The Short Kings Court

Seattle’s first ever Short King Contest took place earlier this month at Cal Anderson Park, organized and hosted by Guinevere. Before the start of the event, each prospective short king had to be height-verified by standing next to the 5’7” Sword of Truth. Spectators gathered along the edges of the fountain as the event began. Over the course of the contest, participants took part in a series of challenges—a high jump, limbo, and a Q&A segment with short king-themed moral questions. The final round was a dance-off between the two finalists, Xander and Gabriel. Both kings could dance surprisingly well, but the contest concluded with Gabriel being crowned the winner. The crowd roared and a round of applause followed. Afterwards, the audience thinned, and the lingering excitement faded back into the usual early-evening calm. For a brief moment though, the short kings ruled the fountain at Cal Anderson.