Those out in public might be in for a surprise on Saturday when the Philly Naked Bike Ride rolls through. Organizers for the annual cycling event revealed the route Friday afternoon.
Pre-ride festivities will begin at 2 p.m. with body painting until 4:30 p.m. at Glendinning Rock Garden, located in East Fairmount Park. The ride itself will begin at 5 p.m. and last until around 11:30 p.m.
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The route will take the clothing-optional ride through Kelly Drive south past the Museum of Art, going around Eakins Oval to get on Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The ride will continue on, hitting 17th Street before turning on Market Street to Dilworth Park.
Afterward, the route will take the bare-skinned bicyclists around Rittenhouse Square, then through Pine Street, down 10th Street and going south on Broad Street. Turning around at Morris Street, the route will head back north through East Passyunk Avenue and graze by Washington Square and the National Constitution Center.
Lastly, the route will go west across Spring Garden Street until the final destination of Drexel Park in University City. Knowing the route will allow bystanders to prepare to be amused by the sight or shield their eyes once the cavalcade of cyclists pass through.
This will be the 15th Philly Naked Bike Ride, although the worldwide movement of naked bike rides is celebrating 20 years in 2024. Over 2,000 cyclists have participated in previous Philly Naked Bike Rides.
Bikers strip for the "bare if you dare" ride every year to promote cycling advocacy by demonstrating the vulnerability and "nakedness" of cyclists in urban settings, to destigmatize nudity and to protest dependency on fossil fuels.
Cycling safety has been a hot-button issue in Philly this year, with movements for protected bike lanes gaining momentum. Advocates hand-delivered a petition signed by nearly 6,000 Philly residents calling for parking reform and concrete-protected bike lanes to Mayor Cherelle Parker's office last week.
Routes for the Philly Naked Bike Ride are usually revealed late, 24 hours before the event, due to the guerilla nature of the ride, and to reduce "onlookers and gawkers," according to the event website's FAQ. A code of conduct outlines policies against sexual and physical harassment and restrictions for photography.