Minneapolis could be heating up this week

[hoosier]

Downtown Event: ‘Sex and So Much More’ may draw 40,000 to Downtown Minneapolis
By Jeremy Stratton

Downtown could be heating up this week — and we’re not talking about the weather. The International “Sex and So Much More” show could draw as many as 40,000 amorous attendees to the Minneapolis Convention Center Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 17-20.

The show’s exhibits, seminars, entertainment and merchandise are intended to “improve and enhance your romantic life,” said Kari Calder, Showcase Productions’ event coordinator.

Although Showcase has participated in similar shows in Canada, Calder said, the Minneapolis show will be Showcase’s first event here.

Referring to the seminar’s subject, Calder asked, “Everybody does it; why don’t we talk about it? It’s a natural part of life, why not help people enjoy it a little more?”

Calder said that a similar show in Toronto drew mostly couples, but attendees included everyone from 19-year-olds (no one younger is admitted) to seniors.

Why Minneapolis? “It’s there,” Calder said, noting that about 85 of the exhibitors are local. “Minneapolis is a conservative market, but there’s a want for this type of show. We’re bringing it out in a safe and comfortable environment, all under one roof.”

Calder defended the show after a recent KSTP-TV news story “portrayed us as a porn campaign. That’s not what it is. It’s a classy venue, and we want to keep it that way.”

(Some vendors will be selling x-rated videos, Calder said, but it’s only a small part of the show.)

There will be no nudity — body-paint will be applied thickly, she said — or stripping. “They can go to Schiek’s afterwards for that,” Calder said. (By the way, your Sex and So Much More ticket will gain you free admission to the gentleman’s club.)

Downtown sponsors range from strip clubs such as Schiek’s and D/jˆ Vu to the Red Door Clinic, which offers free STD and HIV testing, and Access Works, a needle-exchange program intended to reduce the spread of HIV and Hepatitis through drug use.

Attendees can browse or purchase a variety of sex-related items, including toys, games, clothing and cosmetics.

Ron Jeremy — of adult film and “the Surreal Life” fame — will be signing autographs on Saturday, Nov. 19. The show will also feature past and future Playboy playmates, male and female dancers (again, not nude), a burlesque troupe, lingerie shows, other “exotic apparel” and live music.

Seminars include “Making Sex Fun,” a discussion about sex games and play; “Peel and Play,” which helps women “uncover their inner stripper”; and a “toy care” seminar on how to properly use and care for your sex toys.

The show will also feature something for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) crowd, Calder said, including transvestite makeovers by Hair by Morgan.

The four-day show will run 3 p.m.-midnight Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m.-midnight Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets will be available at the door or prior to the show at ticketweb.com. A daily pass is $20. Find out more at www.sexandsomuchmore.com.