by Kirby Lindsay, posted 16 July 2014
Normally, about now, Fremocentrist.com would deliver the highlights from the July Fremont Arts Council (FAC) meeting… However, the powers that be cancelled the July meeting, possibly because a majority of the FAC’s usual suspects were out-of-town – most of them attending Oregon Country Fair.
Three weeks after the 2014 Solstice Parade took over the streets of Fremont, the now-bare float bases stand in a pile before the closed doors of the FAC workshop, The Powerhouse. And while the Parade has passed, a few participants did gather the evening of the non-meeting, and were willing to answer questions on their own experience of year’s event – even if FAC (and the parade) leadership didn’t provide a public forum.
Crowd Control
Both long-time volunteers with the FAC, Jeff Pierce and Mike Clark took roles this year doing crowd control. “I hadn’t seen how much the [painted] bicyclists want to be back in the crowd,” Pierce observed, “I had a [naked] Superman on rollerblades who kept wanting to break through our lines.” To keep Superman out of the parade ensembles, Pierce had to act quickly. He regrets his overreaction, but knows it came from fear of a collision between the fame-hungry rollerblader and youths on stilts that were then making their way through the pageantry of the parade.
“We had complaints about monitors,” Clark, also a former FAC Board President observed, but not as criticism of Pierce’s actions. “I can understand why some people can’t understand,” Clark said, about the lack of respect some parade participants, and spectators, show the volunteer monitors, “we need more guidance,” he said, “about the words you choose,” when redirecting parade crashers.
“This isn’t a game,” observed Christie Wolf, another long-time FAC volunteer and Board Member, “It isn’t ‘How-Do-You-Get-Past-The-Security-Guard?’” Still, all three agreed that for some, that’s what the parade becomes – a battle of wills, with the prize being audience applause and accolades. “We’re paying for the insurance,” explained Pierce, about the non-profit FAC, “and the permits,” and the ultimate responsibility – and libel – for any accidents and incidents that take place during the creative, hectic and underfunded Solstice Parade.
The FAC still tries to use volunteers as Parade monitors – the people who walk along the parade route to keep spectators on the sidelines and participants moving along – since hiring security costs money and would take away from the community feel of the legendary event. Unfortunately, some volunteers took the training, and then didn’t attend the Parade, leaving organizers reassigning volunteers at the last minute. “I saw a lot of [the Parade] as a monitor,” Pierce confirmed about the perk of being between spectators and the spectacle, only, “I spent a lot of time being a heavy. I wish we could get the cyclists more on our side,” he said, “and to understand that we are not just being a**holes.”
The organized Solstice Cyclists had their own monitors, but some cyclists (and a rollerblader, it appears) didn’t obey anyone’s rules – insisting on pushing their way into the parade after the ride had ended.
Fundraising
A report was given at the Fremont Chamber of Commerce June meeting that FAC fundraising for the 2014 Parade has come up short, and that the Green Hat – an ensemble in the Parade that specifically solicits donations from spectators –raised $10,000 less than expected. Wolf worked on the Green Hat last year, and she believes that they raised a record amount in 2013.
“That project should have been worked on in advance,” Clark observed. He’d like to see more attention, and more intensity, given to the effort to solicit the audience, “it needs to be a year ‘round philosophy.” Yet, all three veteran paraders agreed that the weather made the crowd watching larger, and may have raised more money for the FAC than if it had rained, again.
“I talked to someone who didn’t know,” explained Wolf, who participated in one of the parade ensembles, “they finally noticed, ‘you don’t charge people,’ and ‘there are no sponsors.’” Clark also mentioned that he’s heard that some think local philanthropist Suzie Burke personally pays for the Parade – she doesn’t.
A fundraising beer garden at The Sixgill may have raised money for the Parade, but problems cropped up there – the beer garden backed up against the Fremont Fair gated concert area on North 35th Street. Pierce and Clark both mentioned problems with the fences, and access to the FAC beer garden.
Individual Roles
Clark did crowd control – and herded parade floats – at the end of the Solstice Parade at Gas Works Park. “I liked that a lot of people showed up,” he said of this gig, “We had vendors that had never come before, and they were astonished.” Clark generally takes a role in the Parade assisting, rather than doing ‘big art’ as Pierce has done before. Clark said, “I will probably do my own thing here eventually,” but he also mentioned that, this year, “it was a more fulfilling role that needed doing.”
Wolf participated in the Parade, in costume, but she did get to see the second half of the parade – and her parents actually got to watch the parade too, on their second try. Last year, she ended shanghaied them at the last minute as Green Hat collectors.
Christy Smith also attended the non-July-meeting, and being new to the FAC and the Parade, she couldn’t compare 2014. “I had a wonderful time,” she said of her part as a Queen in the ‘La Muerte de la Tea Party’ ensemble. She did her dance routines, and really enjoyed the audience participation and positive response to their performance.
Final Words
Overall, the four Parade participants described the 2014 Parade as a rousing success. Best of all, as the discussion wrapped up, a METRO public bus stopped in front of The Powerhouse, the driver opened the doors, and shouted to everyone, “Thanks! It was great!”
For 2015, the time of the Solstice Parade, and access to the Fremont Fair, may change, again. For 2013, the Parade start time changed to 3p to accommodate the Seattle Rock-N-Roll Marathon. According to the Marathon website, the race will take place the week before the parade in 2015. This makes it possible to return the Parade to its original Noon start time…or not.
Also, for 2013 and 2014, June had five Saturdays – moving the Parade (and the Fair) off of the third weekend (and Father’s Day,) to stay closer to the summer solstice. This takes away another confusion, until 2018 – possibly. Regardless, the FAC July non-meeting participants agreed that not having to compete/conflict with the Marathon – which ties up traffic including transit – would be a big relief.
For those who still have questions, concerns or comments on the 2014 Parade – or anything to do with the FAC – consider attending the next public FAC meeting, currently scheduled for August 12th at 7p at The Powerhouse. And even when it does get cancelled, consider sitting outside to reminisce with others about the parade gone by – and planning for the parade to come on June 20th, 2015!
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©2014 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.