As we continue to wade through a cold spell in a cold month, the timing seems about right for the annual No Pants Subway Ride.

Started by the group Improv Everywhere in New York in 2002, the event has grown in popularity and spawned copycat events throughout the world, including Montreal. It involves people going into the subway system, taking off their pants, and then getting onto trains as if everything’s normal. The fun is in seeing people’s reactions (which requires staying in character throughout the event).

The 2014 Montreal event is Sunday at 1:30pm, starting at the Université de Montréal metro station. It coincides with the flagship event in New York on the same day.

The Montreal event has about 50 people saying they’re going as I write this. Considering the Facebook ratio of “Going” to “actually show up”, expect a small event unless this goes a lot more viral between now and then.

One of the tricks with this event is that it can easily be ruined by professional or unprofessional journalists. It’s hard to pretend that everything’s normal when you have a cameraman lugging a giant HD camera on a tripod. Improv Everywhere has since set up official guidelines for journalists that basically say don’t take video of the event, use our B-roll from last year instead. (The group shoots the event using hidden cameras.)

Five years ago, a Montreal event was canned (well, mostly) because of all the photographers and cameramen that showed up.

Hopefully that won’t repeat itself this time. If you want to bring a camera, make sure it’s well hidden, or just talk to people before and after the event.