summer:

Goodman, Holly Madison welcome summer, set bikini record

Parade sets Guinness World Record, kicks off city’s ‘summer in paradise’ promotion

Justin M. Bowen

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Holly Madison, and about 300 bikini-clad women declare it the first day of summer with a world record-breaking parade Thursday.

By Melissa Arseniuk (contact)

Thursday, May 14, 2009 | 1:38 p.m.

Bikini Parade on the Strip

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Holly Madison - photos, stories, blogs

While Mayor Oscar Goodman and former Playboy model Holly Madison are an unlikely pair, their two very different worlds came together Thursday, united by love for Las Vegas.

The politician and the former Playboy play thing joined forces to usher in the city's summer swimsuit season this morning at the iconic "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign.

This event coincided with the 50-year anniversary of the city's most symbolic landmark.

Goodman used Thursday's photo-op to declare "summer in paradise" a month before the season officially starts, while Madison hosted a camera-friendly fashion show of swimwear to welcome warmer weather.

The runway-style retrospective featured stylish bathing suits past and present, from the 1950s to today.

After the fashion show, Madison headed north on Las Vegas Boulevard to Fashion Show Mall -- in a pink Cadillac convertible, no less -- and used her beachworthy assets to make some swimsuit season history.

The shopping center served as a starting point for a bikini-filled parade that was literally one for the record books.

The procession didn't showcase the usual stream of candy-tossing cars and floats: It featured more than 300 women in swimsuits.

The event set the Guinness World Record for the “World’s Largest Bikini Parade” (Yes, that is a category) with 281 bikini-clad women. This outdid the previous bikini parade record of 250, organizers said.

While the parade broke the record for participants, it didn’t set any records for being the longest: The total parade route was about a third of a mile from start to finish.

The spectacle began inside Fashion Show Mall at noon before making its way outside near the south end of the mall, then out across Las Vegas Boulevard and nearly a block north along The Strip.

Post-parade parties are being held at several resort pools, including Bare at The Mirage, Mandalay Bay Beach, Go Pool at the Flamingo and pools at the Monte Carlo, Luxor and Planet Hollywood.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By davidwayneosedach

5/14/09 at 3:01 p.m.

Suggest removal

This Parade needs to be sent out to all major cities in the US! Starting in Los Angeles.
By Our_Linn

5/14/09 at 4:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

I see the Sun is well on its way to winning another Pulitzer...
By vegasj

5/15/09 at 9:40 a.m.

Suggest removal

I'm sure Gillespie will have metro undercover at this event next year. Or Republicans will come up with a ban on events like this, how un-Godly, right??
By VegasVegas

5/15/09 at 10 a.m.

Suggest removal

Good to see our mayor working on what's important...
By Journey

5/15/09 at 10:14 a.m.

Suggest removal

"...are an unlikely pair..." -- Since when? Isn't the Mayor seen often at some strip club boa-cutting ceremony? This is the image I have of him in my head these 5 years of residing in Las Vegas.
By rpm6600

5/15/09 at 12:08 p.m.

Suggest removal

Looks like the Las Vegas Sun is trying for the Putzpuller Prize this time around. Any idea what's going on in the real world today?!?
By Yokelking

5/15/09 at 2:35 p.m.

Suggest removal

"pulitzer" comments, GET OVER YOUR SELF! Its a event for media attention. Job well done. I like the hottie in plaid.
By edandersonvt

5/16/09 at 1:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

Thank you Mayor Goodeman & The Sun. As a yearly visitor to Las Vegas I enjoyed the story. Las Vegas is supposed to be a fun city, that's why my wife and I fly there each year. They should be glad that they have a mayor that promotes it that way. looking forward to our trip again this year.