Save the date: Next year November 17

Diabolqiue Ball 2011: Military Ops
 $7,000 in funds and 115 degrees of fun raised in one militaristic  night!

 

How do members of Philaelphia’s fantasy, fetish and leather/bdsm communities recruit fresh faces, have a ton of fun and support the work of important charities? At the end of every year for the past 15 years, The Diabolique Ball has raised thousands of dollars (and happy havoc) for one unforgettable night each year!

Last year’s smaller, more intimate crowd still counted in at over 300 guests (in addition to over 100 volunteers and performers who collected internal charity funds throughout the night). Uniformed military-themed costuming prevailed and attracted some out of town celebrities like internationally known dominatrix Irene Boss, New York-based interrogator Sir Guy and Ms. Illinois Leather Cherries Jubalee.

Guest tickets have resulted in a $6,000 contribution to this year’s two primary charitable causes: the formation of a Philadelphia Chapter of American Veterans for Equal Rights (in keeping with the military theme of the Ball, AVER actively fights for the rights of LGBT servicemen and veterans) and the Gay and Lesbian AIDS Education Initiative’s Teen food cupboard– which will provide homeless teens (who are often ineligible for government assistance) with nutritional support.  An additional 1,000 was raised through tips, donations, and charity booths inside the Ball for Project SAFE and The Leather Heart Foundation.

 

For those who have missed last year’s Ball, this year’s date has already been locked in with Shampoo Nightclub: Saturday November 17^th. The Diabolique Ball traditionally happens the weekend prior to Thanksgiving, but lastyear’s soiree happened Saturday December 5 due to scheduling complications. Board members are happy that the date is returning to its original timing, where there are less holiday parties and obligations competing for the attention of potential guests.

 

The Diabolique Foundation is a 501c3 charity organization founded in 2004 to organize and manage the funds of the annual Diabolique Ball, which was launched in 1997 by PASSIONAL (then Fetishes Boutique)and Delicious Boutique (then Delicious Corsets). Board meetings are held monthly during the year and weekly (or more) leading up to the Ball. To get involved, email diaboliqueball@gmail.com

 

 

Make the Ball Better: Diabolique Military Ops Survey

Take the survey and help us make 2012’s Ball on November 17th at Shampoo better than ever!

Attn: Diabolique photo booth customers

If you paid for a portrait at Diabolique 2011, and have not received your photo via email, please email photographer Jerry Bennett at bennettshootsfashion@hotmail.com.

There were a few problems reading email addresses and lining them up with the proper recipient, so please detail what type of outfit you were wearing so your photo can be matched to you.

On behalf of Jerry Bennett Photography and the Diabolique Foundation, we apologize for the inconvenience

THANK YOU for a Ball of a Weekend!

The Diabolique Foundation and its charity beneficiaries have much to be thankful for!

Military Ball-istics indicate that this past weekend’s maneuvers were quite a success! Charity Play stations that brought in nearly $1,000 for Leather Heart Foundation and Project SAFE. Tickets raised some $6,000 for our main beneficiaries: American Veterans for Equal Rights Philadelphia Chapter and the GALAEI Teen Food Cupboard.

A big general THANK YOU for your support to all of all of our guests, volunteers and organizers! Special thanks to: The Aviary Philly for donating, setting up, tearing down and transporting all dungeon equipment,  A Full Plate for providing discount catering to VIP guests (and Psydde for making that happen),  Brooklyn for organizing dungeon logistics and charity players and confirming parade of colors, KC for organizing volunteers, Tonya for troublehooting ticket issues and organizational logistics, Aristotle for all of the amazing graphics, Lydia and Jade for sponsoring weekend events.

PHOTOS coming soon!

Military Mainstage

This year’s mainstage will showcase talent from far and wide- We are publishing the info we have received, with updates soon

Charity Playstations! Bring your $5 bills and contribute to the effort!

During war & piece is it of vital importance that all citizens rally around the cause and support our troops!
Bring plenty of $5 for the 8 charity playstations at the Ball!

Click the poster below to go to the charity play page, so you can budget for your favorite activities and needs!

Parade Of Colors- Club Roll Call

We’ve just updated the Parade of Colors and Celebrity Guest pages for the 2011 Diabolique Ball: Military Ops. Check them out!

Join dozens of celebrities, hundreds of pervy people and millions of michevious inspirations this Saturday to Be Bad for a Good Cause!

If your club or favorite titleholder or celebrity would like to be included, please email us!

Leather Heart Lockdown in the Diabolique Brig

Leather Heart Foundation, who was a past ticket beneficiary of Diabolique Ball, will be hosting a lockdown in the dungeon from 9PM-11PM.

What is a charity lockdown? Arresting officers will distribute 100 copies of “citations” each of which  list a selection of “charges” that the person buying the arrest wishes to be read to the “prisoner,” before that person is hauled away for 5 minutes in the Brig.

Guards  keep track of the time, and then release prisoner after their time is served. A prisoner may opt to “bribe” the guard with a $10 donation and go AWOL and then seek vengeance upon their friend whom initiated the original court martial by issuing retaliatory charges. What happens in the brig, stays int the brig! Expect groping, spanking and torment, (unless they use the Diabolique Ball safeword which is “safeword”) Interrment guards perform  mischievous acts of “harassment” on the prisoners  and will remind you that you can make a $10 donation/ bribe to get out early that will help raise more money!

This year’s lockdown is presented by (and will benefit) The Leather Heart Foundation! Come out and be bad for a good cause!

2011 Beneficiary: American Veterans for Equal Rights

American Veterans for Equal Rights is forming a Philadelphia chapter to assist local veterans and activists in fighting the national battle for equitable treatment of LGBT service members and their families.

AVER is a 21 year old national veterans service organization made up primarily of LGBT military veterans.  They have been working to overturn the nearly 100 year old ban against gay service members, and we were one of the first organizations to interact with the Pentagon on a “soldier to soldier” basis, providing answers to many of the military’s questions about LGBT military service from an insider’s perspective, something they could respect and trust much more than lobbyists, researchers, and politicians trying to force something on them for reasons other than creating a more effective military.  Because AVER is a VSO and supports the mission of the military, they were able to turn the argument around and reframe the issue as one of how the ban hurt the military and how the Pentagon, the armed forces in general, and the nation itself would be more secure as a result of removing the ban.  They were successful in helping win over the support of key members of Congress as well as current and former Chairs of the Joint Chiefs.

AVER has been featured on news casts around the world including broadcasts in France, the far east, and the BBC.  As president of AVER I was profiled recently on a CNN Veterans Day special highlighting the diversity of the veterans community, a great honor of a vet who became one of the first service members to be discharged under DADT in 1994 following statements in support of Bill Clinton’s promise to lift the ban.  See the video feature of the national president of AVER, Danny Ingram:

Now that the ban has been lifted AVER is shifting their focus to ensuring that the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is fully implemented, including securing equal benefits for LGBT military personnel and their partners, which involves overturning DOMA.  Additionally, as a VSO they will be working to ensure that all veterans, including LGBT vets, get the full benefits from the Veterans Administration that they have been promised.  This will be an important battle not only for LGBT vets, but for all returning service members who may see a much more conservative political environment take aim at budget reductions by skimping on veterans benefits.  There is also the issue of transgender service, since the repeal of DADT did nothing for transgendered service members.  AVER is working to repeal the ban on transgender service and develop strategies to allow for the integration of trans personnel into the ranks of those whose primary mission is and has always been the defense of the Constitution of the United States of America.

Hotel Palomar is offering a rate of $189 for the nights of December 2nd and 3rd. Please call-in to make your reservations. Since this is such a last minute booking, all reservations would need to be reserved by Wednesday, November 30th. After Wednesday, November 30th, rooms will be released back into inventory and guests will be subject to prevailing rates. All of rates include complimentary Coffee Service each morning as well as complimentary Wine Hour each evening. We have a fitness center on property which your guests will be able to access 24-hours a day with their room key.