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)
• S Ferdinand St in Columbia City (between Rainier Ave S and 39th Ave S)

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.