Skin is in, Bush is out at Fremont party

The man packing the bullhorn with "REPENT" on its side was, to say the least, outnumbered.

Also sporting a vest emblazoned with "THE LORD COMETH TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT," he stood sardined among the thousands around Fremont's "Center of the Universe" intersection Saturday for the neighborhood's 19th Solstice Parade, the annual celebration not for the prudish, the claustrophobic, the politically conservative, or — based on the abundant nudity — the low in self-esteem.

Two distinct themes were evident among the parade's participants: pro-environment and anti-Bush. Three, if you counted pro-nakedness. Before the assorted marchers and floats, the infamous nude cyclists warmed up the crowd, most in creative body paint. A zebra woman. A squadron of bees. A Wonder Woman in need of some crunches. A unicyclist with a George W. Bush mask and a black suit painted onto his body. A man with an inexplicably red-painted body and enormous catfish on his head.

They all rolled past Robert Ephrata, 56, who in addition to the bullhorn and vest, held up a huge banner that read, "GOD IS WATCHING YOU. SHAME ON YOU. REPENT."

"When you have porn freaks, video freaks, watching naked people," he said, "it's a way of seducing the public, and seducing children."

His accoutrements were magnets for debate, drawing a young woman next to him into arguing. "This isn't something I would choose to do, but a display of judgment isn't what Jesus was about," said the woman, who identified herself only as Christina.

As the parade got under way, Shannon Kringen — public-access cable TV's "The Goddess Kring" — more or less naked apart from some netting and body paint, shook herself in front of Ephrata and hollered, "I'm not ashamed! Jesus loves me this way!"

The procession through the Center of the Universe to Gasworks Park included a huge sun with people holding its orbiting planets aloft on sticks; a big, green Puff the Magic Dragon from the organizers of Hempfest in August, recycled "junk bands," plenty of marchers on stilts carrying giant flowers and clown cops in pink riot gear keeping the well-behaved crowd out of the street.

But the parade was permeated with caricatures of Bush, which drew consistent jeers. More than one version of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney in prison stripes. Bush in his flight suit with a lewd addition, and cohorts whipping up the sidewalk crowds with chants for impeachment.

Not all the sights were political or naughty. Some were just ... fuzzy. As he bounded toward people packed on one curb, a man in white tights and a red cape shouted, "It is I, Captain Super-Hugger!" And then hugging everyone who'd allow it, he said effusively, "We're so happy you're here! Happy solstice!"

As the parade ended, Thomas Lynch, 7, stood beneath a cascade of soap bubbles in front of the Fremont Antiques Mall with his father, Eric, and sister, Katrina. He wore a T-shirt emblazoned with a Bush face — sporting red horns. Why the horns?

"Because he's the devil," the boy said without hesitation.

Manning the King County Republican Party tent, Matthew Lundh sat with the lonely stoicism of the Maytag Repairman.

"Some people tell us they're glad we're here. Some people tell us they don't agree with us," he said. "Other people tell us things I wouldn't say in front of my mother."

Mark Rahner: 206-464-8259 or mrahner@seattletimes.com