Behind the scenes and on the route, participants and volunteers, it takes hundreds of people to create a parade. Here are some of them, before and during today’s West Seattle Grand Parade:

That’s Clay Eals, executive director of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, whose three-plus decades of working in and for West Seattle made him a great choice for the Orville Rummel Community Service Trophy, explained in our June report announcing his selection. The Grand Parade always has a Grand Marshal, too, and this year it was the Schmitz Family, represented by Dietrich Schmitz and his mother Vicki Schmitz Block:

The family’s legacy includes the donation of Schmitz Park and its namesake nearby elementary school as well as Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook on Beach Drive. (Here’s video of the Schmitz Family members and Eals toward the start of the parade.)

Also driving the parade route … longtime West Seattle community advocate Pete Spalding behind the wheel of the West Seattle Food Bank van:

Did you see the classic O’Neill Plumbing (WSB sponsor) truck in the parade? We caught up earlier with Tim and Todd O’Neill:

Members of another well-known local family, the Menashes, were seen waving from the Seafair Commodores‘ boat float:

And Potter Construction (WSB sponsor) was in the parade too – proprietor Gary Potter is a supporter also through his participation in the parade-presenting Rotary Club.

Another local entrepreneur was seen skateboarding – Greg Whittaker from Mountain to Sound Outfitters worked the crowd in The Junction, with his parade entry nearby:

The West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) is a parade sponsor as well as participant:

Riding with the Seafair Scholarship Program for Women candidates in convertibles, the immediate past West Seattle Hi-Yu Senior Court Queen Kelly Crum, who is vying for Miss Seafair.

This year’s winner will be announced before the Torchlight Parade downtown one week from tonight. Royalty was also in view before the parade, the “Pirates and Princesses” breakfast at Brookdale Admiral Heights, just north of the parade route, honored the longstanding tradition of hospitality for visiting parade-float participants. West Seattle Hi-Yu Senior and Junior Court members posed with Seafair Pirates, whose land-borne vessel Moby Duck was at the ready outside:

And then there are the parade’s longtime volunteer co-coordinator, including Dave Vague (below right) at the check-in table on the northwest corner of California/Lander:

And co-coordinator Jim Edwards was visible on his motorcycle riding up and down the parade route, checking on how things were going, communicating with other amateur-radio operators embedded along the way .. we also caught him making a photo stop when the motorcycle drill teams were done:

The riders’ end-of-parade ceremony is part of another report still in the works.

Before the West Seattle Rotary Club took over production of the Grand Parade (Hi-Yu participates but it’s *not* “the Hi-Yu Parade), they presented the Kiddie Parade, and still do:

A small but festive contingent made their way down California from Genesee to Edmunds after the motorcycles and before the rest of the Grand Parade.

Among those looking on – Ringo the bulldog:

Here’s video of the Kiddie Parade’s start:

If you have little ones who would enjoy parading past the crowd, make plans to be part of it next year – just show up at the starting line by quarter till 11 or so.

(All-City Band getting ready for the parade with a performance for residents and Seafair Pirates at Brookdale Admiral Heights)

You don’t see them during the West Seattle Grand Parade – and that’s the point! Judges are all along the route, and when the parade’s over, the winners are announced. Here’s today’s list, with some photos/video and more to be added:

OVERALL PARADE WINNERS

1st – Seattle Schools All-City Marching Band
2nd – Westside Baby – Stuff the Bus
3rd – Port Orchard Fathoms O’ Fun Float

BANDS

1st – Kennedy Catholic High School Marching Band

DRILL TEAMS, SENIOR, AND CHEER SQUADS

1st – Electronettes Drill Team & Drum Squad
2nd – The Lady’s of Elegance Drill Team
3rd – Seattle Lutheran Cheer Squad

DRILL TEAMS, JUNIOR

1st – Butterfly Electronettes Drill Team
2nd – The Princesses of Elegance Drill Team
3rd – Diva Upgrade Drill Team

PERFORMING ACTS

(Photo by Don Brubeck)

1st – Joyas Mestizas – Seattle Mexican Folk Dance Youth
2nd – Pathfinder K-8 School Unicycle Team
3rd – Seattle Seafair Clowns

CARS AND ANTIQUE CARS

1st – West Seattle Lions Club
2nd – Soil Science Products
3rd – 1942 American LaFrance Fire Engine

COMMERCIAL

1st – The Little Gym of West Seattle
2nd – Ronald McDonald
3rd – PCC Natural Markets

COMMUNITY

1st – Our Lady of Guadalupe Church & School
2nd – Seattle Lutheran High School
3rd – Southside Revolution Junior Roller Derby

FLOATS

1st Place – WS Hi-Yu Royalty Trophy – Daffodil Festival
2nd Place – WS Rotary President’s Trophy – Marysville Strawberry Festival
3rd Place – WS Rotary Foundation Trophy – Fathom’s O’ Fun, Port Orchard

CONVEYED FLOATS

1st Place – Holy Rosary School
2nd Place – Hope Lutheran Church & School

Lots more parade highlights to come! (We usually aren’t done until early Sunday, so please check back.)

10:49 AM: This year’s West Seattle Grand Parade is officially under way. The Seattle Police Motorcycle Drill Team has just headed down the parade route southbound from California SW south of SW Lander, and will be followed by the Vancouver, B.C., Motorcycle Drill Team (which doesn’t appear in ANY other parades in this area).

More than 70 entries will follow. Lots of photos and video later – in the meantime, if you’re not watching, remember that California SW is closed between Admiral and Edmunds until the parade is over and everyone’s packed up, and there are restrictions on some side streets too.

12:30 PM: The parade is over at the north end, still heading south to The Junction.

1:20 PM: The parade has ended in The Junction, too. Our photos/video will be in separate reports later.