Madam Lou Bunch Day - Central City, Colorado

Quite possibly the biggest, the most fun-filled red union suit day of the year here in the United States of America is held in Colorado each year, celebrating the 1859 Gold Rush in Central City, just west of Denver. For the past 50 years, the locals have held "Madam Lou Bunch Day." She owned and ran probably the nation's most famous brothel. Did you make it to Central City this past weekend? If so, did you wear your red union suit underwear?!?!  Did you join in their bed race?

There's always a parade down main street followed by a break-neck bed race with Gold Miners typically marching in their long red underwear escorting brothel ladies in time period lingerie. Take a look at this year's participants:

 

See Y'all Next year!

Union suit fan first featured this great festival in 2017, seven years ago this summer.

 Here is that posting in case you misssed it:

Sunday, November 5, 2017

Gold miners in their Long Red Underwear escort Dance Hall Ladies in a recent Madam Lou Bunch Day Parade. The festivities are held each summer in honor of Central City, Colorado's last madam. Events include a Madams and Miners Ball, Tours of Rigs and Mines, Beer Garden, Food and Entertainment, and a popular Brass Bed Race!

Like many Colorado towns in the 1800's, Central City was settled in an 1859 gold rush. The town soon became known as the "Richest Square Mile on Earth." Millionaires were made over night!

On the third Saturday in June each year, most "miners" clad only in their red Union Suits escort "ladies of the evening" down main street in a popular town parade. One young lady is crowned "Lou Bunch Madam" of the year.

After the parade it is time for the the "Brass Bed Race."  

The miners wearing Long Underwear jump on beds with their girls. 

One of the miners (the driver) quickly slips on a striped night shirt over his 

red Union Suit and pushes beds up and down Main Street for all he is worth.

It is my unqualified opinion that 

modern day Colorado has more 

Union Suit wearers than any 

other state. At least that is my 

impression because of the 

number of guys who appear in 

public in their Union Suits! Plus 

it is down right cold in the 

Centennial State a great deal of 

the year. Yep, I think Colorado 

must be Number 1 with so many

 of the men there wearing 

one-piece long Underwear. 

And boys, that includes Montana, Minnesota, Michigan, Vermont, Maine, and 

even Tennessee. 

It's possible that I am wrong but in addition to the Long John wearing miners above, 

Manitou Springs, CO also has Union Suit clad firemen who participate in an annual 

coffin race each October. See my blog posting of December 5, 2016:

And, guys like Mike of Lakewood, CO hike around the state in just their Union Suits! 

See my posting of Mike's Winter Underwear Hike, November 4, 2016:

Apparently, in Colorado, generations of men and boys wear Union Suits. Take Karen of Leadville, CO. 

She has reported in this blog that not only her husband but her daddy and older son all wear Union Suits! I bet her granddaddy and great granddaddy did too!

Further Proof: As a boy my family and I took a trip to Colorado visiting Pikes Peak, 

Seven Falls, the Royal Gorge, and the fun western town, "Buckskin Joe's," located 

just outside of Canon City Colorado. I have never forgotten the main street gun fight 

with a stand off between the sheriff and a sinister bank robber. No blood was shed 

when the sheriff out drew the bad guy. Rather, his bullet hit the belt buckle of the 

robber causing his britches to plummet to the ground revealing his Long Red 

'Underwear. Dropping his gun and abandoning a bag of money as well as his britches

 in the middle of main street, the bad guy was run out of town in his Union Suit. 

I thought it hilarious!

Yep, Colorado is synonymous with Union Suits!

Added November 19, 2017:

Franklin of Carson City, NV submitted the above photograph of "another grizzled gold 

miner with his lady friend sporting boots and red Long Underwear."

Thanks, Franklin! I don't know if this is you in disguise but apparently Nevada 

gentlemen wear their Union Suits to special events as well. Regards...Chris

Markie Junior Caught Painting in "His Little Red Flannel Union Suit!"

A Self Portrait With Daddy.
Both Father and Son in their Favorite Underwear:
Union Suits, of course!

Mark George Tobey (December 11, 1890 – April 24, 1976), American Painter and Union Suit Wearer.  

Long one-piece underwear is one of the things that Junior remembered about his daddy.

 

And speaking of painting while wearing a Union Suit, check out the current posting at my alternate blog, Unions Suit Fans in the Limelight, based on a 2023 film.

One more look at May's Physical Fitness and Sports Month this First Week in June!

Having returned from a fishing trip with my boys, I checked my computer to see that I had received this email from my pal Charles of South Dakota:  

"Chris: It's still in the low 40's up in lead SD so the long johns are still in use. I saw the work out photos and thought I would join you for the fun! Not my typical underwear for a workout but fun just the same. 

It was deadlift day, trying to keep good form and be strong!!" 

And a cup of coffee on my deck. It looks like the rain is going to break!

 

Now he's what I'd call a strong man peforming some serious working out in a serious union suit. I'm still wearing my union suits too, here in June in the far north part of the Idaho panhandle. Thought I'd join you on deck for a cup of coffee...

Great hearing from you, Strong Man. Keep up the earnest work, Charles, for a long, healthy life....Chris