And so, another Fremont Fair comes to an end. A good time was had by all in spite of Saturday’s weather and Fremont’s many vendors, bars, restaurants and coffee shops seemed to be pleased with the weekend that was.

My favorite costume? The bioshock-underwater-diver-radioactive-gator-fighting-stilted guys. How bout you?

Below find some links to the many stories and recaps about the weekend as well as some photos courtesy of Tom Wright Photography and Lucy Pearce.

• Even in drizzle, Fremont Solstice Parade sizzles – Seattle Times
• Sparkles, stilts and blue spandex turn heads at 2011 Summer Solstice Parade – SeattlePI.com
• Fremont Fair and Solstice Parade: QR Code Raggae Jam & Community Flickr Photos – SeattlePI.com
• Fremont Fair and Solstice Parade: Inside Skinny On Beyond Naked Documentary – SeattlePI.com

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We told you about Beyond Naked, the documentary that will explore what happens when four first-time participants accept a challenge to ride naked in the 2011 Fremont Solstice Parade. Of course, it takes a lot to put together a documentary and that means you need some money to make it happen. Director Dan McComb and producer Lisa Cooper are using the fundraising site Kickstarter to find the help needed to make the documentary happen.

Your donations will be used to cover expenses that include renting camera stabilizers, purchasing hard drives and specially outfitting bicycles to allow filming cheek-to-cheek with our naked riders. Feeding the crew, buying paint and renting cameras, sound gear and even a radio-controlled helicopter—it all adds up. When it’s all done, we’ll hire a broker to help us get the film on Netflix.

The filmmakers are hoping to raise $13,500 by June 12th and offer a whole range of benefits for those interested in helping them out. Pledge enough and you can even get access to a VIP Suite the day of the parade and an Executive Producer credit. Check out the fundraising page to see how you can help.

When discussing the Fremont Solstice Parade with a group of people, the conversation will eventually veer towards a specific question.

Would you?

Would you get naked, slather yourself in paint, hop on a bike and ride publicly through town as thousands of onlookers cheered you on?

There’s a new documentary in the works right now that follows four intrepid individuals who answered “Yes.”

Beyond Naked Trailer from Dan McComb on Vimeo.

Beyond Naked explores what happens when four first-time participants accept a challenge to ride naked in the 2011 Fremont Solstice Parade, Seattle’s annual celebration of summer and self-expression. The film will also explore our deep-rooted fear (and awkward fascination with) nakedness and what we can learn about ourselves when we dare to drop trou.

I chatted with the film’s director, Dan McComb, about the project, how it’s being filmed and what he’s hoping to get out of the experience.

FremU: What is Beyond Naked about and where did the idea come from?

DM: If you ask someone on the street whether they’ve heard of the Fremont Solstice Parade, the frequent reply is: “You mean the naked bikers?” How is it that a rogue group of loosely organized, unpaid individuals have managed to become synonymous with the parade? And why here, when cities like San Diego have blocked rides from starting by threatening participants with arrest?

As the title implies, we hope this film (in addition to being a lighthearted adventure) can shift the conversation about artistic nudity from one focused on whether people should be allowed to be naked in public, to a deeper exploration of self-expression, artistic license and personal freedom.

I became fascinated with the Fremont Solstice Cyclists in 2003, when, after much arm-twisting from my friends, I accepted a challenge to ride naked in the parade with a group of about 60 other cyclists. It was a scary, exhilarating and transformative experience that made a lasting impression on me. Last year, an estimated 650 cyclists rode, and if the weather’s good this year, some organizers predict as many as 1,000 cyclists.

I attended Werner Herzog’s Rogue Film School last year, where the legendary director told me: “if something fascinates you, you must do it.” I gave myself two additional requirements for finding an idea for my first feature-length film: It had to be about something I have a personal connection to. And it had to be reachable within walking distance of my house in Fremont. As I watched last year’s Solstice Parade with Herzog’s words ringing in my ears, I realized this was my story.

Jeff Hedgepeth is one of the brave souls featured in Beyond Naked.

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