2011 January 10 - Portland Events, Music, Art, Entertainment, Sustainability | PDXPIPELINE.com

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Portland Pictures: Global No Pants Day | 175 People, 36 Degrees

January 10, 2011 — PDXPIPELINE

By Natalie St John

On Sunday afternoon, about 175 enthusiastic Portlanders braved 36-degree weather to celebrate Global No Pants Day.

Participants gathered at both east and wet-side locations, stashing their pants in backpacks and purses and slathering on baby oil to provide some insulation against the cold- a trick that event-organizers Tony Hardrock and Melissa Middleton swear is surprisingly effective- before boarding the MAX for the ride downtown.

Event-Organizers Tony Hardrock and Melissa Middleton

After making stops at downtown pubs for warming drinks and a photo opportunity, both groups convened on Pioneer Courthouse square to pose for photos on the steps, and cheer for the Oregon Ducks, in what may the largest ever gathering of pant-less fans. Even if other things weren’t well supported, the Ducks clearly were.

While a few onlookers didn’t quite know what to make of the flamboyant display of underthings, most people were clearly amused, and a couple were even inspired to join in. After pausing briefly in front of Jake’s Famous Crawfish Restaurant to perform a second kickline for unsuspecting diners, participants concluded their downtown tour at Blitz, where they celebrated with drinks and let it all hang loose at the “Pants-Off Dance-Off.”

It’s safe to say that no one was more surprised by the appearance of a large, gregarious crowd of half-naked adults performing a kickline than a small group of South Korean exchange students who were touring Pioneer Courthouse square at the time.

“We do it because we believe it’s our right to do this!” one participant explained to them, “We do crazy things like this because we have to exercise our rights, or they will take them away!”

While the preservation of our constitutional rights may certainly have motivated some to celebrate No Pants day, a desire to have fun was clearly the main reason these intrepid Portlanders chose to strip down on a day when most others were bundling up. “Why do we do this?” Tony reflected, while chatting with a group of puzzled tourists, “Laughter. We do this to spread laughter.”