To celebrate Natural Pursuits’ fifth anniversary, we’re getting back to our roots by stripping down, getting our hands dirty, and tossing some literal salads. We planted the seeds for this celebration back in March, and today we reaped the fruits of our labor.

World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD) is incredibly important to Natural Pursuits—it was the inspiration behind the entire project! Back in 2018, I learned about WNGD and thought it would be fun to get together with a group of queer artist friends to create a queer, nudist, art magazine with a gardening theme. 

We got to work, made some amazing art, and had a blast doing it. Five years later, despite our current setbacks, we’re still going strong.  

Sowing seeds

World Naked Gardening Day’s Queer History

When I held the first event, I thought I was queering a nudist holiday. It turns out it has always been queer.

World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD) is celebrated every year on the first Saturday in May. The day was first celebrated in 2005 by Mark Storey, a Seattle-based artist and activist, and his partner, Jacob Gabriel. 

Storey enlisted the help of his partner to create a website to promote the event. It worked and the holiday quickly gained popularity, spreading throughout the United States and beyond. Each year, people take to their gardens, parks, and other designated locations to celebrate in their own way. Some people plant flowers, others tend to their vegetable gardens, and some people (e.g. me) use it as a jumping off point create life-changing, multimedia projects.   

In an interview with The Seattle Times in 2007, Mark Storey discussed his thoughts on the holiday, saying, “It’s an idea that’s in the air. We want to reconnect with the earth, reconnect with each other and reconnect with ourselves. Clothing has a lot of baggage. When you take it off, you leave it behind. We’re all more alike than we are different.”

Vegetables of our labor

As Mark Storey envisioned, World Naked Gardening Day is not just about reconnecting with the Earth (or in my case, a tiered rooftop garden), but also about reconnecting with each other and ourselves. It’s a chance to let go of societal pressures and embrace who we are. Today, as we celebrate the fifth anniversary of Natural Pursuits, we were joined by attendees from throughout the past five years. Some have hosted our events, while others were there for the original shoot. We all came together, connecting with each other, sharing laughs, and a meal. In a world where we often feel disconnected and alone, events like WNGD and Natural Pursuits remind us of the importance of community, self-acceptance, and finding joy wherever we can.

After Natural Pursuits’ recent challenges (being de-platformed [again] and losing the ability to generate income) finding joy has become even more essential. Even though we just goofed around, plucked some leaves, and took some photos, it was a much-needed respite. We hope this celebration will inspire you to create your own moments of joy and connection.

Tossing Salads

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