Oh May, how we love you. For Seattleites who have had to endure the schizophrenic weather of April, May presents the hope for the beginning of the spring and summer that keeps people so attached to the Pacific Northwest.

In Fremont, on the first of May (Saturday), there are several options to enjoy: the Fremont Village Festival and the Fremont Arts Council’s 20th anniversary May Day springtacular, which includes dancing and weaving via a Maypole (such as the one seen below), singing, three-legged races, sack races, egg/spoon challenges, a potluck picnic and the appearance of the May Queen.

Festivities begin at 2 p.m. (earlier than the 5 p.m. start time originally scheduled) in Woodland Park (east of Aurora Ave) at Woodland Park (just off Aurora and 60th, next to the horseshoe courts). Wear white and bring flowers, for head wreaths. Bring a dish to share, plenty to drink and of course, your good spirits. Pack out everything you bring.

All are welcome - Fremont Arts Council membership is encouraged but not required.

Over the last few weeks, volunteers with the Fremont Arts Council have been thinning out an art storage area under the Ballard Bridge. If you look through the fence, you can see relics of former Solstice Parades, Trolloween, the Moisture Festival and Circus Contraption.

We found Maque daVis with the Fremont Arts Council under the bridge Sunday afternoon. “I am cleaning up the space in regard to the city telling us that the neighbors don’t like the looks of the storage yard,” he said. He’s been carting away any art pieces older than 3 years. “We will be decorating the outside fencing over the next month or two, in hopes that we fit in with the upscaling of the neighborhood,” he said, calling it “urban camo.”

He said other non-profits, like the Sunday Markets and Sustainable Ballard, have also used the storage space over the years, but now the city wants to charge them a fee to stay. “(It’s) a bit disappointing,” he said, noting the Arts Council doesn’t have much money to spend for storage rent.

The Fremont Arts Council is holding their annual rummage sale from 9-4 Saturday and Sunday at the Powerhouse, 3940 Fremont Ave. The sale will include books, music, clothing, costumes, and original artwork. Proceeds from the sale will help the Arts Council with the budget shortfall and help fund events like the Solstice Parade, Trolloween, ongoing maintenance of Fremont’s sculptures, and community arts classes.

The Fremont Arts Council has been a part of the neighborhood for nearly 20 years, and now it needs your help more than ever. “As we enter into winter this year, the Fremont Arts Council is looking at a severe funding shortfall,” wrote Nick Morse, the president of the council’s board of directors in an email. “Our ability to cover the expenses for the classes, workshops, events and public installations is, unfortunately, at risk.” The Fremont Arts Council organizes the Solstice Parade, Luminata, Trolloween and other neighborhood events, not to mention it maintains the Troll and Waiting for the Interurban. “We need your help. Please help keep art and artists in Fremont,” Morse writes. For information on how you can help, click here.

Trolloween kicked off at 7 p.m. tonight with some revelry, a dance-off and a melodrama all under the watchful metal eye of the Fremont Troll, who celebrated his 19th birthday tonight.

The Fremont Arts Council organizers, dancers, and drummers Vamola proceeded to parade through downtown Fremont where they were watched by spectators from bars, restaurants, and homes.

The parade proceeded to the Outdoor Cinema, where volunteers gave a dance lesson to the crowd. After the exercise, the melodrama continued with another short scene intended to encourage the crowd to pursue the protagonists to the Fremont Bridge’s underbelly, where another dance group performed the Vampire Tango. The short play concluded with a dramatic stabbing scene:

When the mini-play was completed, the Fremont Philharmonic began playing ‘Thriller’ for the concluding dance party under the bridge.

Best costumes of the night: The Robot, who was so popular that the crowd nearly threw the play off-track trying to encourage the protagonist to dance with it; and Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything, who spent the entire parade hoisting a boombox. Hats off to you two!

If you have additional photos from Trolloween or competitors for best costume, please share them with us in the comments!