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...

Is Seattle Going To Get Its Own Version Of Vancouver's Clothing Optional Wreck Beach?

Seattle's new mayor, Mike McGinn, has been asking Seattlites ideas about what sort of things they'd like to see in Seattle's future.

Apparently a lot of people in Seattle would like to have European type clothing optional outdoor recreation locations.

I don't know why Europe is being the point of naked reference. All you have to do is drive up to Vancouver and visit Wreck Beach for some Nude Beach fun.

I've only been to Wreck Beach once. I was surprised at how many naked people were having fun. I felt a lot of pressure to not keep my clothes on, very susceptible, I am, to any peer pressure, so, I soon joined in. I had no sunscreen with me, so this could not last more than an hour.

In addition to laying on the beach, others were playing volleyball and other games. Some strolled the beach in their birthday suit glory. Vendors cook burgers for sale. It's quite a festive atmosphere.

The nudists tended to be young and in good shape, I think, maybe, somewhat due to Wreck Beach being next to the University of British Columbia.

Closer to Seattle, there is a beach near Bellingham that is clothing optional, called Teddy Bear Cove. I do not know if this is still the case in 2010, but I suspect it is. I have also been to a nude beach by Evergreen State College in Olympia. I did not join in.

I don't see why it would be a big deal in Seattle to designate one of the town's beaches as clothing optional.

Afterall, in 3 weeks Seattle will be seeing the annual Fremont Solstice Parade with it famous, or is it infamous, Nude Bike Ride.

Watch the YouTube video below to see how totally wholesome Seattle's Fremont Parade's Bike Ride is...