The weather was perfect this year for the Procession of the Species, the largest Earth Day celebration in the Puget Sound area.
Started in 1995, the Procession draws about 30,000 spectators and 2,000 to 3,000 participants.
Here are some of my favorite photos from this year’s Procession:
People line the streets for the parade, often putting out their chairs the day before to save their place.
This snail …
begins to come out of its shell.
What a terrific costume. One of my favorite.
Lots of joy here.
It's exciting when the bands march by and play.
The Procession is a great opportunity for kids to learn about endangered species.
What a fantastic blue bird.
Butterflies are everywhere.
This huge butterfly gets caught in the pole and wires you can see in the background and needs a repair.
My daughter Lisa likes this armadillo the best.
I've always been fascinated by zebras, so this zebra is a favorite.
And lions? Always majestic rulers of the jungle.
This skunk …
is really, really realistic.
This cutie, who I saw last year, is a great actress.
It's fun to see friends Jamie, Gregory, and Luna enjoying the parade.
This giraffe is my favorite animal in the parade. I love seeing it every year.
This fish turns around in a circle to "swim."
My mom loved flamingos, often putting replicas in her garden.
This shark is amazing.
Jellyfish are always popular and well represented in the parade.
These dancers march with the Samba OlyWa band. They're mouthless moths, one of the group told me.
The parade ends with the famous Samba OlyWa band. It adds excitement to the Procession of the Species and other events around Olympia.
What a wonderful Procession. It's always fantastic, but the blue sky makes it even more of a treat.
