The organizers of the annual Mr. International Rubber Contest are announcing new dates and venues for the 2023 iteration of their popular fetish focused weekend conference.
The 27th Annual Mr. International Rubber (MIR) will be held October 19-22, 2023 at the North Shore Conference Center in Skokie, Illinois. Events over the course of the weekend will be based at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Skokie; and the adjoining North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.
Mr. International Rubber has seen significant growth over the past 14 years, due in large part to the support of Center on Halsted, Chicago’s LGBTQ Community Center. Center on Halsted has been MIR’s main venue partner since 2009.
Groundwork for this change began in 2018. Responding to increased attendance, the contest portion of the event has been held at multiple theater venues in Chicago including: The Museum of Contemporary Art (2018), The Vic Theater (2019 & 2021), and The Riviera Theater (2022).
Now, in 2023, the organization undertakes further expansion with its first year as a hotel based event. This evolution presents numerous advantages. By having a single venue for lodging, classes, socials, vending, and events - attendees can settle in for a fully encompassing weekend. There will be room for expanded education offerings; and the contest will be held in a modern intimate theater that has hosted Broadway tours and community events alike.
Planning for this change has been in the works for some time, with the leadership of MIR contacting and touring numerous venues in Chicago, near O’Hare Airport, and in the suburbs. Guiding this process has been affordability for our attendees, availability of venues on or near our traditional dates, and the opportunity for the organization to establish a history of room nights sold - a vital data point for reserving any hotel in Chicago in the coming years,
The leadership and staff of Mr. International Rubber are excited about this new venue and wish to express our deepest appreciation to Center on Halsted for 14 years of support of the Mr. International Rubber Community.
The MIR27 Hotel Block is now live! The MIR hotel block will be the lowest available rate for the host hotel. Book your room(s) at MIRubber.com.
MIR Contest, Inc. (aka:Mr. International Rubber) was founded in 1987 as an international men's rubber pageant weekend, and has been held each year since. In 2009 the contest became an independent, volunteer led business entity, and in 2019 the organization gained non-profit status. 2023 will be the event's 27th anniversary year.