Fremont Fair and Solstice Parade

Fremont Solstice Fair & Solstice Parade every June coincides with the Summer Solstice. The funky, friendly Fremont neighborhood celebrates all aspects of community: art, spirit, sharing, and working together to help each other. During Fremont Fair weekend, people from all walks of life come together to shop, eat, drink, perform, smile, dance, run, converse, debate, groove, and parade. There is beer, food, and merchandise for sale.

What is the summer solstice?

The summer solstice is longest day of the year and occurs sometime between June 20 to 22, depending on whether it is a leap year or other factors such as gravitational pull from the moon and the slight wobble in Earth’s rotation (you knew about that, right?). At the winter solstice six months from now, just the opposite occurs: the sun is at its southernmost point, it is the shortest day of the year, and occurs between December 20 to 23.

More info: Solstice events, lantern festivals, and light shows – Greater Seattle on the Cheap

Summer solstice sun – Depositphtotos.com

2024 Fremont Solstice Parade and Festival

Kick off summer in Seattle with a BANG and Seattle’s largest outdoor summer market along with live music, food, beer gardens, parades, and more. 

Saturday-Sunday, June 22-23, 202. Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 11am-6pm. Date always coincides with the Summer Solstice (officially: Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 1:50 pm PDT). 

Parking is very limited in Fremont and there is no official parking area. Do not park in front of driveways, fire hydrants or crosswalks. Park enforcement is on full patrol during Solstice and will readily ticket and tow vehicles. Alternate transportation is strongly recommended.

Tips: cash recommended to shop at vendors and in the beer gardens. Everyone entering the Beer Garden must present valid ID.

Saturday-Sunday Fremont Fair Solstice Weekend. Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 11am-6pm. Activities primarily take place west of Fremont Ave N on N 35th St. and N 34th St. Fremont Fair spreads over 6 city blocks at the “the Center of the Universe” in the Fremont Neighborhood. The festivities includes two stages of live music, 300+ craft vendors, beer gardens, art cars, delicious fair foods, and so much more. The Fremont Fair benefits the Fremont Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit organization that supports Shop Local, is responsible for procuring and maintaining most of the public art on display throughout the neighborhood and celebrates individual talents and creativity to further develop the community, promote business, and education opportunities in Fremont. More info: Fremont Fair 

Saturday Fremont Solstice Parade. Saturday at 1:00 p.m. The Fremont Solstice Parade kicks off at 3rd and Leary Way, continues along 36th Street, then turns right on Evanston Ave. N, taking a final right on N 35th St, and finishing up near the Seattle Art Cars display inside the Fremont Fair. The parade includes more than 60 community- based ensembles, giant puppets, stilt walkers, floats, dancers, cyclists, musicians, and body-painted bicyclists in a kaleidoscope of joyous human expression. More info: Fremont Solstice Parade at Fremont Fair

Sunday Dog Parade at 2:00pm marches through the Fair Grounds featuring furry friends of all shapes and sizes. Registration takes place on Sunday on 34th Avenue, at the Dog Parade tent from 11am-2:00pm. 

Fremont Fair parade painted cyclists – Image: Fremont Fair

Is the Fremont Fair for your family?

• The Fremont Fair welcomes family members of all ages. In fact, there are special activities just for kids and families. However, Fair goers should be aware this is a very eclectic and free-spirited event.
• Some Fair guests appear in full or partial body paint, or trace amounts of clothing and a variety of colorful costumes – this is typically limited to Saturday’s festivities, especially the parade.
• The Fremont Arts Council does not support overt nudity in the parade, nor tolerates lewd behavior of any kind.
• More info: Fremont Solstice Parade (fremontartscouncil.org)