West Seattle Grand Parade 2015 countdown: Day after tomorrow!

(WSB photo: All-City Band in the 2014 West Seattle Grand Parade)

As we reported after the parade lineup meeting earlier this week, looks like 90+ entries will march and roll their way down California SW this Saturday morning in the West Seattle Grand Parade. The basics:

WHEN: 11 am start from California and Lander, headed to California and Edmunds, about a mile and a half.

CAVEAT: The Seattle Police and Vancouver (BC) Police Motorcycle Drill Teams go first. So if you’re going to watch from the north end of the route, don’t be later than 10:30 or so.

GET OUT ON THE ROUTE, #1: Run the parade route before the parade by participating in the Float Dodger 5K, 9:30 am start from in front of West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), 2743 California SW. (Online registration just closed, but you can stop by WS Runner tomorrow 3-7 pm or sign up pre-race on Saturday.)

GET OUT ON THE ROUTE, #2: Be in the Kiddie Parade!

(WSB photo: 2014 Kiddie Parade participant)
It leaves California/Genesee at 11 am, headed down the south end of the parade route.

REMEMBER THE ROUTE CLOSES: As early as 6 am in some spots – take a close look at your nearest NO PARKING sign – parking restrictions kick in on the bus-rerouting streets, as well as the route itself.

WHAT’S NEW: New entries include a trampoline company whose owner plans to jump (dressed as a pirate!) as the trampoline travels down the route; giant “Cakewalk” puppets from Fremont; Pacific Northwest Drumline is back “after a 2-year hiatus”; and more …

WHO’S WHO: Marty Riemer announces the parade from the heart of The Junction; County Executive Dow Constantine is Grand Marshal. Former West Seattle Big Band director Donn Weaver is the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community recipient.

BIZFLOATS: Local businesses are fun to cheer for, and those you’ll see will include our flagship sponsor Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (with four-wheelers, two-wheelers, and, we’re told, bubbles), Luna Park Café, Spud, Little Gym, PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor), West Coast Entertainment (on Segways) …

Also …
*Community groups
*Nonprofits
*Visiting royalty
*Drill teams (including the famous Chinese Community Girls’ Drill Team)
*Marching Bands
*Churches
*Schools
*Visiting royalty
*Candidates
*Even a Metro bus

Pick your spot anywhere along the route (but remember there’s a lot of construction on California south of Admiral, so some traditional spots are construction zones now, especially on both sides of the 3800 block). If you are a fan of peeking behind-the-scenes on big events, be at the start of the parade and watch organizers coordinate getting everybody out onto the route; if you come down early enough, you can watch the arrivals, see visiting floats and performers get themselves organized. Whatever you choose to do, be part of a long-running tradition (and bring water – forecast calls for the return of warm weather).

Wasteland July 16, 2015 (10:58 pm)

This is a great community event and it’s nice to see people coming out to support the parade. However, please remember when you set up your spot to watch the parade that people live and work on California Avenue. Please be careful of our flowers and shrubs and don’t leave your trash behind for others to pick up. The normal day-to-day trash being dropped everywhere is bad enough, but the last few years, it’s just been disgusting watching people spend the morning eating and drinking in their lawn chairs then leaving all their trash behind.

pelicans July 17, 2015 (12:29 am)

This name is too big for its britches. Too grandiose. How about, oh, I don’t know, the Hi-Yu Parade, maybe??

Northwest July 17, 2015 (5:47 am)

Although I won’t be attending parade ,I tend to favor the parade in the international district, I can commit come next week to pickup trash on 4000 block of California. How about you?