A statue honoring Chris Wedes, better known as the clown who has entertained generations of Seattle-area kids, is being unveiled at a celebration from 1-3 p.m., Sunday, in Fremont.
Any kid living in Seattle from 1958-1981 grew up watching J.P. Patches and his sidekick Gertrude on TV. When J.P. and Gertrude make an appearance these days, it’s amazing to watch people 40+ years old act like giddy kids all over again.
In recognition of the pair’s impact on Seattle history, supporters have been working since 2005 to raise funds for a statue of J.P. and Gertrude. The statue sculpted by Kevin Pettelle, “Late for the Interurban,” will be unveiled next to Fremont’s “Waiting for the Interurban” near the north end of the Fremont Bridge. The event will no doubt be made all the more poignant by the fact Wedes is battling blood cancer.