On Saturday, May 14th, starting at Noon, volunteers are needed to help with the pre-parade, as the Fremont Arts Council (FAC) shifts float bodies from winter storage to the art studio. Those with trucks and/or trailer hitches – or the ability to coordinate such things – are needed under the Ballard Bridge. Everyone else can show up at the FAC Powerhouse (3940 Fremont Ave N) to meet the arriving caravan of naked float bases, and help shift them into position for the build!
If you’ve always dreamed of being an active participant, rather than spectator, to this outrageous expression of creativity that is the Solstice Parade, now is the time to get involved! For those with an idea for an ensemble, or a float, the time to adopt a float body would be this Saturday – as first come, first served.
On Sunday, May 15th, at Noon, volunteers will also be needed to finish clearing out FAC storage from under the Ballard Bridge.
On Tuesday, May 17th, from 7p – 9p, at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center, the FAC will host an artists’ reception for recipients of the 2011 Dave McKay Grants, and the other artists creating ensembles for the 2011 Solstice Parade. Come meet the organizers, see their prototypes, find out first what will be in the Solstice Parade, and perhaps sign-on to help out with one of these – or find out how to build your own!
2011 Dave McKay Parade Grant Recipients
For 2011, the FAC awarded a total of $4,500 in grant money to eight teams for production of ensembles for the parade. The annual grant program honors Dave McKay, a celebration artist who brought master costume-design skills, thoughtful intention, and deep attention to detail and craftsmanship to his art, and his work with the Fremont Solstice Parade and its inspiration, the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration.
The recipients of Dave McKay grants this year are:
Brian Koozer, of Nuclear Summer: “Nuclear Power. It has been called clean energy. It has been proclaimed the energy of the future. It produces a large amount of waste that needs to be completely sealed away from anything living for hundreds of thousands of years. Brian’s ensemble will present our naïve belief that we can actually harness this energy source without catastrophe.” To participate, contact Koozer at briankoozer@gmail.com
Janelle Campoverde and Mark Harris, with GiraSol, of Awakening: “Awakening is our response to catastrophe, when life suddenly becomes very real… Reality becomes more vibrant, our sensory experiences have a fullness to them. GiraSol brings us this awakening through the blending of folkloric rhythms of Brazilian samba and Japanese design.”
Sarah Lovett and Toni Mikulka, of Giant Puppets Save the World!: Creating five flying cedar, waxwing puppet that will fly, along with a giant snake and Dogedy, the illuminated white dog. “The scale of this giant puppet ensemble creates a sense of awe for our place in the grand scheme of things.”
Ann Sloper, Kristie Maxim, and the Ice Queens, of Ukon Julha-Tribal Fusion: The Ice Queens appeared in the past Solstice Parades, and will now take on the Finnish Solstice. “Imagine the street filled with a tribal entourage in bigger-than-life white dresses made from found materials and topped with red antlers.”
Oleana Perry, Denise & Lars Henrikson, of HobNobbers: “HobNob, definition: A costume that, when worn, the legs of the person wearing it become the legs of the creature being ‘ridden.’ This team will create models for HobNob costuming and present it through tools of social networking to connect and empower their neighbors to do something silly.”
Jess Haynie-Lavelle, The Chase of Europa: “Zeus the Sky God will roam the streets in his form as the white bull, playfully chasing Europa amid fanfare. Traveling with the Chase will be a May Pole for the audience to weave.”
Sabine Foster, Solstice Cyclists: “Topping the parade, the painted Solstice Cyclists will ride the route in a colorful show of it all! Look for themed cyclist ensemble teams.”
Heather Trim and Zero Waste Seattle, Garbage Brigade: “Zero-waste themed costumes made from ‘trash’, such as bag monsters; paper cup robots; and carpet fairies will remind us of the value of reducing our waste stream, recycling materials, and composting.”
In addition to these grant recipients, Solstice Parade Director Leslie Zenz has passed along rumors of a bubble float, a Parade of Nations, and a Mobile Mint making money for the crowds. To present your own idea, or shop for an ensemble to join, attend the reception on May 17th at 7p at the Fremont Abbey.
Or, attend the Studio Open House, the official kick-off to the 2011 Solstice Parade Build, at the Powerhouse on Saturday, May 21st, at Noon.