Solstice Parade Returns To Routine Schedule; SACBO Brings Art & Cars

The Naked Cyclists will ride BEFORE the Fremont Solstice Parade once again, as a previous plan to place them after the 2019 Parade didn't pan out. Photo from the Seattle Municipal Files, 2012 — The Naked Cyclists will ride BEFORE the Fremont Solstice Parade once again, as a previous plan to place them after the 2019 Parade didn’t pan out. Photo from the Seattle Municipal Files, 2012

The Fremont Street Fair is coming over the weekend of June 22^nd & 23^rd, with live music, lots of shopping, delicious eats and plenty of beer garden opportunities. Yet, the Fair also serves as a framework into which our community inserts even more of its art.

The Fremont Arts Council (FAC) Solstice Parade will hit the streets of our neighborhood on Saturday, June 22^nd, at 1p, with its incredible line-up of performance art. This year, the Parade will start at 1p.

Since the 1990s, naked, painted cyclists have ridden before the Parade. Over the years, the number of these cyclists have increased to the point where it has become difficult to accommodate them on the street. Last month it was announced that the FAC would try to give more space to the cyclists by moving the ride to the end of the Parade.

The Seattle Art Cars return to Fremont during the Fair, to display the art of approximately 60 daily drivers decorated for our delight! Photo by K. Lindsay Laney, Jun '11 — The Seattle Art Cars return to Fremont during the Fair, to display the art of approximately 60 daily drivers decorated for our delight! Photo by K. Lindsay Laney, Jun ’11

As of last week, the FAC has confirmed that the Painted Cyclists (including the Solstice Cyclists) will once again ride BEFORE the Fremont Solstice Parade. An FAC contact said that negotiations with the Solstice Cyclists led to this solution, and the Solstice Cyclists website (click here,) says that this year riders will not loop around, crowding the street, but will instead simply ride through the Parade route to the finish at Gas Works Park, starting at 1p.

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In addition to the Parade, the Seattle Art Cars appear annually during the Fremont Fair – as the Seattle Art Car BlowOut (SACBO) parks approximately 60 daily driver cars, decorated with paint and gee-gaws. This FREE display welcomes viewers to come see vehicles from all over the U.S. and Canada.

There is still time to register local Art Cars to participate in the annual Seattle Art Car BlowOut

SACBO is a terrific, family-friendly exhibit during the Fremont Fair. However, in addition to the display, SACBO also offers its participating drivers a weekend of gatherings and caravans. Any driver of an art car can participate in SACBO by pre-registering on the SABCO website (click here.)

Also, while visiting the SACBO display, fans are encouraged to consider donating to the Seattle Art Cars. While the Fremont Fair covers some costs of bringing the vehicles together, private donations are also needed to meet all the expenses – fuel, feeding, boarding and incidentals.

(Disclaimer: The publishers of Fremocentrist.com have an Art Car on-display at SACBO, as it is a great place to park a car in Fremont during the Fair, and they donate each year to the event.)