Brier’s SeaScare Parade returned Wednesday evening, August 12, 2026
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Story & Photos by David Carlos
The parade started off at 7pm near 232nd Street and Brier Road and traveled south to 238th Street.
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| Kenmore District Pipe Band |
Once again, the weather cooperated. Temperatures hovered around 65 degrees under partly sunny skies — just about ideal parade weather for the hundreds of people lining the route.
The evening had the familiar feel of a small-town reunion. Classmates spotted classmates, neighbors caught up with neighbors, kids scrambled for candy and plenty of people seemed to know somebody passing by in the parade.
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| The All Stars |
SeaScare has never been particularly interested in taking itself too seriously, and judging by Wednesday’s parade, that tradition remains in very good hands.
The parade was an anything-goes procession that seemed perfectly suited to SeaScare. The Kenmore & District Pipe Band provided the bagpipes and drums, South County Fire rolled through with both modern apparatus and an antique fire engine, and unicycle riders showed off their balance while making their way down Brier Road.
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| Ghostbusters with their Ecto-Jeep mobile. |
There were pirates tossing candy, Ghostbusters in their decked-out Ecto-Jeep, Mob City Junior Roller Derby skaters, the North Queens Drill Team, youth baseball players, community organizations and local businesses.
Classic cars mixed with decorated trucks and homemade floats. Even a pair of miniature horses joined the parade wearing unicorn horns.
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| Miniature horses |
The one thing missing from previous years was the sight of horses dancing their way down the road to mariachi music. The miniature “unicorns” were charming, but we’re still hoping their larger, dancing cousins make a comeback next year. Consider this my official request for their return in 2027.
And, as always, candy was serious business. Children scrambled into the street after each passing group, while adults waved from the sidewalks and bubbles drifted overhead.
Leading this year’s parade as grand marshal was a business that has been part of Brier for 45 years: Brier Grocery.
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| Grand Marshal Sunnie Andrade with her daughter Anna |
Sunnie and Victor Andrade bought the neighborhood store in 1981 and operated it together for decades. Victor passed in 2018.
Today, Sunnie continues running the store with help from their children, Charlie and Anna, and Sunnie’s sister, Soon.
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| Pirates |
Asked how she felt about being named grand marshal, Sunnie kept her answer simple: She was happy.
She had initially been hesitant about participating in the parade. Those who know her might chalk that up to her quiet and humble nature. But eventually she was glad she had decided to take part.
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| South County Fire's vintage truck |
Elsewhere along the route, there was plenty going on...
The band On Common Ground performed classic-rock cover songs in the outdoor dining area at Vita Momenti Italian Kitchen, providing a soundtrack to the evening festivities.
SeaScare certainly wasn't lacking for noise without them.
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| Pie eating contest |
One enthusiastic young passenger in a Wally’s truck made sure of that by putting the horn to very good use. The pie-eating contest also added to the raucous fun.
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| L-R Brier Mayor Dale Kaemingk, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash, Brier Council Member Hisham Othman |
The celebration has been a Brier summertime tradition since 2002, when the city’s volunteer Park Board created the nautically themed event to replace the former Brierfest.
Conceived as Brier’s playful answer to Seattle’s Seafair, SeaScare grew around its Porch Light Parade and has brought pirates, sea creatures, classic cars, bands and plenty of neighborhood whimsy to Brier Road each August.
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| Parade participant |
This year’s celebration was made possible with support from local businesses and organizations, including Brenner Hill Windermere Real Estate, Brier Grocery, Cedar Plaza Vet Clinic, Elsner Law, Jason’s Java, Las Espuelas, MLT Licensing, Nellie’s Thistle Salon, Patty’s Egg Nest, Pet Adventure, PuroClean, QFC, Sorelli Pizza, Sound Community Bank, South County Fire Fighter Foundation, Teeter Tots Montessori and Vita Momenti Italian Kitchen.
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| 4-H unicorn |
By the time the last candy had been scooped up from the road, the pie contestants had been thoroughly coated in chocolate, and On Common Ground had filled Vita Momenti with classic rock, SeaScare had once again delivered exactly what Brier seems to like best: neighbors, noise and a little bit of nonsense.
Brier is a town of 6,600 in South Snohomish County, east of Mountlake Terrace and north of Lake Forest Park and Kenmore, with Alderwood Manor to the north and Bothell to the east. See map.
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