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Kirby's Fremont
Trolloween, A Primer
By Kirby Lindsay
Fremonsters celebrating at the Troll. Click here for more... |
their favorite traditions.
Have you been to Trolloween? Surprising to the thousands who have participated, many people have never heard of this singular Fremont Arts Council (FAC) event.
The celebration evolves yearly and no two years are the same. This year the procession gathered at the Troll (on 36th Street North under Aurora Avenue) and moved to the Canal where 20 performances involving fire were done by at least as many different artists. The FireDrake, a flaming dragon, is an expected site that grows more elaborate each year. Whirling the fates, performed by I-Ching, was a beautiful, stirring sight that never fails to mesmerize me. Fifi and the Fireplugs was inspired lunacy as a ragged stuffed poodle was urged to jump through a flaming hoop by her clueless mistress. Circus clowns in doctor attire tried to resuscitate a "fried Fifi" and succeeded in bringing the trainer to her knees. PyroBoy, performed by Wally Glenn, involved a man covered in fireworks and set aflame - emerging unharmed. By the end of the evening, when they burned the scapegoat - a metal frame goat stuffed with slips of paper offering up the sins of the crowd - it was hard to think of anything to do with fire that hadn't been attempted.
Why haven't you heard of this unusual art celebration? One reason is the edict from the City Of Seattle Special Events Committee - No Publicity. Maque da Vis, Artistic Director for Trolloween, applied for permits to make the event legal last year. This way Police Officers help stop traffic when the procession crosses Fremont Avenue and the Fire Marshall gives permits for the Fire Art instead of arresting all involved. Still, is being above board helping?
Unfortunately, the budget for this neighborhood festival has doubled since it went legal. This year the Special Events Committee doubled the fees paid by the FAC and insisted 3 additional officers be present. The fee for the officers was "extremely cheap" according to Maque but he also explained that "we don't want to contribute to the budgetary
problems of the Police Department." I personally was surprised by the request since no complaints were reported on last year's carnival, usually the reason for increasing police presence. To add insult to injury, the Department of Finance also called. A 5% tax must be paid of each $5 donation at Troll-O-Go-Go. Plus, placing burdensome fees on a free, act-of-love event such as this may result in more crowd problems than solve them. Living near the Fremont Troll, I have to wonder, "What happens the year a thousand or so people show up and no one is there to entertain?"
The crowd was entertaining on its own. Janet Fangman helped me identify costumes. Many traditional characters were evident - Mad Hatter, Geisha, Nuns, Death, Ghosts, Jason, Little Red Riding Hood, and a Wizard - along with the more unusual - Colonel Sanders accompanied by the Hamburglar, Commuter Of The Month, Scary Ex-Girlfriend, Mr. Gumby, 3 Frieda Kahlos and American Maid. One costume that caught our eye was a perfect Jackie O. When I asked the 13-year-old about her choice of costume she explained that she'd wanted to be a 60's Prom Queen but failed to find a tiara or corsage. This being Fremont, however, imaginative and inexplicable costumes prevailed and stiltwalkers added to the spicy atmosphere. Some were costumed in fanciful, elaborate concoctions that reminded one of the mythical or the supernatural. Others, such as Rue de Flambe Master Of Ceremonies Peter Toms, were dressed in exaggerated outfits that made one forget that people aren't normally 13' tall. There were, of course, Trolls aplenty.
It is a magical, mystery tour that leaves one overwhelmed with images. It is also not for everyone. The pacing, run on Fremont time which dictates that things happen when they happen and rarely on schedule, left us standing, in the cold, for a great deal of the evening. The crowd, delightful and largely friendly, becomes irritating when you end up in the back at a stage. Smoke gets in your eyes and doesn't mix well with the smell of kerosene in your nostrils. Mostly, when I dragged myself to bed, I remembered that sleep, when one has to be up early, can also be an amazing and enjoyable experience.
Kirby Lindsay is a proud, life-long Fremonster. If there is a specific question you would like to ask her about Fremont, please write c/o The Seattle Press or e-mail to fremont@oz.net.
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| Adrienna | Oct 27, 2004 | Seattle | Surg Tech |
| What is the info on this year's Trolloween? | |||
