(Drone shot via Bumble Bee Productions)

Theoretically, an underwear parade is just that. People are meant to parade around in their underwear. Maybe in some other city, you’d find something so by-the-numbers, with the biggest bit of excitement being someone wearing some particularly daring lingerie. But this is New Orleans. Telling people the theme is underwear is just a costuming restraint to work within, focusing their art the way sonnets did Shakespeare.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmHvA5AHwWu/

Scantily-clad stompers wearing everything from homemade leather dog masks to retractable wings paraded around the bayou for this year’s iteration of National Underwear Parade Day. The party and second-line was a way to raise money for New Orleans’ homeless charities while allowing locals to escape the oppression of clothes in the August heat.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmHt9Bkl4pP/?tagged=elephantcollective

Led by drag queen extraordinaire and Jock Strap Lube Wrestling figurehead Neon Burgundy the parade marched from The Elephant Collective heading toward City Park, making one loop around the bayou and heading back to the art warehouse for a massive party dubbed the Free Ball. (Get it?) Take a look around for the best photos and videos that the city took of itself at the parade.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmHvYydH0Xj/?tagged=nationalunderwearday

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmH9Cglj8Sa/?tagged=nationalunderwearday

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmJDniynVsW/?tagged=elephantcollective

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