Procession of the Species (aka The greatest parade ever!)

Last weekend LJ and I decided to make our way to downtown Olympia to take in the Procession of the Species.  I'm usually not one for parades but LJ had read up on the event and promised a good time (describing it as an event that could be very hippy/granolie but seems to have a perfect balance of weirdness and community pride) and that we could leave early if I wasn't enjoying it.

The weather was nice so that definitely helped but I enjoyed it so much that I'm already looking forward to going next year.  I'll do my best to describe what I witnessed but I won't be able to do it justice.  It was a parade made up of individuals and groups who were dressed as flora and fauna.  Some of the groups also played musical instruments which helped keep up the festive atmosphere (like more enjoyable marching bands).  The participants were all ages which also increased the entertainment factor as some of the costumes were very clever (the 17 foot tall giraffe and the geoduck for example were very impressive/humorous).

The crowds were 2 or 3 deep along the whole parade route

Before the parade started kids were drawing with chalk all over the road.

I could have watched this guy dance for hours.  Sorry I didn't know how to work the camera well enough and ended up taking the video sideways.

A virus

Moths flying around a light bulb

A dragon?

There were lots of jelly fish.  A smart costume in case it rained.

A brilliant trilobite

A giant whale mostly made out of plastic sacks

A family of frogs

The geoduck got lots of giggles from the adults in the crowd.

I couldn't get a good picture of these guys, but they were apes riding piggyback

A pride of lions