Seattle families, mark your calendars! On Saturday, September 6, 2025, the city will throw a once-in-a-generation party, celebrating the grand opening of the new 20-acre Waterfront Park. The park, which replaces the old viaduct with sweeping views, green space, and cultural hubs, will officially welcome the public with an all-day, free celebration filled with music, dance, art, and kid-friendly activities.
“This Grand Opening Celebration is both a milestone and a beginning — a reflection of our shared vision for a waterfront that truly belongs to everyone,” says Joy Shigaki, President and CEO of Friends of Waterfront Park.
The new waterfront connects the city to the shoreline with plazas, piers, and sweeping Puget Sound views. (Image courtesy Waterfront Park Seattle)
The Seattle Waterfront reimagined
After nearly two decades of planning and construction, Seattle’s waterfront has been transformed into a community gathering space unlike anything in the city’s history. From Belltown to Pioneer Square, the new park offers lawns, plazas, playgrounds, art, and spaces for families to enjoy together.
Families can test the new Overlook Park slide, perched above the Seattle Aquarium. (Image courtesy Waterfront Park Seattle)
Seattle Waterfront highlights for families
The Grand Opening will feature more than 100 artists and cultural groups across seven stages and ten activity zones, with something for every age. Here are some family favorites to look out for:
- Pier 58 Family Hub: Build glowing jellyfish lanterns with Urban Artworks, join storytelling with Seattle Public Library, and meet mermaids and drag queen readers. Kids can also dance with K-Pop performances or cheer for Seattle’s breakdance legends, the Massive Monkees.
- Jellyfish Lantern Parade (6 p.m.): End the day with a magical, glowing procession along the waterfront. Families can make lanterns earlier in the day and then join in.
- Railroad Way South Wellness Zone: Stretch and move with glow-stick Zumba, try puppy yoga, and spot special appearances from the Mariners and the Kraken.
- Cultural Fun: From lion dances and taiko drumming to face painting, line dancing, and storytelling, kids will have opportunities to engage with traditions from around the world.
Try glow-stick Zumba, yoga on the pier, and more at the Railroad Way South Wellness Zone.(Image courtesy Waterfront Park Seattle)
The event is free and open to everyone, with plenty of family-friendly amenities: ADA-accessible routes, restrooms, shaded seating areas, water stations, food trucks, and even beer gardens for parents.
Organizers have also included an Accessibility Welcome Tour to help families navigate the space easily, whether with strollers, wheelchairs, or little ones in tow.
Enjoy the grand celebration on the waterfront and reacquaint yourself with this new space, guaranteed to be a go-to spot for year-round outings, festivals, and play–right at the water’s edge.
Be sure to check out two new children’s park on the waterfront: Overlook Park and Jellyfish Park on pier 58!
