The Fremont Solstice Parade is an annual event that occurs each June in Seattle , Washington .
6-616: The Parade was founded by Barbara Luecke and Peter Toms in 1989. Luecke and Toms were inspired by the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade and Celebration. The Parade quickly grew to include thousands of participants and tens of thousands of spectators. The event is produced each June by the Fremont Arts Council (FAC), a non-profit organization based in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle , Washington that supports
12-693: A Santa Barbara resident and a mime and artist. The parade is the largest single-day event in Santa Barbara County , attracting crowds of 100,000 people or more. Weeks prior to the day of the parade, a workshop is opened where participating artists and technicians work with the community to conceive ideas, build floats, make costumes, and put their performances together. In 1974, artist and mime , Michael Gonzalez gathered some of his street performer friends to dance down State Street in Santa Barbara, California, in celebration of his birthday. Each year
18-477: Is a slowly-paced music, dance and character procession where direct crowd interaction is encouraged and ensembles of actors in costume entertain with political and social commentary. The Fremont Solstice Pageant, a large-scale community play using over a hundred actors, musicians and giant puppets, was performed following the parade from 1997 to 2005 at the end of the parade route at Gas Works Park . The Parade distinguishes itself from other mainstream parades with
24-592: The arts and artists in and around the city. The Parade kicks off the Fremont Fair, which for many years was a benefit for Solid Ground (originally known as the Fremont Public Association). The Fremont Solstice Parade is famous for its style and flair, political humor, energetic ensembles, and creative floats. It is also widely known for the body-painted Solstice Cyclists , who kick off the event each year by stripping nude and paint their bodies . The event
30-480: The following unusual rules: The 2022 parade was scheduled for Saturday June 18. The parade was cancelled from 2020 to 2021, as announced on April 16, 2020, by the Fremont Arts Council coronavirus pandemic . Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade Originating as a birthday celebration, Santa Barbara, California 's Summer Solstice Parade began in 1974. This parade was created by Michael Gonzalez,
36-461: The parade grew until this annual event encompassed street fairs, concerts, theatre performances, floats , costumes, and dancing ensembles. The parade went on hiatus in 2020 and restarted in 2022. 34°25′43″N 119°42′18″W / 34.4287°N 119.7050°W / 34.4287; -119.7050 This California -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to an American festival
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