Festival Streets
What We Do
Festival Streets are designated portions of streets intended for frequent public events. If you are looking for a street to host a public event, Festival Streets are locations where permitting can be easy and quick.
Designated Festival Streets
Seattle's designated festival streets are:
- Canton Alley in the Chinatown-International District (Between 7th Ave S & 8th Ave S, abutting S King St & S Weller St)
- S Roberto Maestas Festival Street on Beacon Hill (S Lander St between 16th Ave S and 17th Ave S)
- Nord Alley in Pioneer Square (Between 1st Ave S & Occidental Ave S, abutting S Main St and S Jackson St)
- Triangle Festival Street in West Seattle (SW Snoqualmie St between 36th Ave SW & 37th Ave SW)
- E Barbara Bailey Way on Capitol Hill (E Barbara Bailey Way between Broadway E and Nagle Pl)
- 8th Avenue N in South Lake Union (between Harrison Street and Thomas Street)
Ready to Apply?
The following activities are allowed under a free Block Party permit:
- Event occurs between 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM (including setup/cleanup)
- Up to 300 people at a given time
You will need to apply for a Temporary Activation permit instead if:
- You want to have food vending at your event
- Your event is a private event such as a wedding
If your event will have more than 300 people (unenclosed) or more than 99 people (enclosed within a fence), you will need a Special Events Office permit.
Why Festival Streets?
In pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use neighborhoods, Festival Streets can become a unique space used by individuals, community groups, and businesses for frequent gatherings and events. Festival streets must be non-arterial streets so there are fewer impacts to mobility and parking. The following types of streets are considered most appropriate for designation as a Festival Street:
- Streets in pedestrian-oriented neighborhood commercial areas where festival street activity could reinforce commercial and mixed-use activity
- Streets that are direct links to major transit facilities and light rail stations
- Streets at critical locations in redeveloping areas that could serve as a focus for new development
- Streets that provide safe pedestrian and bicycle connections with neighborhood amenities
Want to designate a Festival Street in your neighborhood?
A proposal for a new Festival Street designation can be submitted by community groups, individuals, or organizations. Our Director's Rule requires that a proposed Festival Street have support from the surrounding neighborhood and approval by the SDOT Director.
If you're interested in designating a new Festival Street, view the Director's Rule 1-2019. Want to learn more? Email us at publicspace@seattle.gov.