Home » Upcoming Weekend of Free Parade Art Workshops At the FAC Powerhouse

Upcoming Weekend of Free Parade Art Workshops At the FAC Powerhouse

Attend a free workshop at the FAC Powerhouse to learn about building batik butterfly wings.  Photo by Adrian Laney, Solstice Parade 2016
Attend a free workshop at the FAC Powerhouse to learn about building batik butterfly wings. Photo by Adrian Laney, Solstice Parade 2016

This is the final weekend before the Fremont Arts Council (FAC) struts its stuff in the Fremont Solstice Parade on June 16th at 1p.  The hand-built floats, costumes and puppets that decorate this arts celebration are constructed in the weeks before the Parade, most of them in the FAC Powerhouse.  Best of all, the skilled artists that invent these outrageous installations teach techniques in free workshops hosted by the FAC.

Get your hands dirty, glittery, sticky, paint-y, or whatever it takes to be creative.  Attend a workshop (all ages and skill levels invited,) with snacks provided, at:

  • Thursday, June 7th from 7p to 10p – Green Hat Ensemble Workshop & Costume Swap:  Learn how the FAC puts the ‘fun’ in fundraising by joining in the Green Hat Ensemble and soliciting donations from the enthusiastic audiences of the Fremont Solstice Parade.  At this workshop, listen to gnarly tunes while working out righteous moves and raiding the rad costume room at the Powerhouse for outfits the ‘Party Like It’s 1989!?’  Find out about the Green Hat, and how you can help keep the Fremont Solstice Parade rolling forward for another year!
As the Fremont Solstice Parade Build nears its final week, it is a great time to learn how they do it by stopping by the Powerhouse.  Photo by K. Lindsay Laney, Jun '12
As the Fremont Solstice Parade Build nears its final week, it is a great time to learn how they do it by stopping by the Powerhouse. Photo by K. Lindsay Laney, Jun ’12
  • Saturday, June 9th at 11a – Wrong Way Clown Workshop:  Come out and play at the 30th Annual Fremont Solstice Parade!  Learn about basic parade clowning, skits and tricks, and how to build an easy costume.  In the Parade, every 50 feet is a new audience, ready and waiting to be entertained.  Tap into your inner clown, to find out what works for you and will carry you further along.  This workshop would be good for those interested in being a clown for the Fremont Solstice Parade, and for those performing in the future.
  • Sunday, June 10th from 3p to 5p – Batik Making Workshop:  The environmental awareness organization 350 Seattle is hosting this workshop in preparation for building Silent Butterfly Wings for their ensemble ‘Cool World.’  Both the workshop and the ensemble are open to all, with no special skills required.  Learn how to batik on small swatches of fabric, and applications of this ancient technique.  This form of fabric dying uses melted wax to hold the dye and create beautiful designs.  Lisa Marcus will lead the workshop, having used the techniques after learning it at a FAC workshop 16 years ago.
  • Sunday, June 10th from 5:30p to 7p – Parade Movement Workshop:  Join in the ‘Cool Earth’ ensemble, learning movement that demonstrates our commitment to personal change when it comes to climate solutions, to be presented and repeated through the length of the Fremont Solstice Parade  Jasmmine Kaur Ramgotra teaches movement as a tool to embody change in the world, specifically around social and environmental issues.  Every individual can bring their own unique energy to this collective creation, and movers of all experience levels can share their passion in this people-power effort to reflect climate hope on June 16th.
Learn how to build a parade at a free art building workshop at the FAC Powerhouse.  Photo by Hank Graham, Jun '10
Learn how to build a parade at a free art building workshop at the FAC Powerhouse. Photo by Hank Graham, Jun ’10

Check out these public art workshops – all open to the public – and get messy!  All four of these workshops take place in the FAC Powerhouse, and are offered free-of-charge, although donations are accepted, gratefully.

Find out more, about the Fremont Solstice Parade and volunteer opportunities, on the Fremont Arts Council website.

See you on June 16th at 1p at the famous and fabulous Fremont Solstice Parade!