West Seattle Grand Parade 2013, report #2: The end & the beginning

(Find all our parade coverage in this archive – newest to oldest)

12:49 PM: After almost two hours, the West Seattle Grand Parade is over in the Admiral District, where it begins, and the north part of California SW has reopened to traffic as of a few minutes ago. Final entry is Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), with a live band, The Afterthoughts, on board a flatbed tow truck. Lots of great moments before that, too, and we’ll be rolling out highlights for hours to come. (P.S. Hotwire is alongside the courtyard where we hope to see you tonight for the first West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation of the season!)

1:30 PM: Our crew on the south end of the route reports that the parade has concluded there too.

Meantime, in advance of later reports focusing on parade angles such as the trophy winners, we’re expanding this one to include not only the end of the parade but a few sights from the start!

Above, the West Seattle Hi-Yu float in action (you can also see it in tomorrow afternoon’s White Center Jubilee Days parade and the Seafair Torchlight Parade a week from tonight). Below, a quick maneuver by the Vancouver, B.C., Police Motorcycle Drill Team – in the only Seattle-area parade in which they participate!

West Seattle Hipster July 20, 2013 (2:42 pm)

Great coverage, sorry I missed the parade this year.

NW mama July 20, 2013 (3:33 pm)

Was it just me, or were there fewer entries this year?

WSB July 20, 2013 (4:12 pm)

The parade coordinators were talking about that at the lineup meeting earlier this week. Down from last year but (looking at our archives) consistent with prior years. One big change was in the number of drill teams – about half a dozen fewer this time around. Floats from other communities are difficult to secure because of competing parades – this one is the same day as Lakefair in Olympia, which apparently is comparatively huge. While the parade organizers don’t put out a big official call for entries, they did note on the parade website that you could call for an application, so anybody interested in being part of it next year can watch for that and request one – TR

KC July 20, 2013 (5:40 pm)

My favorite things about parades are the marching bands and dance teams. It seemed that there were hardly any this year compared with last. Also, what’s up with politicians marching in a parade as advertisement? It should not be allowed.

WSB July 20, 2013 (6:50 pm)

KC – this is about as many marching bands as you can get, since all the Seattle schools’ musicians join for All-City Band – Kennedy is a fixture – the Calgary band is here every other year or so. The parade organizers aren’t sure why fewer drill/dance teams are participating – it seems to be a phenomenon for other parades this year too.

Teri Ensley July 22, 2013 (5:08 pm)

LOVE the Hotwire Coffeehouse float. The AFTERTHOUGHTS!!! LOL!

enough July 23, 2013 (3:37 pm)

People should stand up when our flag is being carried in the parade. The US Army marched with flags early in the parade and I can’t believe how many able bodied people I saw who were sitting down.

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