Longtime Seattleites might tell you that this year’s Seafair won’t be much fun.
First the annual summertime celebration loses the Blue Angels due to federal budget cuts. And more recently KIRO announced it has dropped longtime hydro announcer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame DJ Pat O’Day from their broadcast team for the hydroplane races. There’s no denying both of these changes are heavy blows Seafair.
Traditionalists might say there’s no way this year’s Seafair will be able to stack up to previous Seafairs, but I beg to differ because this year’s Seafair has something no other Seafair before it has ever had: Sub Pop.
The royalty for this year’s Seafair was revealed Friday and it included Sub Pop co-founder Jonathan Poneman. Poneman, who recently revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, will serve as King Neptune for this year’s Seafair. The honor comes during the year that Sub Pop is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Not only will Poneman be in the Torchlight Parade and likely make appearances at various Seafair events, the parade will reportedly feature a Sub Pop float and marching bands and drill teams participating in the parade will perform songs by Sub Pop artists. I can’t wait to hear the marching band rendition of “Floyd the Barber.”
So take that traditionalists!
