Leather Fest Coincides with Presidential Inauguration

Inaugural enthusiasts won't be the only ones traveling into D.C. in the next couple of weeks. The city will also see its annual influx of leather fetishists.

ABC News is playing up the coincidental timing of the Obama inauguration and Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend (MAL), an annual event organized by Centaurs M.C. that typically takes place during Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. This year's MAL takes place January 16-18; the inauguration itself is on January 20, and related events are scheduled for a few days before and after.

Despite the extended bar and restaurant hours Jan. 17-21 associated with the inauguration, organizers for MAL expect a lower turnout than usual due to the inaugural festivities; inaugural attendees snagged many hotel rooms in D.C. Centaurs M.C. spokesman Larry Barat told ABC News, "Had we known it was going to be such a busy weekend, we might have scheduled otherwise." Barat also noted that at least some MAL attendees will also attend inaugural events.

Despite his professed support for the LGBT community, chances are we won't see the president-elect rubbing elbows with guys in chaps and harnesses. Linda Douglass told ABC, "Let's just say it's likely the president will be occupied with many other activities."