The Nudes-A-Poppin' pageant is organized by and held at PonderosaSun Club, a family nudist resort founded in 1964 and situated in Roselawn, Indiana. The event was first held in 1975 to attract interest in the resort and has been held annually since then. Its "Miss Nude Galaxy" beauty contest dates back to the mid-70s. Nudes-A-Poppin' serves as a fund-raiser for the resort and contributes significantly to the local economy. The resort is closed to its members during the pageant, and the one-day event tickets can only be purchased separately. The attendance fee for the event was $50 in 2005 but had risen to $60 by 2016. Up to 2003, there was one event in July and another in August, but, from 2004, Nudes-A-Poppin' was reduced to one weekend in July.
Events
Events held at Nudes-A-Poppin' are the amateur wet T-shirt contest, the sexiest pole dance competition, naked oil wrestling, and others. A "Miss Nude" contest judged by the audience is held here. Various trophies, with titles such as "Miss Nude Galaxy", "Miss Nude Go-Go", "Miss Nude Up & Comer", "Miss Nude Rising Star", "Miss Nude Showstopper" etc, are awarded to the nude contestants. Lou Harry, writing for Indianapolis Monthly, noted that the participants are prohibited from having sexual contact with another person attending the event or from performing explicitly. Most of the contestants are women. The spectators perform as judges and consist mostly of men. Photography is a popular activity at the pageant. Spectators are allowed to take photographs but the use of video cameras requires a permit.
Attendees
Local porn stars, strippers, and nudists participate in the event, attracting thousands of other spectators. By 2017 the anticipated number of attendees was around 6000, with the event drawing an international audience. The official website of the event states that "no clothes are tolerated at the pool." Former porn starRon Jeremy has acted as emcee for Nudes-A-Poppin' since 1990 and personalities such as Home Improvement star Tim Allen, The Munsters star Al Lewis, and John Wayne Bobbitt have also hosted the event.
Reviews
In a list titled "Top 10: Sex Festivals" compiled by AskMen.com, Nudes-A-Poppin' is ranked at number four. Because of this pageant, along with a high frequency of other adult festivals, adult clubs, and sexual activities such as erotic dancing, public sex, and exhibitionism, Roselawn, Indiana placed 1st in the "10 Kinkiest Cities" list compiled by AlterNet.org. Ponderosa Sun Club promotes Nudes-A-Poppin' as "The World's Largest Outdoor Nude Beauty Pageant".
