We evolved from Sudbury’s “Bear” group, SNO-Bears (Sudbury Northern Ontario Bears), which hosted an annual family BBQ at Sudbury Pride for several years, and organized a camping weekend near Sudbury in 2010 & full week in 2011.
What started as a Leather and BDSM option at the weekend became more pronounced, and the split between more mainstream Bears who wanted a place to socialize and relax, and Leather type Bears who were more interested in adventure possibilities, started becoming an issue. So in late 2011, we split off the Leather side into a separate group — SLAGMen (Sudbury Leather & Gay Men). “SLAG” is not only an appropriate Sudbury name (slag being the tough glassy rock left over after ore is smelted at the mines in Sudbury) but it was also the name of an early Sudbury gay group — Sudbury Lesbians and Gays.
Way Back History: Thug Rocco and Cowboy Chuck – the 2 creative and kinky founding minds behind SLAGMen got their start organizing and hosting gay and lesbian social/dance events in North Bay, Ontario. These experiences led them to create LYNX – Leathermen Yearning for Northern eXcitement. LYNX held The First Stampede run on September 10-12 1993 in Bonfield, Ontario. The run site was on 90 acres of private land. Facilities included a “Cabin .5” (tool shed with sling), 2 outdoor bondage frames, a bungie bull for bull riding, indoor dungeon, campfire cooking, and outdoor / indoor showers.
LYNX The First Stampede run was a featured on a 2 page spread in the magazine The Leather Journal, issue 54.
