Anyone out in public on Saturday could be in for a surprise when the Philly Naked Bike Ride takes place. The organizers of the annual cycling event revealI drove the route on Friday afternoon.
Pre-ride festivities begin at 2pm with body painting until 4:30pm at the Glendinning Rock Garden in East Fairmount Park. The ride itself begins at 5pm and lasts until approximately 11:30pm.
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The route takes the nudists south on Kelly Drive, past the Museum of Art, around the Eakins Oval and finally onto the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The ride continues, reaching 17th Street and then turning onto Market Street, which leads to Dilworth Park.
The route then takes the naked cyclists around Rittenhouse Square, then through Pine Street, down 10th Street and south onto Broad Street. After a U-turn at Morris Street, the route heads back north along East Passyunk Avenue, skirting Washington Square and the National Constitution Center.
Eventually, the route heads west along Spring Garden Street to its final destination, Drexel Park in University City. If pedestrians know the route, they can brace themselves for the sight or protect their eyes as the column of cyclists passes by.
This will be the 15th Philly Naked Bike Ride, although the global naked bike ride movement will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2024. Previous Philly Naked Bike Rides have featured over 2,000 cyclists.
The annual “Bare if you dare” ride sees cyclists stripping off to promote cycling and demonstrate the vulnerability and “nakedness” of cyclists in urban environments, destigmatize nudity, and protest against dependence on fossil fuels.
Cyclist safety has been a hot topic in Philadelphia this year, and the movement for protected bike lanes has gained momentum. Last week, activists hand-delivered a petition signed by nearly 6,000 Philadelphia residents calling for parking reform and concrete bike lanes to Mayor Cherelle Parker’s office.
Routes for the Philly Naked Bike Ride are typically not announced until 24 hours before the event due to the guerrilla nature of the ride and to avoid “spectators and gawkers,” according to the event website’s FAQ. A code of conduct sets out policies against sexual and physical harassment, as well as restrictions on photography.
