Naked Coctails - RIP

Well, it's official... one of the areas most reliable, repeating gay, nude activities has come an end. The bi-monthly, Saturday afternoon, nude cocktail party at a local bar is no more. It was my first introduction to nudity after returning from Barcelona and I've talked about here, here, here, here, here and here.

I've always wondered how the bar managed to hold this even given the DC's strict liquor license rules. Although I do think this played a minor part, strangely enough I believe what doomed the long-running event was a fear that patrons could be fined and/or arrested. This made no sense to me, so I looked it up in both the DC Penal Code and Alcoholic Beverage Control Regulation.

DC Penal Code section §22-1312 talks about "lewd, indecent or obscene acts." Upon further investigation, this pertains to exposing oneself in public as well as sex acts. The naked cocktails had a doorman and access was restricted to registered members of the group.

ABRA has many statements regarding nude performers and dancers, but nothing on nude patrons. It has nothing requiring certain articles of clothing except for performers. If you're a geek like me, read it and note the following:

• Chapter 8 entitled "Enforcement, Infractions and Penalties" only applies to liquor sellers, not patrons.


• Search for key words: "nud*", "cloth*", penis, pubic, naked and other related words. All references are explicitly tied to performers or dancers


• Read Chapter 7 entitled "Standards of Operation" in full.


• Read Chapter 10 entitled "Limitations on Consumers" in full. Interesting note for future use: § 25-1009 says you can get a $300 fine for drinking and operating a horse-drawn carriage.

So the only patron-related ramifications are the in the Penal Code and are only enforceable if there is a reasonable expectation that it will be seen by the public.

Ironically, I always thought the bar was on somewhat shaky grounds, but in the end it was the fear generated by rumors of the groups members that ultimately caused the event's downfall.

The event ran at times monthly and at other times bi-monthly for 5 1/2 years. I am happy to have been a part of it for exactly one year. Rest in peace naked cocktails, we'll miss you.

Update: Upon subsequent reflection, I think my tenor might have been slightly misleading. DC still has a good amount of activities for gay nudists like myself. In fact, one member has already invited some to an alternative get-together and another has volunteered to host it in the future. My lament is that I appreciated the routine-ness of the event that I fear will likely be lost. The notion of doing something so normal as standing in a bar, but nude. The idea is that even if no one makes any specific plans, even if there's nothing going on, every other Saturday there was naked cocktails.