It's all right, here comes the sun at the Solstice Parade
The Orcas Island Summer Solstice Parade and Celebration will fill the streets of Eastsound on Saturday, June 18, beginning at 12 noon.
On Friday, June 10, the fun begins with a potluck, starting at 176 Prune Alley (up the street from Island Market) to practice, plan and recycle costumes. Bring food to share at 6 p.m., a dish and your ideas.
Parade organizers ask that participants observe the “no motor vehicles, no written signs, no livestock” character of the Parade. This is a foot parade and includes wagons, bicycles, carts, stilts and people powered floats. “Please no signage, political statements and advertising. Well behaved, costumed dogs are fine. Please no horses or large off leash animals.”
The theme of the 13th annual Solstice Parade is “Around the World.” On June 19, 1999, the first Orcas Summer Solstice parade was launched with the theme “Animals, Plants and Bugs!” The parade was created by a small group of volunteers. Today, many of these same people continue to volunteer for weeks behind the scenes, on the parade route, and at the post-parade music and dance celebration, at the Stage on the Village Green in Eastsound.
Volunteers are welcome to be in the parade or participate behind the scenes, building costuming, making banners or “dressing the dragon.” For further information, call Laura at 376-5458 or go to www.orcasislandsolsticeparade.com
The parade and celebration is co-sponsored by San Juan County Parks.
