WHEN:
Saturday, September 6, 2025
TICKETS:
For more information and tickets visit the Waterfront Park website.
A spokesperson describes the event as follows:
“...The reimagined 20-acre waterfront—transformed by the City’s Office of the Waterfront, Civic Projects and Sound Transit from a highway into the boldest public space investment since the 1962 World’s Fair—culminates in a full day of free programming featuring over 100 artists and cultural organizations, 60+ performances, 10 unique activation zones, and seven main stages stretching from Overlook Walk to Railroad Way and Stadium plaza in Pioneer Square..."
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: A DAY OF CULTURE, JOY, AND BELONGING
Pier 62: The Main Stage on the Water
- Reposado, La Fonda, Banda Vagos and The Black Tones bring high-energy Latin funk, rock, and soul.
- KEXP’s DeeJay Albina will be onsite throughout the day with sets. Live performances will also be recorded for Albina’s podcast broadcast live throughout the day.
- Columbia City Arts Show: live funk, fresh soul, powerhouse vocal, high-energy line dancing, featuring Black and Tan, Steppers Unite, Inc., Tish Productions, Zhanea June & Mach X, Royal Room, Royal Esquire, Columbia City Beatwalk, and Funk E Fusion.
- Jellyfish Lantern Procession (6:00 PM): A glowing parade led by Caribbean SeaFest and Brasil in Motion.
Pier 58: A Family-Friendly Hub
- Urban Artworks jellyfish lantern-building (join the evening procession!)
- Seattle Public Library storytelling, mermaids, and drag queen readings
- K-Fest: High-energy K-Pop, cultural performances, and rhythms featuring Morning Star Korean Cultural Center
- Massive Monkees: Legendary Seattle breakdancers
- Zulu Radio 20th Anniversary Showcase featuring DJ WD4D, Beatbox Panda, DJ Sean Malik w/Soulshifters/Circle of Fire, Silver Shadow D, DJ Zeta Barber, Abyssinian Creole, Shakiah, and Rell Be Free with DJ WD4D, Abyssinian Creole, and more, including face painting with Hoopla
- Cultural dances with Melody Institute, Baliadores de Bronce, Joyas Mestizas, and Danza Monarcas
Salish Steps & Overlook Walk
- LANGSTON Showcase: Afreesha, Zaina the Phenom, and Da Qween of Everything
- Seattle Kokon Taiko and King Khazm
- Double Dutch Divas, M.E.N.A.’s Dabke Dance and Hustle & Soul Dance workshops
- Shelf Life Story Project: Add your voice to the park’s collective story
Park Promenade: Art in Motion
- Brandi Douglas (Puyallup Tribe) and Raven Juarez (Blackfeet) installations
- Made Space Seattle / Central District Art Walk celebrating Black Artists from the Central District Art Walk.
- ParisAlexa, Northwest Tap Connection, ADEFUA, D’Vonne Lewis band, Rhapsody Project, Union Cultural Center, Mak Fai Lion Dance and Rohena Alam Khan
- Sam Sneke (Vivid Matter Collective) live graffiti
- Portraits in Motion dance showcase featuring Nia-Amina Minor and Marco Farron curated by David Rue
Railroad Way South: Movement & Wellness
- Glow Stick Zumba with Meli Bliss, puppy yoga with Resilient Hearts, and Mariners and the Kraken activations
- "We Are Water" art installation by Raven Juarez
- Festival Sundiata presents Waterfront Strut Procession Move through the Waterfront with Analog Brass Band, Buffalo Soldiers, Daughters of Royalty, and The Electronettes.
Pioneer Square Habitat Beach
- Unkitawa Showcase: Songs and stories led by Indigenous artists
- David B. Williams pop-up talks on shoreline history and ecology
Access & Amenities
The event is free and open to all. Accessibility Resources will be offered at the event. Visitors will enjoy:
- Wayfinding signage and ADA-compliant routes
- Accessibility Welcome Tour hosted by Friends’ Accessibility Advisory Committee
- Restrooms, seating, water stations, and shaded areas throughout the park
- Food trucks and beer gardens near Pier 62, Union Street, and Railroad Way S
“Friends of Waterfront Park was established with a clear purpose: to be welcoming stewards of the 20-acre park and bring this new civic space to life,” says Angela Brady, Director for the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects. “From Pier 62 to the Park Promenade to the recently opened Pier 58, their exciting work to activate these newly built spaces will transform years of design and construction into real experiences, turning the vision of thousands into community connections, new memories and inspiring our community to visit a transformed waterfront. I am confident that Friends will continue to make Waterfront Park a place that’s truly accessible, inclusive, and vibrant year-round. We couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate what promises to be an unforgettable Waterfront Park Grand Opening Celebration on September 6!”
