Birmingham Bizarre Bazaar Review
INTRODUCTION
I recently attended my very first Birmingham Bizarre Bazaar. This was my first event outside of the south - and it was a great place to begin. In my opinion, markets are really good places to test the waters before you dive into the kink scene. While they can be very overwhelming, I can definitely see them as easier to attend than a munch - you are quite anonymous at markets. While I’ve been on the scene, and attending a whole range of events, for a while now, this was a great introduction to things outside of the south.
The event happens on the third Sunday of every month, from 11 AM - 5 PM. It is an “Alternative Lifestyle Market”, catering to a range of different kinks. Every month has a different theme; and while this is not mandatory, they do have a ‘best dressed’ competition every month. There is not a dress code for the market, other than no genital nudity, so you’ll see people in all sorts of outfits, from jeans and t-shirts to full latex suits. This month, I saw a lot of people in gorgeous costumes to fit the theme - lots of intricate, beautiful outfits! I like that there’s not a dress code, as it definitely makes people more comfortable. Personally, I wish there were some more rules around outfits such as uniforms or offensive slogans, as while I recognise that these can both play into popular kinks, they can make a lot of people very uncomfortable, very quickly. BBB does state that they “work on a frequency of honesty and openness… with the aim to provide a safe space for everyone to enjoy and explore.” and they “reserve the right to reject any application or offer to work with anyone who’s frequency does not match our own.” While this is great to read; I do worry that it leaves a lot of wiggle room for debate around what is allowed/not allowed, as there’s no clear definition on what their ‘frequencies’ are. However, I did feel that the BBB was an incredibly safe space - I did not feel judged or non-consensually sexualised by anybody there, which is really nice.
The BBB does have a good, albeit fairly commonplace, photo policy (photos only to be taken in designated areas and staff to oversee photos in wax or rope areas), which is another comfort to many people I’m sure.
All the staff are extremely friendly and seem super passionate about the event. I felt safe with them and their excitement definitely rubbed off on me; by the time I had paid and talked to the staff member handing out wristbands, I felt raring to go and check out the rest of the event. Any questions I had were answered quickly and in a very informative, but kind, way. I did not feel hurried to get into the market whatsoever, I really felt like I would be able to take my time and ask questions - which as mentioned above - is great for complete newbies. There’s so many people attending, you just blend in. After paying (£7 for the market), I got a wristband and entered the market itself - and was immediately greeted with a whole host of sellers and fellow visitors. It was a couple of hours after the event had started and it was still super busy, which is a good sign, one would think.
WHAT CASEY SAW
Birmingham Bizarre Bazaar is spread over three floors, all with a whole host of vendors. From artists to clothes shops to littleplay and petplay gear, to impact play toys and much much more). The vendors aren’t exclusively kink related. There was a crystal stall, a period boxer stall, and an LGBT glass stall, so all very inclusive and/or likely to be popular with a lot of those attending the market. These were really fun to see too - I think they definitely have appeal to a lot of the other people at the market, and it was cool to see that there was a chance for non kinky businesses to be there. I appreciated that it was mostly kinky businesses, but the non exclusivity was great to see too. The kinky businesses were wonderfully varied, as I just mentioned, and I loved wandering around the stalls - which inspired me in many ways, not least in terms of writing erotica, but also for personal play and thoughts of what new things I would enjoy.
I might have gone a little overboard with buying things… but it had been a while since I’d been to a market like this, and I’ll be reviewing everything I did buy - and I will link them in this article, so do check back if you are interested in seeing some of the things that are sold here.
There were a few stage shows and events throughout the day, such as a best dressed competition, a couple of munches, performances and demonstrations. Having a lot going on throughout the day means that visitors are able to stay longer without getting bored - if you’re interested in the content, that is. It enhances the day, and also gives quieter periods for people to peruse the stalls who may struggle with crowds. They feel very aware of how important welcoming people to the scene is, and provide demos such as an introduction to impact play - which I did not attend, but I would feel very inclined to if I was brand new to the world of BDSM.
THE VENUE
The venue, Nightingale’s, is in Birmingham’s gay village and is pretty cool. It’s supposedly pretty legendary in the gay scene - as it has been around for 50 years. I won’t go into too much detail, but it had a lot of great art and posters around it, alongside being huge, making it a fantastic venue for a market like this.
Accessibility is mentioned on their event listing and their website. BBB states ‘Disabled access is to the ground floor and the garden only as the lift is currently out of order, disabled toilet on each floor. We offer free entry for wheelchair users for the BBB and BBBAfterParty. We also offer free carers/essential companions tickets for those who require them.’ While it’s sad that the lift is out of order, limiting those who cannot use stairs, the offering of free entry is a really kind thing to do - and this makes BBB stand out from a lot of other events.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
As BBB is quite far from me, I don’t think I will be a regular attendee - perhaps annually or twice every year, but despite this - I would recommend visiting if you can! It’s a great way to find more people selling kink accessories or gear, and there’s almost certainly something for everyone. I think I’d like to return just to check out new vendors and get some new toys and accessories. It’s very easy to get there and back from London in a day, but I’m just considering train prices and how much I actually need to go to a market like this. If I lived closer, I think I would be a regular attendee as I loved chatting to people there, seeing what stock people had, and feeling so comfortable in such a fun and busy space.
There were so many traders, both ones I had heard of and ones that were completely new to me, and I found many things that interested me (alongside some that did not, and that’s okay, because they interest others!), so it was well worth the trip
There is also an afterparty in the same venue, and I will write up a review of this too - so watch this space.
Location: Very easy to get to from Birmingham New Street. (I would deduct half a point for distance from London if I wanted to be cheeky…) (5/5)
Price: £7 Entry giving you access to the market and all events from open to close (not including the afterparty) seems a little high, but there is a lot happening throughout the day, so if you’re interested it works out a lot better value. 3.5/5
Safety: The staff were friendly and the photo policy is good. Maybe more clarity as aforementioned would help, but still a safe event in my opinion. 4/5
Fun: Lots to look at and do, there is definitely something for everyone here for a few hours at least! 4/5