Ponies on Parade

The Ponies are coming! From mid-November 2004 through January 2005, Downtown Seattle will become home to Ponies on Parade, a new public art project. Soon, 50 decorated ponies — with designs ranging from the classic to the eccentric — will be spotted everywhere from Pioneer Square to the Denny Triangle Neighborhood, adding whimsy and spirit to the holiday season.

Keep an eye out for the very special 5th Avenue Theatre pony. She is named Gypsy, after the musical and the "gypsy lifestyle" so many stage actors and crew embrace. Darci Dille is the talented artist who created our beautiful pony. Many may remember Darci's fabulous mural from the Smokey Joe's Cafe set.

Ponies on Parade is modeled after the wildly successful Pigs on Parade campaign, which graced our city streets during the summer of 2001. The ponies for Ponies on Parade are inspired by the carousel horses Seattleites enjoy every year on the classic holiday carousel in Westlake Park. Each pony is made of fiberglass, weighs 300 pounds and measures five feet tall.

The Ponies on Parade project is presented by Wells Fargo and produced by the Downtown Seattle Association. Following the public display, the ponies will be auctioned off; proceeds will benefit the Northwest Center, a local non-profit service organization that promotes the growth, development and independence of persons with disabilities through education and rehabilitation programs and work opportunities. Northwest Center was selected as the beneficiary of Ponies on Parade because of its commitment to the community and dedication to helping people with disabilities reach their full potential.

For more information about Ponies on Parade, visit poniesonparade.org.