Reputed ‘orgy’ at Crowne worries resident

By Tessa Roy
Posted 2/16/17

An upcoming event of the Fifty Shades of Grey caliber isn’t flying with one local resident.

A citizen who preferred to be identified only as “just a regular mom,” emailed media outlets and …

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Reputed ‘orgy’ at Crowne worries resident

Posted

An upcoming event of the Fifty Shades of Grey caliber isn’t flying with one local resident.

A citizen who preferred to be identified only as “just a regular mom,” emailed media outlets and Warwick school administrators on Monday expressing shock and concern over a “public orgy” happening at the Crowne Plaza this weekend. The event, the Fetish Fair Flea Market, is hosted by the New England Leather Alliance (NELA) and is the “largest and lowest-cost event for the BDSM [Bondage, Discipline, Dominance and Submission or Sadomasochism] Community in New England” for participants and vendors from around the U.S. and Canada.

The flea market has been hosted at the Crowne Plaza before, but this year a “Play Party” aspect in which the Plaza ballroom will be transformed into a “fully equipped dungeon” has been added. Participants can pay $20 to attend one of two parties, or $40 for the “Double Header.”

The Play Party page on NELA’s website tells participants, “We strongly encourage all attendees to practice safer sex and will have supplies available in the play spaces, “anything that penetrates someone else’s orifices must be barriered – this includes toys, strap-ons, fingers, fists, etc,” and that “condoms, gloves or other appropriate barriers are required.” Safety and consent is largely emphasized, and failure to comply with these and other set rules will result in ejection from the event. The site also notes participants must obey all federal, state and local laws and ordinances.

Though she considers herself to be accepting of differing beliefs and values, the concerned citizen doesn’t feel the “play party” aspect of the event is necessarily appropriate to hold in Warwick.

“I love Warwick. I don’t have anything against people who participate in orgies. I just do not want it here,” she said. “I do not want our city turning into the Las Vegas of the Northeast.”

The event was approved and vetted by the Board of Public Safety and city solicitor’s office before being granted a license, according to Warwick Police Colonel Stephen McCartney.

In addition, Mayor Scott Avedisian’s office said it received information from the hotel and the board of public safety and added that in past cases in other communities, the ACLU has stepped in and argued that communities cannot bar these types of events as it is an infraction of civil rights. The event is not open to the general public, no other visitors will be going in or out of the hotel at that time, and admission to the event had to be paid for ahead of time. Private security will be on the premises, and the hotel is “taking precautions to ensure that it’s a well-monitored event.”

In terms of whether the event is a “public orgy,” Deputy Chief Michael Babula said, “That’s not the case.” It’s a matter of obtaining a license and falls under freedom of speech, he said, adding that the license for the event was obtained months ago.

“The group rents the entire hotel and it’s entirely private,” he said. “It’s within their constitutional right and not a criminal matter.”

Warwick Police officers will be present at the event for security purposes.

The Crowne Plaza, NELA and a representative from the Board of Public Safety did not respond to request for comment.

Comments

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  • akel2016

    First of all, this is a safe place for all, at no time is there a person under the age of 21... You must show a valid id at the door, there are police officers all over the place to make sure nothing bad is going on, or anyone is in danger... the hotel is closed to anyone who is not part of the event.. also if you look at how the hotel is situated on the grounds, there is no chance of anyone see anything from the streets unless they are using binoculars, and if they are well what the hell, that is voyeurism which is a kink...This event is not what the lady said a Big Orgy, it is a safe sane place for people in the kink community to get together sell there wares and have a good time.. Maybe this lady and anyone else has a problem then maybe they should go to the event and register and see for themselves.. and who knows they may turn out every year to have good time and do some personnel shopping without being embarrassed or snickered at for buying something that may bring their love life alive

    Thursday, February 16, 2017 Report this

  • akel2016

    I also want to add that in years past this organization was held at a very well known hotel in Providence adjacent to the Providence place mall, where attendees would walk through the mall in the event gear.. not very privet. if you ask me. i would not want children to see this.. it is why they changed hotels to a more secluded ( in a sense ) venue. where ppl of the non kink community are not subjected to the sites of the event

    Thursday, February 16, 2017 Report this

  • ThatGuyInRI

    Why was this not better advertised?

    Why am I finding out about it now when tickets are no longer available?

    Will it be returning for 2018?

    Inquiring minds want to know.

    Thursday, February 16, 2017 Report this

  • Scal1024

    Lol ThatguyinRI. "Asking for a friend"

    Thursday, February 16, 2017 Report this

  • ThatGuyInRI

    Scal1024 who said "asking for a friend?"

    It was "inquiring minds want to know," as in me.

    This is the best line of the article. “I love Warwick. I don’t have anything against people who participate in orgies. I just do not want it here,” Gotcha, you're not against orgies, as long as they don't happen in the city where you live.

    It's kinda like, "I'm not a racist, I just don't want xxxx living near me."

    Thursday, February 16, 2017 Report this

  • Lildark

    @ThatGuyInRI, you can get tickets at the door still.

    Sad that people have such a negative thoughts on this event. Maybe if they opened their eyes and did a little research they would not be so closed minded

    Thursday, February 16, 2017 Report this

  • akel2016

    yes it is always in February

    , and you might be able to go this year if you try at the door, but be read with you ID or you wont get in

    Thursday, February 16, 2017 Report this

  • Saradarkness

    You can get tickets st the door! I am not getting mine until the day off!

    Thursday, February 16, 2017 Report this

  • Drew

    Look, I don't want to point fists but these people are just enjoying themselves. If they do anything wrong they'll be subject to the penal code. This thing should bottom out by Sunday at noon. Hope they brought on extra cleaning staff for Sunday night. Maybe they should hire Single Source disaster cleaning. How's that for a plug? If the next banquet there tastes like rubber you'll know why. I'll pass on the corn dogs. My friend Shaun is supposed to be there. Room #172

    Thursday, February 16, 2017 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    you want an orgy where many people are screwed? head to the city council chambers or school committee meetings. you will leave with your morals corrupted and your wallet empty

    Friday, February 17, 2017 Report this

  • RISchadenfreude

    To each their own, and there'll always be uninformed / misinformed / reactionary NIMBY's.

    I'll bet there'll be a contingent of know-nothings who decide to stand outside at Greenwich Ave.(the rest is private property) in the cold and protest- bundle up!

    It's being held in a PRIVATE establishment with full disclosure and permitting, not in the parking lot of City Hall & Annex...sheesh. Please find something else to be offended by / about.

    I'm curious to know how "regular mom" JUST HAPPENED to find out about this event...hmmm...

    Friday, February 17, 2017 Report this

  • Straightnnarrow

    If the Crowne Plaza had any backbone, they would tell this outfit to take a hike- NOT HERE, NOT EVER!

    Friday, February 17, 2017 Report this

  • melindacassidy

    I don't understand why “just a regular mom” is concerned, is she taking her kids to the Crown Plaza? Does she think they're going to go running through the surrounding neighborhoods?

    Relax and let people be, if this annual event has no history of affecting the surrounding areas then mind your own business.

    Friday, February 17, 2017 Report this

  • IsThisTheOnion

    This is the Warwick Beacon, not The Onion.

    Why are you giving some ordinary anonymous tip and their misinformed feelings the focus on your title?

    and to this concerned mother, if by any chance you're reading this

    congratulations, you took a discrete event and gave it attention for interlopers. The patrons want anonymity and privacy to explore new experiences and it would have had no real change to a city's facade. You didn't do ANYONE any favors with this media attention let alone how you shot yourself in the foot trying in vain to fight something that doesn't affect you.

    and to Warwick Beacon: This isn't news. She isn't news. Your public reassurance for a discrete event isn't news. Your clickbait misleading headline isn't news.

    Sunday, February 19, 2017 Report this

  • RISchadenfreude

    Reputed: (Adjective) being such according to reputation or general belief "a reputed mobster"...one would think that in RI, someone in the newspaper business would know the difference between "reputed" and "rumored".

    Sunday, February 19, 2017 Report this

  • SarahE

    Wait! She contacted school administrators because of a private event being held at Crowne Plaza?!? Seriously? I have a dog. Maybe I should write to the pound because I'm upset that CVS doesn't have Peeps on sale.

    And, sorry Beacon, I have to agree with IsThisTheOnion. One random person's opinion is Not news. Dr. Rudman's sign made me want to sign up for the Beacon, but this article has changed my mind.

    Sunday, February 19, 2017 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    If motel usage is such a big problem in warwick then the motel six should be closed immediately

    Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Report this