Event Dates
From: Friday, September 10, 2027
To: Friday, September 10, 2027
Berlin Bear goes to Folsom for a very special leather edition during the annual Folsom Europe festival.
Berlin Bear goes to Folsom for a very special leather edition during the annual Folsom Europe festival in September.
- Stay close to the venue for this event at the Hotel Orania Berlin, just a 5-minute walk away. Rated “Fabulous” by guests, the hotel offers rooms with a timeless and stylish design.
The Party
- Next Edition: Friday, September 10, 2027 – 10 pm until late.
- BearDance takes over SO36 on the Friday night of Folsom Europe, ahead of Saturday’s huge Street Fair in Schöneberg.
- Expect a packed crowd of bears, bearded guys, cubs, daddies, chasers and fetish fans from across Europe.
- DJs take the party through tech, house and progressive sounds, with the final 2027 line-up awaiting announcement.
- BearDance includes a large backstage darkroom, dance floor, visuals and a separate smokers’ area.
- There is no strict dress code. Fetish gear is very welcome and the party is puppy-friendly.
- Previous Folsom editions have sold out weeks ahead, so advance tickets are strongly recommended.
- BearDance is an official Folsom Europe weekend event and has become one of the key Friday-night parties for the bear community.
What to Expect
- BearDance is a much more bear-focused alternative to some of the heavier leather parties taking place across Berlin during Folsom.
- The crowd mixes local Berlin bears with international visitors arriving for the weekend. You don’t need to arrive dressed head-to-toe in fetish gear. Jeans, T-shirts, harnesses, leather, rubber, sportswear and puppy gear all work.
- The main focus is the dance floor, with plenty of space to meet guys around the bar and smokers’ lounge. Later in the night, the large backstage darkroom becomes another major part of the party.
- BearDance has developed a loyal following through its Folsom and Easter editions. Recent parties have featured BearDance resident DJ Axelay alongside guest DJs from Berlin and the wider European bear circuit.
The Venue – SO36
- SO36 is at Oranienstraße 190, 10999 Berlin, in Kreuzberg.
- One of Berlin’s legendary alternative clubs, SO36 has hosted punk, queer and underground events since the late 1970s.
- BearDance transforms the club with DJs, video projections, a busy dance floor and the venue’s large backstage darkroom.
- The club sits in the heart of Kreuzberg’s Oranienstraße nightlife district, surrounded by bars, restaurants and late-night food spots.
- Allow around 20 to 30 minutes to travel between Schöneberg’s Folsom district and SO36, depending on traffic and your starting point.
- Görlitzer Bahnhof and Kottbusser Tor are the most useful U-Bahn stations for the venue.
Folsom Europe Weekend
- Folsom Europe runs from Wednesday 8th September to Sunday 12th September 2027, bringing thousands of leather and fetish visitors to Berlin.
- BearDance takes place on Friday night, just before the biggest day of the weekend.
- Saturday’s Folsom Europe Street Fair takes over Fuggerstraße and Welserstraße in Schöneberg from midday, with stages, bars, fetish stores, community groups, demonstrations and thousands of guys filling the surrounding streets.
- Saturday night brings the major Folsom club and play parties, followed by closing events on Sunday.
Where to Stay
You have two good options for BearDance: stay in Kreuzberg close to SO36 or base yourself in Schöneberg for the wider Folsom weekend.
For a first visit, Schöneberg makes the most sense. You can walk to the Street Fair, bars and many of the weekend events, then travel across town to BearDance on Friday night.
- RIU Plaza Berlin – A spacious modern hotel within walking distance of Nollendorfplatz and the Folsom district. Its larger rooms work particularly well for a four or five-night festival stay.
- Mercure Hotel Berlin Wittenbergplatz – Contemporary hotel beside Wittenbergplatz U-Bahn and KaDeWe. Excellent transport connections make getting across Berlin to SO36 straightforward.
- Hotel Riu Plaza Berlin – A convenient choice if being close to the Schöneberg bars and Street Fair is your priority, with plenty of restaurants and nightlife nearby.
- For BearDance itself, stay in Kreuzberg:
- Orania.Berlin – An upscale boutique hotel on Oranienplatz with individually designed rooms, a stylish bar and a prime Kreuzberg location. SO36 is just a short walk along Oranienstraße.
Getting to BearDance
- From Nollendorfplatz, allow around 25 minutes to reach SO36 by U-Bahn and a little longer at busy periods.
- A taxi is convenient if you’re travelling in fetish gear or with a group. Friday night traffic can be heavy, so leave extra time if you want to arrive close to opening.
- If you’re staying around Oranienplatz or central Kreuzberg, SO36 is easily reached on foot.
BearDance Tips
- Arrive early – BearDance has sold out in previous years and SO36 gets busy.
- No strict dress code – casual, bear, leather and fetish looks are all welcome.
- Puppy-friendly – pup gear is a regular sight at the Folsom edition.
- Use the cloakroom – September nights can be cooler than the packed club.
- Save some energy – Saturday brings the Folsom Street Fair followed by the weekend’s biggest parties.
- Stay in Schöneberg if Folsom is the main reason for your Berlin trip; stay in Kreuzberg if BearDance and Berlin nightlife are your priority.
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Bear Dance Folsom Edition Visit The Website
Being such a large city, gay neighbourhoods are scattered around Berlin, in the districts of Schöneberg and Kreuzberg (the western part of Berlin) as well as in Prenzlauer Berg (eastern part). Recently, the district of Friedrichshain developed a trendy area for upmarket coffee shops and cocktail bars. The majority of the gay hotels, bars, cafes and shops in Berlin are located in the Schöneberg district.
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