Portland will get double the fun this summer as two major naked bike rides roll onto the streets.
Last June, when organizers of the traditional World Naked Bike Ride unexpectedly took a year off after 20 years as hosts, a different crop of leaders emerged to fill the void. The new organizers confused some folks by using a very similar name — “World Naked Bike Ride Portland” instead of “Portland World Naked Bike Ride” — and there was a bit of an intra-community riff behind the scenes.
This year both rides will happen: The Portland World Naked Bike Ride will be Saturday, July 26th and the World Naked Bike Ride Portland is Saturday, August 9th.
Portland’s original naked ride is supported by a nonprofit known as Umbrella. The event had turned into a massive party and major destination ride over the years, drawing thousands of participants — many of whom seem to dust their bikes off solely for that one night only. Last year’s ride with new leaders was decidedly different. It was much smaller in size with a crowd in the hundreds instead of thousands, and the focus was clearly on the activist roots of the ride. The route stopped at the headquarters of Zenith Energy in the northwest industrial area where a mass die-in was staged to protest fossil fuel dependency. Zenith Energy is embroiled with Portland City Council and local environmental activists for its pursuit of a permit to transport and store vast quantities of toxic oil along the Willamette River.
The leaders of the original ride say they’re excited to be back after the year off with new leaders and a new theme. “Given deepening global and domestic tensions, the PDXWNBR leadership team decided that community needs to take center stage this year,” reads a statement about the ride. The new theme is “Baring All & Building Bridges” and organizers say it’s all about, “strengthening our local community and its support systems.”
They’re looking for volunteer ambassadors to help support the ride. If you’re interested, be sure to follow @PDXWNBR on Instagram for updates.
Now in year two, the World Naked Bike Ride Portland invites riders to, “Join a ride of celebration, solidarity, and protest under the Sturgeon Full Moon.” The ride will once again focus on environmental justice and be a protest against oil dependency, especially the role of Zenith Energy and their ongoing business in Portland.
Both rides look to make big statements about the need for safe cycling, body positivity and self-expression.
Thanks for reading.
BikePortland has served this community with independent community journalism since 2005. We rely on subscriptions from readers like you to survive. Your financial support is vital in keeping this valuable resource alive and well.
Please subscribe today to strengthen and expand our work.