2024 Panels & Workshops

A big component of the Atlantic Sex Show is education.

We will have a dynamic blend of educational workshops, panel discussions, and demonstrations throughout the weekend!

Panel discussions take place on the mainstage and are included in your admission at no extra cost. Workshop spaces are limited – so secure your space by registering early, with workshop tickets available for just $15 each!

Friday, February 16 @ 5:45 pm – Mainstage

Theres is often the misconception that our sexuality lies in our loins. Our brains are some of the most powerful pleasure centres we possess! Join pleasure and sexuality professionals and enthusiats as we talk about how sexuality is a whole body experience as we prepare ourselves for a fun filled weekend!

Saturday, February 17 @ 2:30 pm – Mainstage

Kink can be empowering, kink can be scary, kink can be whatever you want it to be! Kink on Your Terms is a community discussion about how you can develop and maintain a relationship with kink and what that can look like for everyones unique jouney with kink. Join our panel of kink enthusiasts and educators to learn more about how to set yourself up for sucess in negotiating around kink practice.

Saturday, February 17 @ 3:45 pm – Mainstage

Join us for an intimate discussion around sex and disabilities. Our host and their guests will have the floor, discussing how pleasure and disabilies interact. From visible to invisible, the relationship with our bodies and brains of course overlap with our sex lives, so what do those relationships look like when your body or mind may not fit the typical mould.

Saturday, February 17 @ 5:30 pm – Mainstage

Join some of the biggest names in Halifax drag as they beat their faces and get ready for a night of entertainment! Join us in discussing how the art of drag as evolved in recent years and what that evolution looks like, right in Halifax. Learn about how you can best support your favorite Queens, Kings and performers in between! Watch as their acts come to life on their face while talking about their art form and discuss the nuanced environment that we have in Atlantic Canada.

Sunday, February 18 @ 2:30 pm – Mainstage

Burlesque is a timeless art form that can truly incorporate any number of talents. From emboding their favourite animals to some cinimatic staples, burlesque has taken Halifax by storm. Come listen to some of the biggest names in the province speak about why they love what they do!

Sunday, February 18 @ 3:45 pm – Mainstage

Those that participate in Kink are very familiar with the physical consequences of kink, but what about the invisible consequences? Join kink enthusiast and mental health professionals as we discuss and uncover how your mental health and relationship to kink are intimately intertwined.

Sunday, February 18 @ 5:30 pm – Mainstage

Polyamory, Monogamy, Ethical Non-Monogamy, in a sea of terms it is easy to get lost! Join local Haligonians in a community based discussion about relationship dynamics. Enjoy the discussions of folks who are seasoned in their understanding and practice of Non- Monogamy.

Friday, February 16 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm – Workshop Room 1

Join the Consent Kitties to learn and share strategies for respectful, authentic communication. We’ll talk about how we practice consent through self-awareness, active listening, empowered self-expression, and taking accountability. Let’s take care of each other!

Friday, February 16 @ 5:45 pm – 6:45 pm – Workshop Room 2

What is burlesque and where did it come from? How has this unique performance style changed over time? How do you fit in and where do you get started?
Learn a quick history of burlesque and explore the different styles that have evolved. Then learn how you can get started as a burlesque performer. Act development, persona vs character, how to start performing, off stage etiquette, and show production basics.
Please bring paper and pen/pencil or other writing medium.

Saturday, February 17 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Workshop Room 1

Get you arts and crafts on as you make your very own pair of burlesque pasties, complete with tassels! Then, pop those pasties on and learn how to make them twirl!
Open to all shapes, sizes, and genders. Toplessness not required for tassel twirling.
Materials Kit: $5 per participant (cash only!)

Saturday, February 17 @ 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm – Workshop Room 2

Introduction and overview for newcomers to the scene and a great chance for some more experienced folk to learn something new!

Saturday, February 17 @ 1:15 pm – 2:45 pm – Workshop Room 1

Discovering rope bondage can be like exploring a whole new world a possibilities: it can be as exhilarating as it can be overwhelming. With so much to understand and experience on the horizon, very real risks can hide in plain sight if one doesn’t know what to look out for.

Nephira & BabyBear will be drawing to light the different contexts that exist in the world of rope bondage as they relate to different bodies / genders / histories, as well as questions to consider when negotiating different kinds of rope-related experiences.

Saturday, February 17 @ 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm – Workshop Room 2

A workshop delving into the intrinsic feelings driving our hottest turn ons. Our Core Desires serve as the underpinning emotions that ignite our passion and guide our intimate connections. Throughout this journey, we’ll unearth the roots of these desires and harness this self-awareness to confidently communicate our wants and needs. Understanding your Core Desires is the key to unlocking your most arousing sexual encounters. We’ll explore how sexual experiences can act as a therapeutic tool to heal past wounds, helping you identify your own desires and navigate incompatible core desires within relationships.

Saturday, February 17 @ 2:45 pm – 3:45pm – Workshop Room 2

Explore burlesque with Kay Licious. Learn how to shimmy & shake, bump & grind, and take it off with style! Teasing peels, tantalizing moves, and sassy attitude will all be covered, so that you can get un-covered. No experience or dance background necessary. Wear comfortable clothes. High heeled shoes optional but encouraged.

Saturday, February 17 @ 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm – Workshop Room 1

Erotic embodiment is the key to expansive pleasure in and out of the bedroom. It is the heart of confident existing. Join Serena as she walks you through tangible exercises and concepts to help you become more erotically attuned to your own body, desires and needs. You will learn anatomy of pleasure, how to embody your true essence, how to embrace your full body yes and no, and what it takes to bring that erotic nature to the bedroom confidently.

Saturday, February 17 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Workshop Room 2

Intimacy is the deep connection you have with your essence and vitality with yourself and in the company of others. It requires a high tolerance for awkwardness and vulnerability to go beyond the surface. In this workshop, we will learn simple Somatic techniques and engage in real time experiences together to face the fear of the unknown to create more authentic and meaningful bonds. Consider this an incredible gift for yourself and all of your relationships.

Saturday, February 17 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Workshop Room 1

All about Anal is the perfect step for anyone looking to learn more about anal play as a beginner or a seasoned pleasure seeker. Serena will teach a basic anatomy of the body as well as how we can harness the power of our nervous system to regulate and calm ourselves into pleasure filled bliss. You will learn about ways to seduce the the backdoor, lubes to use and not use, how to properly use toys and care for them, the concept of aftercare and more.

Saturday, February 17 @ 5:15 pm – 6:15 pm – Workshop Room 2

We often hear how trauma and kink are interrelated. That for a lot of us, our current place of play is somehow connected to a past place of pain. How do we become more aware of that connection? And is there a way for us to be more intentional with our play and its massaging of our trauma?
Beginning with BDSM basics (consent, negotiation, aftercare) we will see how kink already has the foundation to be trauma informed. From there we will build it in a more conscious way, specifically through the lens of a D/s dynamic. Integrating research on trauma work and kink, as well as attachment theory, we will see how the D/s dynamic can create a space for healing.

Sunday, February 18 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm – Workshop Room 1

Intimate connections, by their nature, include moments of hurt and vulnerability. Mastering the art of understanding and navigating hurt feelings as a natural part of the relationship’s fabric strengthens the bond. In this transformative workshop, you’ll learn the vital skill of relationship repair, providing a deeper understanding, empathy, and mutual support when challenges arise. Cultivating an “ethic of repair” fortifies and deepens relationships, offering an invaluable life skill that enriches connections and promotes personal growth.

Sunday, February 18 @ 12:15 pm – 1:45 pm – Workshop Room 2

Disabled sex can be the most creative and inventive sex there is, but we aren’t offered a lot of useful inspiration from mainstream media or porn. Often, we’re starting from scratch, and there is not better sounding board than other disabled community members! Join Rachele for an interactive, discussion-based workshop about accessible sex. We’ll discuss what makes disabled sex amazing, problem-solve, and crowdsource for inspiration to make our sex lives more accessible. This workshop prioritizes disabled community members, but non-disabled partners and allies are welcome to attend as well.

Sunday, February 18 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm Workshop Room 1

Join Serena as we go on a pleasure hunt like no other! In this workshop we will learn pleasure anatomy and skills to blow their mind! AND YOUR OWN! Serena will explain the concept of PLEASURE WORSHIP and how we can use this for expansive orgasmic experiences and deep intimacy. You will learn how WORSHIP is not only a gift to your partners but to yourself as well. Serena asks for volunteers up front for some demos on props and toys. If you choose to, you will be excited to leave with a little goodie to say thank you!

Sunday, February 18 @ 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm – Workshop Room 2

A stimulating workshop that covers the highs and lows of Sexualized Substance Use (Party n Play, Chemsex). We will review the substances that are most commonly used to facilitate or enhance the sexual experience, including GHB, crystal meth, cocaine, ketamine and Viagra and review how to use them more safely in a sexual context. We will have an open discussion about consent when high and include a brief review of how to respond to an emergency such as a drug poisoning/overdose.

Sunday, February 18 @ 3:45 pm – 5:15 pm – Workshop Room 1

Join Venus Envy educators Nailah and Ry for an exploration of all things penis pleasure! Learn how to skillfully explore communication and express desire, broaden your skillset with new techniques for giving and receiving pleasure, explore anatomy basics and learn all about penis-focused toys!

This workshop is trans-integral, and aimed at expanding our idea of what penis play and pleasure looks like. We’ll strengthen our knowledge about language and erotic exploration beyond gendered connotations.

Sunday, February 18 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Workshop Room 2

Many of us compartmentalise our sexuality (only think about it, feel it or experience it when we are actually having sex). It is likely making it difficult to feel desirous of sex, to transition to sex or to get turned on during sex. Staying connected to our sexuality, developing sensual practices and expanding it into every aspect of our lives means being in regular connection with our pussy or cock. Get ready for tips and tricks to keep your pilot light LIT!

Sunday, February 18 @ 5:15 pm – 6:15 pm – Workshop Room 2

More and more we are recognizing the importance of consent in our society. Developing consent awareness and setting personal boundaries are skills that need to be learned and practiced. Join Trish Daley, sexual health educator and edutainer, in this interactive workshop that will discuss what consent is and isn’t, give you opportunity to discuss consent openly with others, and provide you with concrete strategies to express your own consent.
Whether you are looking to improve your own comfort or for resources to help you support others, this inclusive workshop is designed for anyone at any comfort level. Skills and techniques can be applied and adapted to many types of relationships and situations.