Organisers of the brilliant Glade Festival are having to seek legal advice after a group of German nudist ravers asked if they could come to this year's event and party for three days without the hassle of clothing.
It seems that word has spread that the Glade crowd gave a warm welcome to a lone nudist who graced the festival for two years running, and the group of 30 nudists now want to come to the 2009 fest. But while the festival's organisers don't have any problem with the proposal themselves, they fear that such a large contingent of naked people might present licensing or legal problems.
Festival Director Nick Ladd told CMU: "I think it all started two years ago when we had a guy from San Francisco stark naked and painted purple from head to toe cavorting round the festival all weekend. At one point he was picked up by security, but we had him released as he was actually quite entertaining and a really nice bloke".
Regarding the proposal from the German nudists, who apparently arrive en masse at German music events, the authorities there seemingly being a little more liberal about these things, Ladd continues: "We are not too sure what to do to be honest. I asked them if they would be prepared to wear fig leaves or something and even explained that it can get chilly in England in the summer, and that maybe, at least the guys amongst them might be happy to cover up their shortcomings, but they said it was out of the question as it would compromise their right to party naked".
He concludes: "I told them they could probably get away with it provided they all paint themselves different colours and don't hassle anybody". That said, the festival's lawyers are double checking that, and there are proposals that, if necessary, a special enclosure might be set up for the naked ravers.