Leather convention precedes inauguration

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Those with a fetish for leather and motorcycles will in Washington the weekend before President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration, convention organizers say.

The Centaur Motorcycle Club, "a group of men with an enthusiastic interest in motorcycles, leather and other men," said the 25th annual Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend will take place Jan. 16, 17 and 18 -- overlapping with many inauguration-based parties and balls, ABC News reported Wednesday.

"Had we known it was going to be such a busy weekend, we might have scheduled otherwise," event spokesman Larry Barat said.

"Certainly many of our guests are happy about the inauguration and some people will be attending both, but for us we're celebrating what we normally celebrate -- the leather community, and our (motorcycle) club, and the anniversary."

Obama spokeswoman Linda Douglass said the Leather Weekend is unlikely to affect the president-elect's plans.

"Let's just say it's likely the president-elect will be occupied with many other activities" surrounding the inauguration, Douglass said.