View Finders

Philadelphians shrug off pants for bare-legged charity subway ride

    By
  • Jonathan Wilson
    • January 9, 2017
  • No Pants revelers removed their pants after boarding the southbound Broad Street subway.

    No Pants revelers removed their pants after boarding the southbound Broad Street subway. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Friends who identified themselves as Waldo (left) and Koryn (center) participate in the No Pants Subway Ride on the Broad Street line.

    Friends who identified themselves as Waldo (left) and Koryn (center) participate in the No Pants Subway Ride on the Broad Street line. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Kenji Butler poses for photos as the Broad Street Subway heads south.

    Kenji Butler poses for photos as the Broad Street Subway heads south. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • No Pants revelers pose for a photo at the AT&T Station in South Philadelphia.

    No Pants revelers pose for a photo at the AT&T Station in South Philadelphia. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • No Pants organizer Takiyah Wall sheds her jeans at the AT&T subway station.

    No Pants organizer Takiyah Wall sheds her jeans at the AT&T subway station. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Riders watch the No Pants Subway Riders on the City Hall subway platform.

    Riders watch the No Pants Subway Riders on the City Hall subway platform. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Peggy Kerr dances on the platform of the Market-Frankford Line.

    Peggy Kerr dances on the platform of the Market-Frankford Line. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • An amused SEPTA Police Officer watches the No Pants participants on the Market-Frankford Line platform.

    An amused SEPTA Police Officer watches the No Pants participants on the Market-Frankford Line platform. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • India White (left) and Darnell Squire descend the escalator at the AT&T subway station.

    India White (left) and Darnell Squire descend the escalator at the AT&T subway station.(Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • From left Koryn, Andrew Kerr, Peggy Kerr and Waldo watch the No Pants participants celebrating on the Broad Street subway.

    From left Koryn, Andrew Kerr, Peggy Kerr and Waldo watch the No Pants participants celebrating on the Broad Street subway. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

In sub-freezing temperatures, several dozen participants descended the steps of the Broad Street Subway at City Hall Sunday for Philadelphia’s 8th annual No Pants Subway Ride.

This year’s ride, sponsored by the Philadelphia-based laundry service Got Laundry, combined silliness with a charity clothing drive.

After traveling two stops on the southbound Broad Street Line participants began removing their pants, taking selfies, and dancing in the aisle.

At AT&T station on South Broad Street, the celebration continued on the subway platform until the northbound train arrived for the trip back to City Hall. There, riders transferred to the Market Frankford Line.

  • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

The pranksters finished off the day with a party at Lucha Cartel in Old City.

The No Pants Subway Ride originated in 2002 in New York City with seven participants from the comedy collective Improv Everywhere. Since then, it has spread to more than 60 cities around the world including London, Paris, Berlin, and Shanghai.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Brought to you by View Finders

You may also like

About Jonathan Wilson

Read more

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal

Donate
Learn about WHYY Member benefits
Ways to Donate