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Creating community through, people, parks and programs. Timothy A. Gallagher, Superintendent.
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Movies
Concerts
Outdoor Dancing
Festivals
Arts, Crafts and Street Markets
Urban Gardening
Special Events
Other Activities
Seattle Parks and Recreation

CENTER CITY PARKS 2008

 
General Parks Information: (206) 684-4075 | Contact Us

Explore Life Between Buildings!!

This summer our Center City parks will once again offer movies, concerts, dancing and a whole lot more-all part of Mayor Greg Nickels' Center City Initiative for a lively, welcoming downtown. Check out the street performers. Explore the International District Night Market. Learn to salsa or waltz at Dancing til Dusk. It's all happening in these and other Center City parks:

Wi-Fi Hot Spot

The City of Seattle provides free wireless Internet access in Freeway, Occidental, Westlake, and Victor Steinbrueck Parks, and in the Plaza at the City Hall. Users can log in using seattlewifi for the ssid.

Buskers

Street performers of all kinds will display their talents on accordions, yo-yo's, flutes, toy pianos, violins, their own two feet…the list is as varied as city life. Weekday lunchtimes and early evenings (and some weekends): Cal Anderson, Counterbalance, Freeway, Hing Hay, Occidental Square, Pioneer Square, Westlake, and Waterfront.

Movies

Center City Cinema: Outdoor Movies in the Park
All movies begin at sunset!


Aug 9 Transformers - Hing Hay Park
Aug 16 Hero - Hing Hay Park (Cantonese with English Subtitles)
Aug 23 Shalon Soccer - Hing Hay Park (Cantonese with English Subtitles)
Sep 4 Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl - Occidental Square
Sep 6 Ratatouille - Hing Hay Park (English with Spanish Subtitles)
Sep 11 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - Occidental Square
Sep 18 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Occidental Square

Music In The Park

"Out to Lunch" Concert Series Presented by Starbucks and Safeco
Noon - 1:30 p.m.

Occidental Square: Jul 8-11 & Jul 29-Aug 1
Westlake Park: Jul 15 - 18 & Au 19-22
Freeway Park: Jul 22 - 25
Victor Steinbrueck: Aug 12- 15
Downtown Seattle Association Info: www.downtownsummer.com

Evening Concert Series
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Occidental Square, Jun 5 , Jul 3, Aug 7, Sep 4, 11 & 18, Oct 2 and Nov 6.
For the complete entertainment lineup, please call 206.653.5025 or visit www.pioneersquare.org/occidental.html

Summer Sundays
Noon - 1:30 p.m.

Waterfront Park, Jul 13, 20, 27, Aug 3, 10, 17 and 24

Concerts at Cascade
Cascde Playground: Fridays, 4–6 p.m.—September 5, 12, and
19. For more info please visit www.cascadepeoplescenter.org
or call 206-587-0320.

Seattle Presents
City Hall Plaza: Thursday afternoons, Noon–1:30 p.m.—July
3, 10, 17, 24, and 31; August 7, 14, 21 and 28. Thursday evening,
August 14, 5–7 p.m. For more info please visit http://www.seattle.gov/arts/community/seattle_presents.asp

Outdoor Dancing

Dancing 'Til Dusk
Thursday nights from 6 - 9 p.m.

Freeway Park, Jul 17- Aug 28
Each night will feature a different style of live music and dancing on a newly expanded dance floor. Pre-dance lessons (beginner level) are available from 6 - 7 p.m., followed by the dance from 7 - 9 p.m.

Jul 17 Crossroads Blues Band — Blues/Swing
Jul 24 Portage Bay Big Band — Swing
Jul 31Cambalache — Salsa/Latin
Aug 7 Captain Leroy and the Zydeco Locals — Zydeco
Aug 14 Lady "A" & the Baby Blues "Funk" Band Electric Slide, Chicago Steppin' & Cupid Shuffle
Aug 21 KGB — Waltz Ball Blanc (wear something white!)
Aug 28 8-Second Ride — Country Western

Dancing for Joy
Tuesday nights from 6 - 9 p.m.

Westlake Park, Jul 17- Aug 28
Enjoy two weeks of swing and two weeks of waltz with pre-recorded music on the newly expanded dance floor that will fill the plaza. Predance Lessons (beginner level) are available from 6 - 7 p.m., followed by the dance from 7 - 9 p.m.

Jul 22 - Swing
July 29 - Shadow Waltz (side by side)
Aug 5 - Single-time Swing
Aug 12 - Triple-time Swing

DOG OFF LEASH AREAS (OLA)
Off-leash areas provide a playground for downtown dwellers and their canine companions…and anyone who enjoys good company, wet noses, and wagging tails.
Regrade OLA - 2251 3rd Ave
Plymouth Pillars OLA - Boren Ave. and Pike St.

Festivals

32nd Annual Wooden Boat Festival
Jul 4 - 6

Lake Union Park, 1010 Valley St.
The Wooden Boat Center's Wooden Boat Festival is a Seattle maritime tradition, and this year's theme is heritage wooden boats. It's an old-fashioned, down-home waterfront festival where everything is fun, almost everything is free, and nothing much is fancy. There are fun activities for family members of every age: enjoy toy boat building, sailing model boats on the pond, boat rides and races, picnicking, clambering over boats big and small, festive food and music, and general joy. Suggested donation: $5 per person, $10 per family. Info: 206-382-2628 http://www.cwb.org/BoatFest2008.htm

2008 Pioneer Square Fire Festival
Jul 11 & 12

Occidental Square
This Seattle institution, sponsored by the Pioneer Square Community Association, has a long and proud history. For the first time, the Fire Festival will feature a chili cook-off, with prizes awarded in categories like green chili, red chili, vegetarian, and many more! Both amateurs and professionals are encouraged to enter. A select panel of judges will choose the winners and the public will select an "eater's choice" winner! Other festival highlights include the Firefighter Combat Challenge, Kids' Challenge, the Mascot Challenge featuring mascots from your favorite college and professional teams, antique fire trucks, and lots of music! Info: 206-653-5025 http://www.pioneersquare.org/fire.html

McDonald’s Presents Seattle's Chinatown-International District Summer Festival 2008
Jul 12 from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Jul 13 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Bring your family and friends to visit our many booths featuring arts & crafts, local businesses, and community organizations. On our entertainment stage the audience can enjoy lively lion and dragon dances, rhythmic taiko drumming, award-winning drill teams and much more, including our 6th Annual Karaoke Idol contest. Don't miss out on this special two-day event celebrating some of the best arts, activities and food that Seafair has to offer! Info: 206-382-1197
http://www.cidbia.org/events/seattle-s-chinatown-international-district-summer-festival-july-12-13-2008/

Halloween Festival – Counterbalance Park, Oct 31, 7 – 9 p.m. http://www.uptownalliance.org/

Harvest Festival - Counterbalance Park, Nov 16, 7 – 9 p.m. http://www.uptownalliance.org/

Arts and Crafts & Street Markets

Art in the Park, Occidental Square, Thursdays Jun 5, Jul 3, Aug 7, Sep 4, 11 & 18,  Oct 2 and Nov 6 & Dec 4 Info: 206-653-5025 http://www.pioneersquare.org/first_thursday.html

Night Market, Hing Hay Park, Saturdays Aug 9, 16 & 23 from 6 – 11 p.m. Info: 206-382-1197
http://www.cidbia.org/events/seattle-s-chinatown-international-district-night-market-august-9-16-23-2008

Saturday Market, Occidental Square, Saturdays, 6–11 p.m. August 9, 16, and 23, 6 – 11 p.m. Info: 206-382-1197 www.pioneersquare.org

Urban Gardening

Urban Vegetable Gardening and Composting Classes 5  – 7 p.m. Container Gardening, Composting for Apartment Dwellers, Culinary Herb Gardening and Salad Gardening classes presented by Seattle Tilth.  For class descriptions and to register, please go to  www.seattletilth.org or call  206-633-5045, Ext. 2.
Jun 25, Jul 2, 9, 15, 22, 29 Aug 6, 13, & 20 – Victor Steinbrueck Park
Jul 16, 23, & 30 - Freeway Park
Aug 2, 9 & 16 – Cascade Park
Sep 6, 13, & 20 – Belltown P-Patch

SPECIAL EVENTS

WestEdge Chalk Walk, 1st & University Street, Jun 21, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.. www.downtownsummer.com.

Fourth of Jul-Ivar’s, Jul 4, Myrtle Edwards Park, 10 p.m., simulcast on KOMO 4 TV and Star 101.5 radio.

John Frieda Mobile Salon – Free Hair Styling! - Westlake Park Sunday, Jul 20,2008 11am-7pm. www.johnfrieda.com/salontour

Summer Fair - Counterbalance Park, Jul 22, noon - 4 p.m., sponsored by the Uptown Alliance and other friends of Counterbalance Park. www.uptownalliance.org

Taste of Cascade – Cascade Park, Aug 5, 5 – 9:00 p.m. sponsored by the Cascade People’s Center. www.cascadepeoplescenter.org

Seattle Sandfest, Westlake Park, Aug 23, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., sponsored by the Downtown Seattle Association. www.downtownsummer.com

Uptown Stroll, Counterbalance Park, Aug 23, sponsored by the Uptown Alliance and other friends of Counterbalance Park. www.uptownalliance.org

Denny A Go Go, Denny Park, Oct 4th from Noon - 4 p.m. sponsored by the Friends of Denny Park. Info: 206-684-7556 and www.friendsofdennypark.org

Summer Fair - Counterbalance Park, Sep 7, noon to 4 p.m., sponsored by the Uptown Alliance and other friends of Counterbalance Park. www.uptownalliance.org

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Drop-in Bocce, daily Occidental Square - Kiosk

Seattle Public Library Used Book Sales, Monday-Friday, Jun, Jul & Aug - Freeway Park

Drop-in Tai Chi, Hing Hay Park, Wednesdays, noon–1 p.m., Jul 16–Aug 30. Denny Park, Thursdays, noon–1 p.m., Jul 17–Aug 31.

Community Partners

Pioneer Square Community Association
Citizens for Off Leash Areas
Freeway Park Neighborhood Association
Downtown Seattle Association
Downtown District Council
Friends of Denny Park
Friends of Victor Steinbrueck Park
International District Housing Alliance
Metropolitan Improvement District
Chinatown International District Business Improvement Association
Cascade Peoples Center
Uptown Alliance
Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce

Corporate and Business Partners

City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods
City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs
Dancing for Joy
Easterday Productions
Levin Menzies & Associates, LLC
Seattle Underground Tours


 
Updated June 12, 2008

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