Saturday was the 25th Annual Fremont Solstice Parade. I’m one of only seven people who has been involved in all 25, having gotten involved when I was just a youngster in my twenties. In the early years I was very active in both the organization and in making large-scale floats and costumes for the Parade. These days, I still wouldn’t miss it but I’m much less involved.

The ball gets stuck in a tree.

For the past four or years I’ve coordinated a parade ensemble called “Beach Ball Mayhem.” We bring a 12-foot-diameter beach ball and many smaller beach balls too and take over the street. It is terrific fun and very interactive. We toss the balls back and forth with the crowd and they run into the street and lie down to be run over by the big ball. Sometimes we “pop” the ball high into the air and let if fall back down. It’s always exciting because the crowd can tell that the big ball is just barely under control. Early in the Parade this year the big ball got  stuck in a tree momentarily before gravity slowly tipped it back down. The crowd went wild.

the crowd in the street

getting rolled over by the big ball

This ensemble wouldn’t be possible without my friend, Jay Dotson. Jay is a wonderful guy, terrific photographer, great dad, and happens to own a really big beach ball. Each year, when I call him about doing the Parade he says, “Let’s do it!” It’s all so easy, fun and family-friendly. And when we’re done, we just deflate the balls and store them for the next year.

Look for us again in 2014, this time NEON!

me and my family in the Parade