Tall Tour: A Gathering Celebrating Height

In Seattle, a unique event provided a chance for tall individuals to blend in at a sports bar. Women wearing high heels found themselves looking up, and men who usually had to duck under doorways felt at ease. This was Tall Tour, a traveling meetup for tall people across the United States.

Since the summer launch, Tall Tour has expanded from Tampa, Florida, with 30 participants, to welcoming about 4,000 attendees in Orlando. The Seattle event attracted around 750 tall visitors.

Walking around seeing people your height or taller when you thought you were a giant can be very healing,” said Tyler Bergantino, the 6-foot-9 founder who wears a size-16 shoe. He started Tall Tour unexpectedly through a social media post while traveling in Texas.

The meetups follow a consistent format: attendees take photos, share shoe-shopping tips, and swap stories about common challenges like bumping into door frames. A key attraction is speed dating, where height is not seen as intimidating.

Dating as a tall woman can feel intimidating to others,” said Ksenia Protasenko, a 6-foot-tall attendee. The event helps normalize their experiences with humorous responses to typical questions.

The highlight of each event is the crowning of the tallest participants. In Seattle, a mother and son shared this honor. Susan Mullendore, 6-foot-5, and her 7-foot-tall son, Grayson, experienced acceptance and celebration of their height.

Being at the event gave Grayson a feeling of normalcy, free from the usual unwanted attention. At Tall Tour, he felt small for once,” Grayson shared.

Beyond height, attendees share a common experience of social hyper-vigilance, like adjusting their tone of voice to avoid seeming intimidating. Bergantino mentioned how tall individuals often feel isolated, especially during puberty.

Challenges of finding fitting clothes and shoes are also common. Susan orders clothes from a UK brand, and Grayson modified his dorm bed to accommodate his height.

Tall Tour, initially a casual meetup, has grown into a successful business. Bergantino now runs it full-time, with a team including his brother and management staff. The event even caught the attention of celebrities and NBA players.

Plans for the future include expanding speed dating, hosting height-inclusive fashion shows, and creating a tall-person ecosystem with better seating options, clothing, and a dedicated app. International events are being considered as well.

For Bergantino, moments like crowning the Tall Queen and seeing collective joy are the true rewards.Watching women in heels celebrate a trait once seen as shameful brings the most joy,” he said.

Tall Tour will continue in May with events planned in Houston and Dallas, Texas.