What: Fremont Fair
When: Weekend of Summer Solstice
Where: Fremont, Seattle
Description:
We attended the Summer Solstice Parade in 2011 – the prelude to the Fremont fair. The parade requires an open mind and a couple of Mimosas to escape unscathed. Naked bicyclists lead the way for the floats, showing off their (sometimes questionable) artistic talent to a cheering audience. They continue circling around the parade grounds for a while, and we began recognizing familiar characters such as Naked Santa and the Cat in the Hat.
I must say that the parade is truly a people’s parade, and not well-organized. Many floats consist of an abstract message and members of the crowd freely participate with the floats. The group overseeing the parade encourages artistic expression without words, so many of the floats messages were indecipherable. We enjoyed watching the naked bikers and home-made floats for two hours, and didn’t regret standing soberly in the rain and cold.
The participants’ presented a range of messages, from such messages as “Beware of Zombies” and “Return of the Spaghetti Monster” to more serious messages on politics and war. The experience speaks to the authentic culture of Fremont and the open minds of Seattle. Fremont can expect to see us again next year.