Fremont Fair & Fremont Solstice Parade Cancelled for June 2020

The Fremont Solstice Parade and the Street Fair are cancelled for 2020 – but Fremont businesses are still open and struggling to survive. Photo by Adrian Laney, Jun ’19

With heavy hearts, abject acceptance and a dollop of desperate disappointment, the organizations behind the Fremont Street Fair and the Fremont Solstice Parade had to announce yesterday that both events will be cancelled for this year.

The Fremont Arts Council, an all-volunteer run non-profit, has produced the Fremont Solstice Parade to mark the beginning of summer for over 30 years. A wild and colorful, people-powered spectacular, this grassroots celebration requires the willingness of more than 1,000 volunteers and donors to make it a reality every year. Artists of all kinds – painters, sculptors, musicians, dancers, actors, puppeteers, etc. – may provide the basic materials, but brute force, tireless determination and open, generous wallets are just as necessary. It is to be hoped that while these are currently being put to flattening the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic, they will be needed also in Spring of 2021 to create a triumphant return of the Fremont Solstice Parade. Bookmark the Fremont Arts Council website now, and go there if you can step-up when the current crisis is past.

Maintaining physical distance at the Fremont Solstice Parade is, understandably, a difficult proposition. Photo by Adrian Laney, Jun ’15

Bold Hat Productions organizes and operates the Fremont Street Fair on behalf of the Fremont Chamber of Commerce, as a fundraiser for community programs and a promotion of the small Fremont business district. The loss of this draw of hundreds of thousands of spectators, shoppers and art lovers will devastate the already hard hit small, local businesses. Our boutiques, restaurants, galleries, bars, nurseries, banks, gift shops, vintage stores, and nightclubs need the Fremont Fair as a way to welcome in summer shoppers. Please consider coming to visit the Center of the Universe just as soon as it is safe for you and your loved ones – on June 20^th & 21^st, or any other times this summer!

The Fremont Street Fair brings thousands to our neighborhood – and their absence will be felt in 2020. Photo by Adrian Laney, Jun ’19

For nearly 50 years, the Fremont Street Fair has engaged, entertained and enlivened our community and it is so difficult to envision summer in Seattle without it. However, the health and wellness of our community is so much more important.

Both the Fair and the Parade have attracted adjacent events that occur during these activities, sometimes in partnership and sometimes as coincidence. For now:

Solstice Celebration at Gas Works Park – Cancelled
Solstice Cyclists (and other naked bicyclists) – Cancelled
Seattle Art Car Blowout – Postponed, with possible sightings later in the year
Puppy Parade – Expected to be Cancelled

Bold Hat Productions, in cooperation with the Fremont Chamber, also organizes the Fremont Oktoberfest, which is expected to return September 18^th – 20^th. While not as much a promotion for the Fremont commercial district, do expect the 2020 Oktoberfest to be bigger and better than ever!!

The Seattle Art Car Blowout may still happen in 2020, but on a smaller scale or in a different configuration. Photo by Adrian Laney, Jun ’19

Bold Hat has also postponed its Seattle Scotch & Beer Fest, usually held in April, to November 27^th & 28^th. This educational and entertaining opportunity to learn about distilleries and breweries, and their latest offerings, takes place indoors at Fremont Studios.

So many events and activities have been cancelled or postponed, in our efforts to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to protect our friends and family. It is to be hoped that these efforts prove effective – and that as soon as we can all go back to work, and play, we can all find our way back to our favorite Fremont haunts, if not our events…this year!