The Fremont Fair & Summer Solstice Parade with Naked Bike Riders

You are looking at the Fremont Troll. An iconic Seattle image. The Fremont Troll resides under the Aurora Bridge in the Independent Republic of Fremont.

Years ago, way back when there was still a Soviet Union, Fremont seceded from both Seattle and America, seeking to become one of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics.

The USSR never granted Fremont member status, but, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Fremont did acquire a missile or two, and a statue of Lenin.

Today, June 19, with this being the Saturday closest to the Summer Solstice of June 21, Fremont celebrates with its annual Fremont Fair and Summer Solstice Parade.

The Fremont Summer Solstice Parade is infamous due to the large number of bike riders in the parade who opt to make it a clothing optional event.

The Fremont Fair is thought, by many, to be the quintessential Seattle event. I have attended a time or two and I would have to agree.

I recollect one of my co-attendees purchasing special brownies from a vendor loudly hawking the special brownies. The brownies contained an ingredient that is frowned upon, or outright illegal, in other, less liberal, less free-spirited areas of America.

I do not remember those special brownies causing any particular problem. I do remember them being the most relaxation inducing brownies I've ever consumed.

I have never ridden my bike sans clothing. Quite frankly, the idea holds absolutely no appeal to me. But, I don't begrudge others who think this seems like a fun thing to do. Or the over 100,000 who freely attend the extremely liberated Fremont Fair and Summer Solstice Parade.

If you get hungry while at the Fremont Fair you'll find all sorts of food vendors covering just about every cuisine you can think of. Or you can wander off to a Fremont area restaurant, like Nectar, Roxy's Diner, ToST, 35th Street Bistro, Tula's Restaurant & Nightclub, Serafina, Tractor Tavern, Pasta Freska, McCormick's & Schmick's Harborside Lake Union and Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Co.

If you can't attend the Fremont Summer Solstice Parade today, you can see what it is like, including the naked bike riders, by watching the video below...

Seattle's No Pants! Light Rail Ride 2010

Okay, I can understand the Fremont Solstice Nude Bike Ride. It is the start of summer, it's a festival. And it's in Fremont, which is a very free-spirited place. So, 1000s of people take their clothes off and ride in a bike parade.

And now today I learn of something called Improv which has organized No Pants! Rides on trains, subways and buses around the world.

Improv Everywhere in New York just had their annual "No Pants! Subway Ride." A lot of people turned out and took off their pants.

Last year's Seattle No Pants! Ride took place on the Monorail. Only 7 showed up and took off their pants.

This year over 500 have signed up, in Seattle, for the Emerald City Improv "No Pants! Light Rail Ride", riding the new light rail from the downtown Westlake Center Station all the way to the Sea-Tac International Airport Station.

Emerald City Improv's Seattle No Pants! Light Rail Ride has a Facebook page. I think you can sign up if you would like to ride the light rail to Sea-Tac, with your pants off, this coming Sunday, January 1, 2010.

Personally, I don't get the point or see why this would be fun. A naked light rail ride, that might be interesting, like last summer's, (or was it spring?) World-Wide Naked Bike Ride Day. Seattle participated in that one, too.