and you can lose track of time. Handlers are great at this; pups, less so.
Respect consent and space. Don't approach other pups or handlers without checking in. The community runs on consent and trust - that's what makes it work.
And finally: have fun with it. Pup events are some of the most welcoming, joyful spaces in the broader kink community. Show up, be yourself, find your pack.
Big Events Worth Marking on Your Calendar
A few weekends worth knowing about, even if you can only make it to one a year:
- IML (International Mr. Leather) - Memorial Day Weekend, Chicago
- Folsom Street Fair - Late September, San Francisco
- Mid-Atlantic Leather (MAL) - January, Washington DC
- CLAW (Cleveland Leather Annual Weekend) - April, Cleveland
- Pride season - June, basically everywhere
- International Puppy Contest - typically held alongside major leather weekends
Check Gaytherings.com and your local pup club's socials closer to each date for satellite events, moshes, and afterparties happening in your city.
