The 20th annual West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade has just finished crossing California SW at Atlantic, on the way to the afterparty – family-style games at Hamilton Viewpoint Park (concessions too!) – even if your family missed the parade, c’mon down! Above, a quick Instagram clip from the first leg of the parade route; we’ll have lots more video and photos here later. And here’s what else is up today/tonight.
ADDED 3:28 PM: Above, our traditional annual video of everyone in the parade, from Admiral-based Seattle Fire Department Engine 29 at the start to the Seattle Police officer whose vehicle trailed the final parader (a wee bicyclist). Next: Video of the pre-parade ceremony:
In that clip are co-coordinators Jackie Clough and Allyson Schreck, former Mayor Greg Nickels (who lives near the parade route) …
… West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court Princesses Callie and Sadie (who also helped with the donation boxes pre-parade) …
… and national anthem singer Leilani Nitkey, who did a great job despite a faltering loudspeaker system (we were close enough with the video camera, we could hear her without amplification):
As Mayor Nickels said, “The real meaning of today is Independence Day, where we celebrate the fact that some very brave people … our forefathers, if you will … were willing to take a stand and declare that this nation would be independent, with certain inalienable rights, (such as) the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that was revolutionary.”
ADDED: A few parade photos (and don’t miss the pre-parade “bonus” pics at the end of the story). Here’s the contingent riding in the blue pickup that followed Engine 29:
Non-motorized transportation, otherwise, was the order of the day – including scooters:
Next – from the post-parade games on the green at Hamilton Viewpoint:
Kids toured the fire and police vehicles that had bookended the parade:
WSB sponsor A Kids Place Dentistry For Children handed out pinwheels:
The Admiral Neighborhood Association handled concessions as usual – this year, ANA president David Whiting (1st photo below) went mobile into the crowd, in addition to ANA’s fixed-location van (second photo below, with Kayle Shulenberger in the foreground):
Co-coordinator Jackie told us afterward that the parade diaper drive brought in 600 diapers and 100 wipes!
They’re going to WestSide Baby – in advance of its annual mega-drive Stuff the Bus on July 20th.
BONUS: Some views from the pre-parade sidelines, ahead:
It was all about rocking the red, white, and blue:
Captain America was a popular theme – check the shield as this parader waited:
And spotted on the pre-parade sidelines – it is not a parade in West Seattle without Jim Edwards (co-coordinator of the West Seattle Grand Parade, who assists with so many others):
A Seafair visitor was sighted, too – West Seattle’s own Seafair Clown, Officer Lumpy, with his kids:
Still adding!
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