Torchlight Parade
Encyclopedia
The Torchlight Parade is the finale in a long series of parade
s around the greater Seattle area under the auspices of Seafair
, a Seattle summertime celebration. The parade is one of the original Seafair events dating to the 1951 centennial celebration. The first parade was actually held on August 12, 1950, in the afternoon, as the Seafair Grande Parade.
The Torchlight Parade is usually on either the first Saturday in August or the last Saturday in July. The parade starts in the evening, close to dusk
which gives it the name. Because of the dark, participants are encouraged to include creative uses of light and luminescient devices in their display. The parade draws an estimated crowd of over 300,000 people each year. Some of those wanting a prime viewing location arrive the night before with couches, rugs, and portable refrigerators.
The parade has had several route changes in its history. The first year it was held in a loop on 2nd and 3rd Avenues. It was later changed to start at 4th and Madison and make its way to Memorial Stadium
. The current parade route begins by Seattle Center
, follows 4th Ave through Downtown Seattle
and ends at the north parking lot of Qwest Field
, a distance of about 2 to 2.5 miles.
Participants include, among other things:
There are also torchlight parades held in Dorset towns in the UK in August.
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
s around the greater Seattle area under the auspices of Seafair
Seafair
Seafair is a summer festival in Seattle, Washington, USA that encompasses a wide variety of small neighborhood events leading up to several major city-wide celebrations...
, a Seattle summertime celebration. The parade is one of the original Seafair events dating to the 1951 centennial celebration. The first parade was actually held on August 12, 1950, in the afternoon, as the Seafair Grande Parade.
The Torchlight Parade is usually on either the first Saturday in August or the last Saturday in July. The parade starts in the evening, close to dusk
Dusk
Dusk is the beginning of darkness in the evening, and occurs after twilight, when the sky generally remains bright and blue. Civil dusk is when the earth has rotated enough that the center of the sun is at 6° below the local horizon...
which gives it the name. Because of the dark, participants are encouraged to include creative uses of light and luminescient devices in their display. The parade draws an estimated crowd of over 300,000 people each year. Some of those wanting a prime viewing location arrive the night before with couches, rugs, and portable refrigerators.
The parade has had several route changes in its history. The first year it was held in a loop on 2nd and 3rd Avenues. It was later changed to start at 4th and Madison and make its way to Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Seattle)
The Memorial Stadium in Seattle, Washington, is located in the northeast corner of the Seattle Center grounds. The stadium currently seats approximately 12,000 people. This was expanded to 17,000, during 1974-75, while the Seattle Sounders, of the North American Soccer League, played at Memorial...
. The current parade route begins by Seattle Center
Seattle Center
Seattle Center is a park and arts and entertainment center in Seattle, Washington. The campus is the site used in 1962 by the Century 21 Exposition. It is located just north of Belltown in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.-Attractions:...
, follows 4th Ave through Downtown Seattle
Downtown Seattle
Downtown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared to other city centers on the West Coast because of its geographical situation: hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by the Elliott Bay, and on the south by reclaimed land that was once...
and ends at the north parking lot of Qwest Field
Qwest Field
CenturyLink Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer...
, a distance of about 2 to 2.5 miles.
Participants include, among other things:
- Seafair PiratesSeafair PiratesThe Seattle, Washington Seafair Pirates are a voluntary group of people started in 1949 by the members of the Washington State Press Club. They joined together with other community leaders to create Seattle's first Seafair Festival in 1950....
- Seattle All-City Marching Band (one of the longest continuing entrants)
- Multicultural floats, including floats and participants from around the world
- Award Winning Drill Teams such as the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team
- Dragon danceDragon danceDragon dance is a form of traditional dance and performance in Chinese culture. Like the lion dance it is most often seen in festive celebrations. Many Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of ethnic identity, as part of a trend started in the 1970s. Another...
s - Seafair Clowns
- Blue AngelsBlue AngelsThe United States Navy's Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, popularly known as the Blue Angels, was formed in 1946 and is currently the oldest formal flying aerobatic team...
Float - Companies including Seattle City LightSeattle City LightSeattle City Light is the public utility providing electrical power to Seattle, Washington and parts of its metropolitan area, including all of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park and parts of unincorporated King County, Burien, Normandy Park, Seatac, Renton, and Tukwila...
, Group Health and Holland America. - Hydroplanes and their respective drivers and their families
There are also torchlight parades held in Dorset towns in the UK in August.
See also
- NdocciataNdocciataNdocciata is an ancient Christmas festival celebrated in Molise, Italy, specifically in the city of Agnone. On the evening of December 24 the “Ndocciata” of Agnone is a parade of a great number of “‘ndocce” , structures with a typical fanwise shape, made of silver fir pinewood pallets. They may be...
, a torchlight parade traditionally held on Christmas Eve in MoliseMoliseMolise is a region of Southern Italy, the second smallest of the regions. It was formerly part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise and now a separate entity...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...