August 2018

Pioneer Square News + Updates

Get Ready for Seattle Art Fair

The Alliance for Pioneer Square is a proud cultural partner of the 2018 Seattle Art Fair taking place August 2-5 at CenturyLink Field Event Center. A one-of-a-kind destination for the best in modern and contemporary art, the fair features more than 100 local, national and international galleries alongside the vibrant arts community of the Pacific Northwest.

Through our partnership, we are excited to extend discounted tickets to the 2018 Seattle Art Fair to our supporters! Click below to purchase your tickets today.

Reserve Your Tickets


August First Thursday + FREE Parking

August 2nd, 5-10pm

 Every first Thursday of the month, Pioneer Square welcomes you to join us in the venerated tradition of Art Walk with exceptional artists, innovative works, and creative kinship. During Art Walk, parking is free from 5 to 10pm! Make sure to grab your voucher from a participating gallery or studio to park for free at one of three neighborhood garages.

Parking Info

Join us for Summer in the Square!

SAVE THE DATE – Summer Break Away Day

Thursday, August 23

Summer break isn’t just for the kids! Get out and celebrate the season with a special day of promotions and fun in Pioneer Square. Make sure to grab the official Summer Break Away Day passport (coming soon!) to discover great places to shop, dine, and explore throughout the neighborhood. Then complete your passport for a chance to win a special Pioneer Square prize package!

More Info

DON’T MISS OUT – Hit the Streets Happy Hour

2nd Thursdays
August 9 & September 13 

Enjoy happy hour food, drink, and shopping specials every second Thursday all summer, in Pioneer Square. Click on the link below to learn about all the participating businesses and the great deals they’ll be offering.

More Info

FREE Waterfront Shuttle

The Downtown Seattle Association, in partnership with the Alliance for Pioneer Square, is now offering a free summer shuttle, connecting some of the most popular downtown attractions along Seattle’s historic waterfront. Riders can hop on and off at 9 different stops, including two stops in Pioneer Square, 7 days a week – from 10am to 8pm for no charge.

Learn More

Trail to Treasure Summer Tours

Every weekend through September

The FREE Trail to Treasure summer tours in Pioneer Square have started. Jump on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday walking tour with a knowledgeable guide from the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. Hear the fascinating stories of the people, places, and events that helped shape the history and development of Pioneer Square, the city of Seattle, and the greater Puget Sound region.

2pm Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays
June 1 – September 2 

More Info

Neighborhood Construction Updates

Center City Connector Streetcar

On March 30, Mayor Durkan directed the City of Seattle to halt the ongoing projects related to the Center City Connector streetcar, except for work on seismically vulnerable water mains in Pioneer Square, pending an independent review. KPMG, who was retained to do the review, has not completed the final report but verbally briefed Mayor Durkan on initial findings on June 19. As part of the briefing, the Mayor asked for a further analysis on technical assumptions, ridership projections, operations and capital costs, and funding options, as well as more detailed information regarding additional alternatives for providing transit connections moving forward.

Learn more here.

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program

Update on progress

The SR 99 Connections Project is conducting nighttime construction work on Railroad Way South and First Avenue South just south of South King Street. The work, scheduled to occur between late July and early August, involves installing electrical utilities and drainage as part of the effort to connect the new tunnel to SR 99 and local streets.

When the new SR 99 tunnel is ready to open (as soon as this fall), WSDOT will modify the intersection of Railroad Way South and First Avenue South by building a new road, South Dearborn Street. This road will connect First Avenue South to new on- and off-ramps to SR 99 just to the west.

This utility work will involve closing lanes of Railroad Way South and First Avenue South for the block south of South King Street, although local access to garages will be unobstructed. If you have any questions about this work, or would like to be added to the project’s construction notification list, please email viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov.

Construction Roundup

Top Highlights:
The World Cup Has Been the Best Part of Summer in Seattle (The Stranger)
Occidental Square is getting a playground (Curbed)
‘Placemaking’ in Pioneer Square: Looking at a Historic Neighborhood that Continues to Evolve (The Registry)

Arts & Culture News:
Going Up (City Arts Magazine)
Downtown Seattle will hold a scale model of the solar system (Curbed)

Restaurant & Retail News:
Passion for fashion: get to know Seattle’s 3 newest clothing stores (Hoodline)
Renee Erickson Grows Her Empire With Three Josh Henderson Restaurants (Eater)
20 Plates of Fries to Try in Seattle for National French Fry Day (The Stranger)
Insider: A bike-lover’s guide to the best sites of Seattle (San Francisco Chronicle)

Center City Connector Streetcar:
Center City streetcar line would complete badly needed transit link (Seattle Times)
Mayor Durkan Claims Streetcar Won’t Fit Tracks Despite All Evidence to the Contrary (The Urbanist)
The Potential—and Promise—of the Center City Connector (The Stranger)
Seattle streetcar delays frustrate Pioneer Square businesses (King 5 News)
Mayor Jenny Durkan on the streetcar delay, next year’s budget cuts and the education levy (KUOW)

Other News:
POLAROIDS: How Seattle’s signature hot dog got its cream cheese (KUOW)
Seattle’s 15 best places to Instagram outside (Curbed)
Seattle is home to the Northwest’s first “death museum” (King 5 News)
Big Fish moves into Maritime Building in Pioneer Square, focuses on preserving its history (Kiro 7 News)
Unique Pioneer Square walking tour offers up an unforgettable experience (New Day NW)

Find It! Fix It!

Have you seen an issue in the neighborhood, but didn’t know how to report it to get it taken care of? “Find It, Fix It” is a smartphone app offering mobile users one more way to report selected issues to the City of Seattle. Reporting an issue is as easy as snapping a photo with your smartphone, adding detailed information, and hitting submit. Help us keep our neighborhood clean and well maintained. Be on the lookout to report graffiti, potholes, street lights out, abandoned cars and other issues through the Find it, Fix it app, online, or by calling 206-684-7587. If graffiti shows up on your property, make a police report by calling 206-625-5011.