by Stephanie Iverson

Many people who live on Orcas Island have either watched or participated in the Solstice Parade. The parade is a beloved annual event, a day of fun and celebrating the first day of summer.

The festivities took two years off for COVID but started up again last year. This will be our 23rd parade! All are welcomed in to celebrate our community spirit and love of this special place. Those marching will gather in front of the Oddfellows Hall at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 24. For those watching, the festivities begin on the streets at noon in Eastsound.

Here’s a little back-story on its origins.

The Orcas Solstice Parade began in 1999 with the vision of Laura Gibbons. She had lived in Santa Barbara and saw her first Solstice Parade there in the late 1970s. When she moved to the islands, she knew this was just the kind of community to host an event like this.

The streets were filled with joy, music and brilliant colors. The level of artistry was amazing, and there were a few guidelines that set it apart from other parades. The first was no motorized vehicles. This kept it more low-key and personal. No written words kept the expression focused on art and costuming; no livestock kept the chaos down and put the focus squarely on the art.

Every year the parade is driven by community generosity! It’s run by volunteers working hard to plan, create a poster, paint and install our “Burma-Shave-style” signs, organize groups within the parade and create a fun show at the Village Green after the parade. The parade has no financial sponsors; it is truly a grassroots event. The organizers hope for some groups to show up with their own creative surprises!