Thousands of partygoers are expected to converge in the nation’s capital this Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend for the annual fetish and kink celebration, Mid-Atlantic Leather weekend, better known as MAL Weekend.

"MAL creates an environment where people can live out their wildest fantasies without judgement," explains Q, aka Mother Fantasy, a DC-area nightlife producer whose popular monthly parties attract people from the DC suburbs and even as far away as Canada. "There are dark rooms, human puppy parks, exhibitor booths showcasing all the latest fetish gear and toys, and spanking and whipping in broad daylight. It's fun to see the curious spectators watch. The most daring experiment."

For his MAL event, he is teaming up with Miami nightlife producer Hilton Wolman, fresh off co-producing Circuit Festival, a party weekend that was held over Thanksgiving in Miami. Their Matinée party is being called "Pervert: The Pleasure of Darkness" and it will take place Friday, January 17 at Karma DC.

“Matinée launched over twenty years ago in Ibiza,” continues Q from his DC home. “Since then, it has evolved internationally, gaining notoriety for its lavish, over-the-top events.

“Matinée events don’t just pump dance music,” he insists. “It is all about the awe and extravagance and re-imagining the dance floor experience.”

Matinée made its US debut in New York in 2010 with 4,000 men boarding water taxis to New York City’s Governor’s Island. Since then, parties have been held in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego, and most recently, in Miami.

Why DC next?

"It was a combination of factors," Q explains. "The timing seemed perfect and my business partner, Hilton Wolman, has a very long association with the brand."

For his part, Wolman credits Q and his past events for proving to the Matinée team that the capital could compete with all the big nightlife cities.

Q is a 35-year old veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He discovered his love for the dance floor while attending circuit festivals around the world. He began hosting private soirees in his penthouse. When he could no longer accommodate the crowds, he moved his parties to area clubs.

Today, his parties attract circuit professionals and nightlife celebrities like transgender model Amanda Lepore and actress Dominique Jackson from TV’s Pose. But his doors are always open to party newbies. “I love when I see a new face in the crowd,” he says. “I see the young ‘me’ and I want to throw my arms around them and say, ‘welcome home.’”

Pervert: The Pleasure of Darkness promises to be Q’s biggest and most outrageous event yet. It will feature DJs Cindel and Flavio Zarza spinning beats in dark rooms packed with loads of hunky men. "It will be a fantastic night where we all get to explore our darkest, most pleasurable fantasies,” Q promises.

Matinée’s “Pervert: The Pleasure of Darkness” takes place Friday, January 17 at Karma DC. For tickets and additional information, visit seetickets.us/pervertdc