NO ONE SHOWS UP FOR SAN ANTONIO'S WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE

Matt Case - June 19th, 2024 - 5:06am PDT 

NO ONE SHOWS UP FOR SAN ANTONIO’S WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The much-anticipated World Naked Bike Ride in San Antonio fell flat on Saturday as not a single participant appeared at the event. The ride, slated to start at 8 p.m. from Alamo Plaza, saw neither nude cyclists nor bicycles, leaving the iconic plaza unusually empty of the expected revelry.

Curious onlookers, drawn by reports from local outlets like the San Antonio Current and News4SA, gathered at the plaza in anticipation of the spectacle. However, they were met with disappointment as the event, intended to last three hours, failed to materialize.

Organizers of the ride have yet to respond to requests from the Current for comment on the no-show. The situation in San Antonio echoes a similar cancellation of the World Naked Bike Ride in Portland, Oregon, last week, which was called off due to planning issues, according to KGW8, Portland’s NBC affiliate.

A city ordinance prohibiting public nudity may have influenced the San Antonio event's apparent cancellation. In a statement, the San Antonio Police Department noted that officers were prepared to enforce local laws if the ride had proceeded.

"This event is not sanctioned by the city, and the police will handle any violations of state law or city ordinance accordingly," a San Antonio Police Department public information officer told the Current on Saturday.

The event has faced several hurdles leading up to its planned date. Originally scheduled to take place at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort, the ride was relocated to downtown San Antonio after hotel officials stated they were unaware of the event and had no arrangements with the organizers.

While San Antonio’s ride did not take off, the World Naked Bike Ride in Madison, Wisconsin, went ahead as planned on Saturday, drawing approximately 200 participants, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.