Seattle Fremont Parade and Fair celebrate the start of "official" summer

Summer finally — officially — arrives this weekend, and, after our chilly spring, it's time to party at this weekend's Fremont Fair and Solstice Parade.

Celebrating free speech, creativity and community, the Fremont Solstice Parade welcomes wild, weird and innovative art of all kinds — as long as there are no printed words or recognizable logos, no live animals, no motorized vehicles and no real weapons. Everyone's welcome to join in, though preregistration is appreciated, with check-in time 8-11 a.m. for the parade's noon Saturday start.

Fremont Fair perennial favorites include the Seattle Art Car Blowout display of dozens of wacky art cars, Playground in the Park family activities at Canal Park, food vendors, beer gardens and hundreds of craft vendors. Music on three stages and street performers provide continuous entertainment in an eclectic array of styles.

EcoZone, a new fair feature this year, provides information on sustainable, eco-friendly living, with information from Seattle City Light's Green Up program to "going green" for the environment.

As part of Seattle's "Give Your Car the Summer Off" campaign, the fair encourages visitors to bike, walk, run, in-line skate, kayak or bus to Fremont.

The details

Time: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday.

Cost: free; donations collected to benefit Solid Ground, providing shelter, food, advocacy and care for low-income families and individuals in Seattle and King County.

Location: Fremont Avenue North to First Avenue North between North 36th Street and North Canal Street, Seattle; information booth at North 34th Street and Phinney Avenue North.

Getting there: There are no official fair parking areas, and parking is extremely limited. Streets are closed to traffic in the main fair area. Bike Corral bicycle parking area provided. Metro Transit information, 206-553-3000 or tripplanner.metrokc.gov/.

Parade: Noon Saturday from Northwest 36th Street and Third Avenue Northwest, east to Fremont Place and Fremont Avenue North, on North 34th Street to Stone Way, onto Northlake Avenue North, ending at Gas Works Park, Seattle, with music at Gas Works from the end of the parade to sundown.

More information: 206-297-6801 or www.fremontfair.com.