Local illustrator Ro Stastny was recently announced as the winner of the Fremont Arts Council’s 2026 Solstice Parade poster design contest.
Stastny’s storybook-inspired design was chosen through the FAC’s annual contest, where a panel narrowed submissions to a group of finalists and the public voted to select the winner. The winning artwork will appear on the official parade poster and this year’s Solstice Parade T-shirt.
More of Stastny’s work is available at rowanshadecreative.com.
About the Solstice Parade
The Fremont Solstice Parade is set for Saturday, June 20 at 1 p.m. The parade is Seattle’s largest creative art event and a defining tradition of Fremont’s identity as the self-proclaimed Center of the Universe. The entirely people-powered celebration fills the streets with floats, costumes, marching groups, and larger-than-life art. No motorized vehicles, no printed words or logos, and no animals (except service animals).
Those looking to participate can still register a group through the FAC’s online registration form. There’s always room for more participants, according to the FAC.
Workshops at the Powerhouse
The FAC is hosting open creative workshop nights at the Powerhouse, where Solstice Parade participants are building everything from costumes to giant puppets. (For example: students and parents from B.F. Day Elementary have been working alongside the FAC team on a dragon). Workshop nights run from 6 to 9 p.m.; check the Fremont Arts Council website or Instagram for the schedule.
Volunteers Needed
It takes a huge team to pull off the Solstice Parade, and the FAC is looking for help in several roles. Parade monitors assist with route safety and spectator support. Street closure monitors help maintain safe road closures on side streets. The street cleanup crew follows behind the parade to keep Fremont looking sharp. Lastly, the Greenhat Team collects donations along the route to support the event. Street closure monitors, cleanup crew, and Greenhat positions are paid at $30 per hour. Visit the FAC website to sign up.
For more information about the parade, workshops, or volunteering, visit the Fremont Arts Council at fremontartscouncil.org.
Leave a Reply