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BLUFSF 2025: A Year in Review

In, 2025, BLUFSF saw changes in leadership & increased opportunities of representation throughout the year; this is a year in review.

5–8 minutes

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s time to take a moment to reflect on what happened with BLUFSF over the year’s course. From a change in command to new endeavours, BLUFSF saw expansion while holding on to established events. It was eventful to say the least. Let’s get into it.

Photo Credit: John Kouletsis

Change in Command

In early-2025, long-standing BLUFSF Organizer Master Ghee Phua handed the group’s reins to SIR Aaron Wolf. Plans for the change had been in place since the latter part of 2024 with Wolf’s debut occurring at the February edition of BLUFSF HARD. The debut was sweetened as attendees were offered Ghirardelli chocolates to commemorate Valentine’s Day.

The change would allow Master Ghee to travel and get into his art as Wolf moved to gather resources for remaining months of the year. Thankfully, Ghee made himself available for questions and advice to ensure a smooth transition.

The transition was relatively smooth as Wolf worked to establish technical infrastructure by securing a new website domain, designing the new site, and gaining control of existing social media while establishing new nodes. The new site went live and provided folx curious about BLUFSF a place to visit for all things BLUFSF and also how to join BLUF itself.

Master Ghee continues to be part of BLUFSF as an Organizer Emeritus. SIR Wolf is grateful for the chance to lead a group local focused on uniforms and Leather, two things he has a passion for. BLUFSF owes much gratitude to Master Ghee Phua for holding the mantle of the group, bringing it forward post-pandemic. Thank you, Master Ghee!

Expansion into Sacramento

In May, BLUFSF expanded its reach into the Sacramento area with the introduction of CUERO at the Bolt, Sacramento’s own Leather bar. CUERO served as a sibling event to the long-standing HARD night at the SF Eagle and stemmed from a collaboration with Mr. Bolt Leather 2025 Colin Gallagher who asked us to join forces for what turned out to be a successful March event. There was interest in Sacramento for a BLUF night so SIR Wolf reached out to the Bolt. Agreements were made and BLUFSF CUERO debuted on Friday, May 30th on a bimonthly basis as a test phase for the event. As the year progressed, the interest was sustained so now BLUFSF CUERO will return in February 2026 along with some great additions to the effort.

Click on the images below to check out event recaps for every night:

BLUFSF HARD Continued Strong in 2025

In June, BLUFSF began posting event recaps to allow attendees access to event photos and overviews of the night. BLUFSF HARD continued strong throughout the year and will continue into 2026. BLUFSF continued to share the night with the Bay Area Cigar Buddies and ASHHOLE, giving the city a decidedly sexy flavour of Leather, boots, and cigars. Check out recaps for BLUFSF HARD here.

The first 2026 edition of BLUFSF HARD will be on Friday, January 9th, preceded by dinner at the Basil Canteen. Click here for more information.

A Busy Summer for BLUFSF

June saw BLUFSF engaging SF Pride on two fronts: In the Pride Parade and, for the first time, hosting a booth in Leather Alley thanks to the invitation from the SF Leather & LGBTQ District.

July saw the traditional Dim Sum IN GEAR event hosted by Master Ghee and the SF Asian Leathermen Group (SFALG) at Dumpling Time, kicking off the weeklong countdown to Dore Alley.

On Thursday, July 24th, BLUFSF hosted its 15th Annual IN GEAR Dinner at the Cadillac Bar & Grill. The event was attended by over 125+ Leathermen from the world over. A raffle auction of 15 Leather items was conducted with all the winners taking home all sorts of great gear.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, July 23rd, 2026 for the 16th Annual IN GEAR Dinner. Find more information here as the date gets closer.

Toward summer’s end, BLUFSF teamed up with Mr. Kristofer Weston, Pup Amp, and the On Guard Cigar Salon to host the 5th Annual Backyard Folsom Party during Folsom Street Fair.

The event served as a mellow space for Leatherfolx to come together, a respite before, during, and/or after attending the fair down the hill. Mr. Kristofer grilled brats, music pumped from the speakers, and BLUFSF manned the door. Check out the recap linked at the image above.

Ending the Year with Two IN GEAR Holiday Dinners

Continuing a holiday tradition, BLUFSF hosted its annual IN GEAR Holiday Dinner at the Basil Canteen on Friday, December 12th before the December edition of BLUFSF HARD. A ticketed event, the dinner hosted nearly 40 folx. BLUFSF provided holiday cards to all attendees, it was a great way to gather in gear for the holidays.

A week later, BLUFSF hosted its inaugural IN GEAR Holiday Dinner in Sacramento at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Midtown. A group of folx from the Bay Area made the trip to attend. Again, cards were given out and all were welcome. Mr. Bolt Leather 2026 Bear Boucher and Northwest Bootblack 2023 Innocent Darlington were in attendance for a nice dinner before heading to the Bolt for an informal cigar social. Attendees were encouraged to bring a toy to donate to the Bolt’s annual toy drive. This capped off a busy and awesome year for BLUFSF!

What’s Next

The outlook for BLUFSF is looking positive as we head into the new year. BLUFSF HARD will continue as usual on the 2nd Friday every month at the SF Eagle. Dinners beforehand will be presented and will be listed on the new BLUFSF Social page.

As for the BLUFSF Social page, we’ll be looking at expanding our event repertoire beyond bar-centered nights. We’ll be looking into bringing back being IN GEAR at the movies among other efforts. This may include gathering for dinners at venues throughout the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento. Stay tuned.

You can expect BLUFSF to be represented at events like CLAW and Palm Springs Leather Pride. With so much going on in the world lately, providing a space for folx to gear up and gather is more important than ever. If you’re at a BLUFSF event, you’re in a safe space.

Regarding Sacramento events, CUERO will be returning more regularly and will be augmented by dinner socials when we do not have the Bolt. We will support events that are going on at the Bolt but we will also do our own thing. The big change to Sacramento is that CUERO nights are being moved to Saturdays to allow maximum attendance from Sacramento and San Francisco folx alike.

Stay tuned for more details to come regarding events throughout the year. We’ve got pages and social media out there so you can stay connected.

BLUFSF is looking forward to meeting you and seeing you in the new year!

Thank You

BLUFSF would like the thank the following for making 2025 a banner year for us: