Here comes the parade - here's how we Celebrated Shoreline

Updated and corrected 8-26-2012 11:05pm

Grand Marshall Evan Voltsis (left)

By Diane Hettrick

All photos by Steven H. Robinson

There are parades and then there are parades. Giant regional parades like the SeaFair Torchlight Parade focus on elaborate mechanical and floral floats, so big they can hardly get around the corners.

Community parades like Greenwood seem to recall and celebrate small town America with cub scouts, Sweet Adeline's, and baton twirlers.

Shoreline Council of Neighborhoods representatives

Celebrate Shoreline - the celebration of Shoreline's birthday - certainly has some of these elements. But what it is more than anything is a walking organizational directory of Shoreline and the surrounding area. The parade celebrates Shoreline in a very unique way, by parading most all of the groups that make the City the vibrant place that it is. 

Shorewood High School Cheer and Drill team

No one really cares whether the float is elaborate or beautiful. No one really cares whether there's a float at all, although the floats are appreciated for their community spirit and the involvement of the volunteers who created them. It could just as well be called the Volunteer Shoreline or the Send Your Kids to School in Shoreline parade.

32nd District state reps Ruth Kagi and Cindy Ryu

People care about seeing friends, neighbors, all the groups they belong to, the schools, bands, drill teams, politicians are welcome, both those in office and those running for office. 

CORRECTION: Zander Natallanni.of Shoreline Community College
men's soccer team hands out strawberry candy along the parade route

Many of the youth sports groups were represented - Hillwood Soccer. Northlake Little League. Richmond Jr Football. Shoreline Community College men's soccer team handed out candy.

Cub Pack 850

A couple of scouts troops were there - some of the others were on camp-outs (article to come).

King County Sheriff's Motorcycle Unit

The motorcycle unit from the Sheriff's Office was there, rumbling down the street. Not to be outdone, the Fire Department brought their shiny red trucks, beloved of children everywhere.

Shoreline Fire Engine #63

Northwest Junior Pipe Band

The Northwest Junior Pipe Band showed off their new bagpipes.

The Shoreline Recreation youth programs were well-represented

Drill team (if you know where they are from, let us know)

The Cute Award, if it existed, would surely go to these young drill team members.

Is your group missing from this line-up? Let us know and either send your photo or we will use ours for Parade, Part 2.