By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

This Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade is not only a celebration of the parade’s 90th anniversary, but will be the biggest parade in years, with more than 80 entries.

We sat in on the pre-parade lineup review last night, led by parade coordinator Michelle Edwards, for a sneak peek at what you’ll see. Today, we’re previewing some of the new participants! But first, a few of the basics:

-The route is the same – the parade is scheduled to start from California/Lander in The Admiral District at 11 am, proceeding southbound to California/Edmunds in The Junction. (Staging includes some side streets so watch for no-parking signs and heed them.)

-The main parade announcing stand is at California/Alaska, with Brian Callanan and Christa Callanan, Again this year, there also will be an auxiliary announcing stand at California/Charlestown, with members of the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle

-As we’ve already reported, the Grand Marshals are the players and coaches of West Seattle High School‘s state-championship-winning baseball team, and the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community winners are Bianca Thomka and Neil Duncan

Here are five of the new participants:

DUWAMISH TRIBE: Duwamish Tribe chair Cecile Hansen is expected to be at California/Alaska shortly after 11 to give a blessing before the parade arrives in The Junction

SAYAW FILIPINO FOLK DANCE TROUPE: A “student-based” group

COMERFORD SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE: As seen at West Seattle Summer Fest!

ORCA NETWORK PARADE POD: An entry in honor of the whales whose waters we share

WEST SEATTLE MRS. ROPERS: An entry with a sense of humor and 1970s TV roots (as seen in a pub crawl last year)

We’re working on daily previews for the rest of the week. Other parade entries include the Seafair Pirates and Clowns, marching bands, specialty vehicles, schools, businesses, nonprofits, youth groups from Scouting to sports, among others. And all that doesn’t just happen spontaneously – coordinator Michelle has worked hard on outreach; every year there are other areas of the region having parades on the same summer Saturday, so there’s something of a competition for entries. (This year it’s Des Moines.) Michelle is second-generation parade coordinator; her dad Jim Edwards, coordinator emeritus, works on logistics, especially the 13 amateur-radio operators in communication along the route, while her mom Barbara Edwards has long coordinated the judging. The parade is presented by the Rotary Club of West Seattle Service Foundation, represented at last night’s lineup review by Keith Hughes (who runs the building where it happened – home to the Westside Neighbors’ Shelter, American Legion Post 160, and the West Seattle Veteran Center).

It’s all powered by volunteers, sponsors, and donations – plus, spectators: If you can, show up on the sidelines along California on Saturday and cheer, to help make sure all that hard work producing a parade (something most neighborhoods in the city don’t have) is worthwhile!