Summer Solstice Parade and Pageant

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Solstice Parade, 1992

Solstice Parade, 2007

Solstice Cyclists during the 2005 Solstice Parade

The Summer Solstice Parade and Pageant is an annual event sponsored and produced by the Fremont Arts Council (FAC), an organization that supports the arts and artists in and around the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. Started in 1989 by Barbara Luecke and Peter Toms, the parade quickly grew to thousands of spectators and hundreds of participants. The parade kicks off the Fremont Fair, a benefit for the Fremont Public Association. The pageant generally follows the parade at the end of the parade route at Gas Works Park. Admission to the fair is free but donations (advertised to end poverty, and donated to the Fremont Public Association) are encouraged. The fair is famous for its floats and especially for the Solstice Cyclists who strip down before the parade and paint their bodies before riding in the parade.

The latest fair took place on June 16 and June 17, 2007.

The event distinguishes itself from other mainstream parades with its rules restricting printed words and motor vehicles. As the Fremont Arts Council states:

1. No printed words or logos.
2. No live animals (except guide animals).
3. No motorized vehicles.
4. No real weapons.
5. No advertisements during the parade.[1]