Keystone cop

Let's play a word association game. When I say "Fremont Solstice Parade," what's the first thing that comes to mind?

If you said "naked bicyclists," one parade artist would like a word.

"It's all naked, naked naked," said Rob D'Arc, one of the parade's premier puppet masters. "There are so many more cool things about this place and this organization than spray-painted pee-pees."

Some artists might feel upstaged. But that's a natural outcome of the fascination people have with naked bodies -- nothing more.

"There's a lot of hard work that goes into these floats," Toms said. "Part of the frustration is that this form of artwork is overshadowed by people taking their drawers off."

The 20th annual Summer Solstice Parade took place today in Fremont, showcasing the funky neighborhood with a highly diverse gathering of people, participants and spectators alike.