Fremont Solstice Parade

The Fremont Solstice Parade is a super fun party that happens every year in Seattle, Washington. It's a parade like no other! Instead of marching bands and floats with loud engines, this parade is all about creativity and art.

People get dressed up in the most amazing costumes you can imagine, sometimes with their bodies painted too! It's a celebration of summer and a chance for everyone to show off their artistic side. Think of it as a giant, colorful art project that walks down the street!

This parade started a long, long time ago, in 1989. Two people named Barbara Luecke and Peter Toms had a brilliant idea. They saw a similar parade in another city called Santa Barbara and thought, "We can do something even more fun!" So, they created the Fremont Solstice Parade.

They wanted it to be special and different from other parades, with lots of freedom for people to be creative and express themselves in unique ways.

This parade has some very special rules to keep it unique and exciting. First, no words or logos are allowed on signs or costumes, so everyone focuses on the art! Also, no live animals can join the parade, except for service animals helping people.

And here's a big one: no noisy cars or trucks, only people walking or riding bikes. This makes sure the parade is all about the people and their amazing creations, not about machines. It’s all about imagination!

The parade happens around the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year. It's a time to celebrate the sunshine and the start of summer! It's a way for the community to come together and share joy and art.

Even though it was canceled for a couple of years because of a sickness called COVID-19, it came back to bring smiles and color to everyone's faces. It shows how important art and community are, even when things are tough.