Naked Cyclist Hanging Out at Gasworks Park (photo ©Kaia P. Turner)

If the Solstice Parade is considered the official start of the Fremont Fair, the naked cyclists are the un-official start to the Parade. This year's annual ride takes place on Saturday, June 20, 2009, which (according to Wikipedia) will mark the 18th consecutive year that the cyclists have participated.

To be clear, the naked cyclists are not a bunch of nudists on bikes. Granted there may be some “nudists” in the bunch, but a better way to describe them would be as artists. Free-spirited perhaps, but artists nonetheless. And to be even clearer, the naked cyclists are not actually completely nude; they’re wearing costumes. They are more officially known as the "Painted Cyclists," and some of the paint jobs are so ingeniously done that a mere first glance fools the eye into thinking the wearer is actually donning clothes. Costumes run the gamut from pretty to political, natural to … well, unnatural, and there seems to be no limit to what the artists can or will dream up and create.

If you are easily offended, this may not be the event for you. But if you have an open mind and can appreciate art of a more progressive variety, this is a spectacle worth seeing. An article on the Body Freedom Collaborative reports that the cyclists, "have been well-received by Fremont Summer Solstice Parade goers year after year and have introduced tens of thousands of citizens to healthy body positive attitudes in a festive way."

If you have no interest in seeing the Painted Cyclists, don’t let that stop you from attending the Solstice Parade which starts at noon. (The cyclists ride before the parade at some unappointed time after 11:00 a.m.) Note that the Solstice Parade draws quite a crowd to the smallish Fremont community, so come early, bring your patience, and take public transportation if possible … or else be prepared to spend some time finding parking and doing some walking.

After the Parade, make your way over to the fabulous Fremont Fair, which takes place both Saturday and Sunday. Directions to the Fair and a map of the parade route can be found at www.fremontfair.org/getting-here. More information can be obtained via the links provided below, or by emailing info@fremontfair.org or calling 206.297.6801. The Solstice Parade is free.