'Naked stroll' celebrates body positivity

HOWES CAVE, N.Y. _ After years of inquiries from prospective guests and organizations, Howe Caverns is hosting its first Naked in a Cave event _ a gathering intended to promote the beauty of bodies of all sizes, colors and shapes at one of New York's prominent natural attractions.

The response to the "naked stroll" July 14, which is also National Nude Day, has been tremendous, said general manager April Islip. Sarah Danser, a participant in the television show "Naked and Afraid," is planning to attend and participate in a meet and greet. A post on Howe Caverns' Facebook page about the event has been shared more than 12,000 times. Howe Caverns has been inundated with calls from people as far away as California, Hawaii, Texas, Illinois and Colorado.

Three-quarters of the 350 available tickets to the event, which cost $65 apiece, have been sold and all 21 rooms at a hotel Howe Caverns operates are booked, Islip said.

"(The reception) has made us even more excited about the event," she said.

At a time when body shaming and bullying are all too common, Islip hopes the event will communicate the message that "natural is beautiful" and "nobody has to hide themselves."

It will also bring people from across the U.S. to the caverns and Schoharie County, including many first-time visitors to the area and locals who didn't realize their proximity to the attraction, Islip said. There's been a large response to the event in Utica, Syracuse, Ithaca and other cities upstate as well as from residents of Connecticut and Massachusetts. The attendees Islip has spoken with vary in age and background, she said. One woman is surprising her husband, a nudist, with tickets. A cancer survivor is participating to celebrate being in remission. Another attendee is celebrating their 80th birthday.

"Meeting people from all different cultures and walks of life is one of the best parts of our job," Islip said.

People must be 21 or older to participate and wear socks and closed-toe shoes. No cellphones or cameras will be permitted inside the cave. Attendees will be given souvenir robes to don before they descend into the cave, where they will disrobe for the stroll. Beverages will be provided, which people can take into the cave. Musicians will perform and a balloon artist will make wearable designs for participants during the 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. event.

Other businesses nearby are offering promotions in tandem with Naked in a Cave. Grapevine Farms, a restaurant and boutique 5 miles away, is extending its hours through 7 p.m. and plans to offer meal specials, store discounts and a glass of punch to event participants. The Full-Tan Sun Club, a nudist campground and park in Sprakers, Montgomery County, with tanning services, is offering discounted passes.

People who come in before noon July 14 and stay through the next morning can camp and get access to the club's services for $30, an employee at the club said Tuesday.

"Our bodies should be viewed as perfectly imperfect and entirely wonderful," Grapevine co-owner Tim Purcell said in a statement.

The event has garnered far more interest than what Islip originally anticipated, and she is hoping that the stroll will become an annual event.

"This is not a naked party," Islip said. "This is a classy event to support body positivity."