Gadling

While sexy can mean different things to different people, sometimes there is just no disputing. From naked bodies covered in paint to scantily clad burlesque dancers to artistic bondage shows, there is a festival out there that will fulfill your idea of what sexy is.

New Orleans Burlesque Festival
New Orleans, Louisiana

The New Orleans Burlesque Festival takes place in New Orleans every year during mid-September. For three days, guests are treated to naughty striptease numbers, spicy parties, and, of course, tons of sexy burlesque dance shows. And you don’t only get to watch these hot acts, you get to learn them too, as the festival hosts an array of workshops, like the Stockings and Garter Workshop which will teach you how to sensually remove your hosiery, and Bumps and Grinds, where you will learn sultry, stage-worthy dance moves.German Fetish Ball Weekend
Berlin, Germany

Every year, the German Fetish Ball Weekend takes over Germany as the biggest international fetish gala and is the largest fetish and BDSM weekend in Europe. The weekend is packed with X-rated events from risque fashion shows, sexy performances, libidinous bondage shows, and parties where you will meet guests dressed in leather, lace, and less. This year, the event will take place from May 25-28.

World Body Painting Festival
Kärnten, Austria

The World Body Painting Festival is a body painting, face painting, and special effects festival that takes place in Austria each year. This sexy event incorporates art, fashion, music, entertainment, and parties with a BodyArt Fashion Show, hot DJ’s “dressed” in paint, and chances to gain skills in this unique art yourself. Have a great body painting photo? You can submit it to win Bodypainting Art Photo of the Year.

Sexy International Film Festival
Melbourne, Australia

Each November, the Sexy International Film Festival takes place in Melbourne, with promotional screenings also taking place in Perth, Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The event features films from all over the world covering topics on love, relationships, and of course, sex. Expect a lot of lingerie, nudity, and titles like “Dame Factory”, “Scenes of an Adult Nature”, “Grandpa’s Wet Dream”, and “Black and White Sex”. Submissions for the 2012 festival begin in March. For information on purchasing tickets, click here.

Exotic Erotic Ball & Expo
San Francisco, California

While the annual Exotic Erotic Ball & Expo didn’t take place in 2011, it will be back for 2012. The festival has been going on for over thirty years and celebrates sexuality and freedom of expression with live music, exotic dancers, masquerade parties, erotic performances, and sexy games like Lesbian First Kiss. And if that’s not enough, there’s a wild after party that will keep you up all night.

Kinky Salon
Global

While most people know Kinky Salon from their yearly Copenhagen event, the San Francisco-based company actually hosts events all over the globe that are devoted to a “safe and consensual exploration of sex-positive self-expression”. Attendees to the events can expect sexy art parties, exhibitionism, and carnal costumes. You can also check out the Kinky Salon Amsterdam, New York, and London.

Nudes-A-Poppin Pageant and Festival
Roselawn, Indiana

Nudes-A-Poppin’ Pageant and Festival is the biggest nude beauty pageant in the world. Since 1976, this event has been featuring showgirls, pole competitions, oil wrestling, and screaming ‘O’ contests as contestants battle it out to be crowned titles like Ms. Nude Entertainer, Mr. Nude North America, and Ms. Nude Rising Star. This year’s event will take place on July 21-22.

Carnival
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

When thinking of sexy festivals, Carnival is usually the first one that people think of. While not as obvious in erotic nature as many of the other events mentioned, the sexy samba moves, burlesque-style costumes, and nude dancing make Carnival a carnal treat. Plus, it helps that Brazilians are some of the sexiest people alive. This year the event will take place February 18-21.

Seattle Erotic Art Festival
Seattle, Washington

The Seattle Erotic Art Festival was founded by the Sex Positive Community Center (now the Foundation for Sex Positive Culture) in 2002. Through the arts, the event promotes feedom of expression and a sex positive community. Attendees can expect sexy performances, erotic installations, libidinous films, workshops, and after-hours parties. This year, the festival is expanded to take place over two weekends, June 16-17 and June 22-24.

Phallus
Tyrnavos, Greece

While many of these festivals tend to gravitate towards celebrating the female form, the Phallus Festival in Greece pays homage to the penis. This one-day fertility festival signals the beginning of Lent and honors the Greek God of wine, madness, and ecstasy, Dionysus. Attendees of the festival will have the chance to eat penis-shaped food, sit on penis-shaped furniture, kiss ceramic penises (and sometimes have them places between their legs), admire penis art, and wear penis accessories. A similar festival also takes place every year in Kawasaki, Japan.

[images via Kaylin Idora Photography, ChrisK4u, Exotic Erotic Ball, Wikimedia Commons, _Yuki_K_]