Waterfront Park Grand Opening: A Historic Civic Moment for Seattle

Seattle recently celebrated a monumental achievement with the Waterfront Park Grand Opening on September 6, 2025. This event marked the culmination of two decades of visioning, community advocacy, and public investment, transforming the city's central shoreline from a highway into a vibrant, 20-acre cultural destination. Stretching from Pioneer Square to Belltown, the park represents Seattle’s most ambitious investment in public space since the 1962 World’s Fair.

The celebration was more than just an opening; it was a citywide invitation to connect, encapsulated by the "Meet Me at Waterfront Park" campaign. This initiative encouraged friends, families, coworkers, and neighbors to rediscover the park as a place to gather and make plans.

Friends of Waterfront Park, the nonprofit steward of the park, played a pivotal role in bringing this vision to life, leading an abundance of free public events from May through September. These programs were co-created with artists, cultural partners, and community organizations, building momentum towards the historic grand opening.

The park is a testament to public-private partnership, with the City of Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront & Civic Projects designing and building the park, supported by philanthropic funding from Friends of Waterfront Park. "Waterfront Park is Seattle’s park," said Joy Shigaki, President and CEO of Friends of Waterfront Park. 

The park is also a platform for belonging and equity, with over 80% of Friends of the Waterfront’s programming co-created with BIPOC artists, cultural organizations, and community leaders. It features Indigenous-designed spaces, BIPOC-led vending pilots, and culturally specific events that reflect the full spectrum of Seattle’s identity. As Shigaki noted, "Public space should reflect the people it serves".

The Waterfront Park is designed to be accessible and easy to reach, integrating ferry terminals, bike and pedestrian paths, a free waterfront shuttle, and public transit access, all with ADA-friendly design. It reconnects Seattleites and visitors alike to the shoreline with ease, comfort, and sustainability.

This grand opening marks not just the completion of a decades-long transformation but also the launch of a new era of public life on the waterfront, promising daily joy, rest, and connection for all.

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