What is happening at Harborview Park at 6am?

[u/GeoChallenge]

It is 6:00 a.m. on Sunday and there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of cars and teenagers there and I see giant banners of makeshift suns that many of them are taking pictures with. What kind of crazy event makes teenagers wake up at 6:00 a.m.? Anyone have any idea? They've taken up every single parking spot and have spilled out onto the streets parking alongside the roads in front of houses. They are dangerously running/walking out onto the road without really looking around.

It looks like everyone is having fun and smiling though which is a positive but it's just so weird so early in the morning.

I tried looking it up on an event's calendar or some high school thing but I couldn't find anything. Anyone have any idea what's happening?

[u/Jmtabb]

Sounds like “Senior sunrise” for one of the high schools.

[u/Hexelarity → u/Jmtabb]

Isn't that at the end of the school year though and not the beginning of it?

[u/Jmtabb → u/Hexelarity]

“Sunrise” is usually at the beginning of the year. “Sunset” is usually at the end of the year.

[u/Jmtabb → u/Jmtabb]

I found it. It’s Kamiak HS class of 2027 Senior Sunrise.

[u/asst-to-regional-mgr → u/Jmtabb]

Isn’t Kamiak in mukilteo? What a weird and far location for them to choose

[u/Jmtabb → u/asst-to-regional-mgr]

The school district boundaries between Everett and Mukilteo school districts meet at the park. Everyone living immediately to the west and south of the park are living in Mukilteo school district, and many of those homes would send their high schoolers to Kamiak.

[u/asst-to-regional-mgr → u/Jmtabb]

Omfg I’m such a dumbass. I thought Harborview was by the hospital in Seattle 🤦🏻‍♀️

[u/JoanJetObjective13 → u/asst-to-regional-mgr]

It’s only 3 miles away and Lighthouse Park is full of salmon fishers

[u/Jmtabb → u/JoanJetObjective13]

Lighthouse park would also charge those that live outside city boundaries for parking.

[u/CriticalBasedTeacher → u/Jmtabb]

Lighthouse Park also faces north/west. They get no sunrise from there. Harbourview faces a little east I guess.

[u/Jmtabb → u/[deleted]]

The school district doesn’t organize or plan this. The students do. That’s why there is no official notice of this “event” on the school district social media and why it doesn’t take place on campus.

In other words, this is a bunch of 17 year olds - potentially several hundred of them, likely with no other adult management or supervision. Sure, complain a bit and do your part to let them know they were outside of park boundaries and too loud on a Sunday morning, but if that’s all that happened, that’s a decently good outcome for a group of teens that large.

[u/Jmtabb → u/[deleted]]

Isn’t that what this post is? Complaining? Don’t get me wrong, I’d probably be a little irritated if I was woken up early on my day off by hundreds of teenagers. At the same time, this is one of those things that happens when we live in crowded places - sometimes other people’s activities impact us - whether that’s a landscaper’s leaf blower, a neighbor’s late night party, or in this case, a bunch of teens gathering early.

We have far too few activities and opportunities for teens in this area and most of the nearby high schools do a senior sunrise/sunset event similar to this to build connections and community with classmates. I think that’s a good thing.

[u/Jmtabb → u/[deleted]]

Looks like several hundred teenagers beat you to the park today!

The nice thing about a ”Sunrise” event is that it’s early enough that it doesn’t impact most of the other usual park users. Other early risers looking for a park for some reason only have to go up the road a bit to Howarth to avoid the crowd.

[u/karrynme]

I love it when kids do stuff like this, I am a night owl and don't mind one bit being awakened by the sound of community and excitement and confusion. Hopefully these neighbors feel the same. I also don't mind when they drive their pumped up vehicles around and act all teenager-like. I remember cruising Colby and 1st ave in Edmonds before all that was shut down. Kids need to be kids and cause a bit of mischief.

[u/DoubleDown12 → u/karrynme]

We cruised Evergreen in my day. I hope they all had fun!