by Kirby Lindsay, posted 11 February 2015
On Wednesday, February 18th at Noon, at the newest Fremont offices of Tableau Software (at 437 N 34th St,) the public is invited to a luncheon, and panel discussion, all about Fremont’s events.
The Fremont Chamber of Commerce organized this discussion, but it is not just for business owners – or event organizers. The Chamber offers this annual opportunity for all of us to learn more about the large, the new, and the more select festivities scheduled for Fremont in 2015 – while we can still give input, and get involved. Fremont residents, and all of those of us who like to play here, can get in on planning, at this meeting, of this year’s activities, celebrations and festivals.
The Panel Discussion
Local experts have been invited to talk on events, both new and established, and how our community benefits – particularly when we participate.
The two confirmed attendees are:
- Dyana Berger, Senior Retail Marketing Manager for Brooks Running Company, sponsor of the Fremont Fun Run & Briefcase Relay and organizers of the new Brooks Trailhead Run on May 30th
- John Thorburn, Director of Marketing & Social Media for Bold Hat Productions, can talk on the positive impacts large scale events – like Hop Scotch Spring Beer & Scotch Festival, the Fremont Fair, and Fremont Oktoberfest (all produced by Bold Hat) – can have on bringing attention to our community, and sharing our story with the world.
In addition, representatives from Tableau Software will speak on how their company, through community grants, will be aiding in creating a more cohesive, supportive safety net for Fremont, and all our area.
More, Smaller Festivities
This is a great time to take a look at the smaller, and newer, events taking place in Fremont. For one thing, in the last few years, the number of large scale events held in Fremont has actually decreased – and will shrink a bit more this year:
- Music In The Sculpture Garden – in January organizers announced that this annual concert series, held in the courtyard of History House, will not return for an 11th season this summer.
- Mobile Food Rodeo / Street Food Festival – The Food Rodeo, previously held on the first weekend of May, started in Fremont but may be moved, or rescheduled to October, due to difficulties in securing a Fremont venue for two days. For the last few months the organizers – Piranha Blonde (producers of the Fremont Outdoor Movies, and partners with the Fremont Sunday Market) – negotiated to move their Street Food Festival, held in August, from Capitol Hill to Fremont as a replacement, but now they are being courted by yet another neighborhood…
Large, high-impact events may be fewer, yet Fremont actually has, in the last few years, grown more small events.
One oft-overlooked opportunity for Fremont residents is the newly renamed ‘Neighborhood Expo’ taking place at Fremont Studios on May 22nd, from 4:30p – 7:30p. This celebration of communities offers all kinds of free samples, wine tastings, giveaways and valuable information on businesses and non-profits throughout Fremont, Wallingford, Green Lake, Queen Anne, and Phinney Ridge/Greenwood. Previously called ‘Cheers To Chambers’, this is a FREE (and compact) walk through the services, products, and even art of the neighborhoods of the central Ship Canal.
Also coming up:
- Fremont First Friday Art Walk – under the leadership of new director, Andrew Miller, this monthly display could expand in the spring and summer with more live music and temporary art displays
- ‘Living Naturally Conversations’ at Bastyr Center for Natural Health – these free presentations on a variety of health & wellness topics take place once or twice a month through the school year
- Shows/Concerts/Gatherings – with the recent additions of Stone Way Café, Schilling Cider House, Salsa Con Todo, and Barrel Thief to Nectar Lounge, High Dive, Hale’s Palladium, Fremont Abbey Arts Center, West of Lenin, Stone Soup Theater, Dusty Strings and Fremont Studios, every week Fremont hosts a dozen or more small events that need only draw a limited audience to be very successful, and repeated. Best of all, we now offer a greater diversity of programming, drawing a greater variety of people and opening more options for all of us.
- Book Larder – while this small bookshop can be included with those venues listed under the previous bullet item, it is worth highlighting the cooking classes, author talk and special dinners held in the shop in Upper Fremont. At least a few (sometimes half) of the classes, each month, sell out in advance – it is small, but very, very well known.
- Moisture Festival – this month-long vaudeville and burlesque showcase straddles the fence between large and small, particularly as it grows in popularity. Make sure to book your tickets soon to at least one performance between March 19th and April 12th to see, if you don’t already know, why everyone loves Moisture!
Perennial Favorites?
Smaller, more specific targeted events may be a growing trend at the Center of the Universe, for 2015 Fremont still will enjoy our great, annual, signature spectacles.
Recently, Fremont Arts Council (FAC) Board Members considered expanding the budget, by $10,000, of their annual Solstice Parade. However, sustainable fundraising methods for this internationally famous celebration of art remain difficult to establish.
Last year, a letter from the FAC to the Fremont Chamber objected to, and threatened legal action, over use of the word ‘Solstice’ on the name of the Fremont Fair concert series (produced by Bold Hat on behalf of the Chamber.) The matter remains largely unresolved, yet the concerts did draw a larger, younger crowd to the well-established but (as of late) under-performing community fundraiser.
Fortunately for these primary Fremont events, the confusion, competition, and chaos created in 2013 & 2014 by having the Seattle Rock N Roll Marathon held on the same day will be suspended this year. Next year, well, the problems may return, but in 2015 the summer solstice weekend belongs to Fremont.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Market, Oktoberfest, Trick-or-Treat In Fremont and Fremont Festivus (Lenin Lighting) are growing and building audiences in 2015.
The Outdoor Movies also returns in 2015, with eight shows that start July 11th, according to the website. Each year, the producers seek sponsorship funding, or they will find themselves severely limited in the number of movies, and titles, they can afford to screen. Yet, they’ve kept returning… so far!
And More…
If you enjoy having Fremont events, or have concerns about one or another, get involved! Find out more about all our events – and who to contact about them – at the Fremont Chamber luncheon on February 18th at Tableau. The luncheon costs $20 for Chamber members and $25 for non-members, and RSVPs are encouraged (a $5 fee will be charged for not pre-registering.) RSVP on-line.
Also, if you need to know dates, times, and locations on any Fremont event, always check the Fremocentrist.com calendar page!
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©2015 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.