Connect with us:410-802-1310
Connect with us:410-802-1310
Published in the March 2026 Edition
By Rodney Burger
Mr. Fire Island 2025, Derek
Over the Memorial Day weekend in the city of Chicago, a large group of leather men from all over the world will hit the stage in hopes of becoming International Mr. Leather 2026. Standing among them will be a young man from York, Pennsylvania, who will be representing another great LGBTQ+ tradition, Mr. Fire Island Leather.
Derek was born and raised in York County, Pennsylvania and still lives there with his husband Nicolas, who were married in October 2022 in a beautiful outdoor ceremony that I had the pleasure of attending.
Derek discovered the leather community while stationed in Connecticut with the Navy. Although it was during the time of “don’t ask, don’t tell, his supervisor took him to LGBTQ+ bars in Providence, Rhode Island and New York. “He protected us”, Derek says.
In 2023 Derek and Nic both competed for titles at the Bears, Bikers, & Mayhem Contest in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Although neither took home a sash, Derek said that he really learned a lot, like do not rush the answers to your interview questions. He said he blew through all of his questions so quickly that the judges had to add additional questions! He joked that he also learned that it is very hard to keep your leather clean when spaghetti is served. After BBM, he started looking around for another leather contest and was unable to find anything he felt suited for close to home. He widened his search and selected the popular Mr. Fire Island Leather Contest in New York, which he had attended before. Derek recommends that anyone thinking about running for a title should, at the very least, attend the contest once to observe the process.
Since becoming Mr. Fire Island 2025 in May, Derek has been busy almost every weekend being a walking advertisement for a place that he loves. From World Pride in DC, NYC Pride, the New Jersey Leather contests, ShipMates’ Daddy Christmas in Baltimore, Mr. Rehobeth Leather in Delaware, Hillside, the Keystone Leather contests and many more. He has also been busy selling his pins, designed by the very popular leather community artist Scott “Coyote” Hill, who passed away last year. Proceeds from the pin sales benefit the Arts Project of Cherry Grove, a historic LGBTQ+ arts organization on Fire Island founded in 1948.
Derek’s leather journey is far from over. Discouraged by the lack of inclusive leather groups in his area, he has become one of the three founding members of the Central Pennsylvania Leather Club, who are planning their first fundraiser in April. You can learn all about this new organization on Facebook.
After April, he has a very busy May with Fire Island Leather weekend on May 15th – 17th and the International Mr. Leather Contest on May 21st -25th. Derek plans to drive to Chicago. So, if you see a man in a white leather sailor suit heading west, be sure to wave. It may be your chance to meet Mr. Fire Island Leather 2025.