Parents who want to participate in this weekend’s No Kings demonstrations but are hesitant to bring little ones into the large downtown crowds have an alternative: a smaller, family-oriented protest hosted by Chrysanthemum, a children’s clothing shop in Columbia City.
On Saturday, October 18, from 12 to 2 p.m., families will gather at the intersection of Rainier Avenue South and Edmunds Street to hold signs, chant, and show solidarity with the nationwide No Kings movement. The shop will open at 10 a.m. with free sign-making supplies available in front of the store, and organizers have asked participants to stay mindful of nearby businesses and pedestrians.
This local offshoot first took shape in June 2025, when Chrysanthemum hosted a similar demonstration that drew hundreds of families — strollers, toddlers, and all — lining Rainier Avenue with handmade signs and songs. While the larger Seattle march at Cal Anderson Park attracted tens of thousands, many parents said the Columbia City version felt safer and more manageable. In neighborhood Facebook groups, one recurring sentiment summed it up: “Thank you for hosting a kid-friendly protest.”…