Summer Returns to Downtown Seattle: Concerts, Sports and Westlake Park Reopens

Cue the music, roll out the big screen and prepare for lively, energetic crowds.

Downtown Seattle is gearing up for a summer packed with free concerts, numerous sports watch parties and the anticipated reopening of Westlake Park in late May.

“This summer represents a major moment for downtown,” DSA Director of Public Realm Operations Owen Harrang said. “Westlake Park reopening means reestablishing a central gathering place for people to connect.”

That momentum continues with the 47th annual Downtown Summer Sounds concert series, funded by Metropolitan Improvement District ratepayers. The free concert series will feature 16 performances across downtown locations, kicking off at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9 at the newly-opened Westlake Park.

Following the July 9 DSS opener, concerts will take place every Thursday at 4 p.m. at Westlake Park throughout July, before moving to Occidental Square every Thursday in the same time slot through August. Additional concert venues include Bell Street Park, Harbor Steps and Railroad Way, to name a few. Last year’s DSS run drew more than 16,000 attendees, including 6,000 to the kickoff concert. 

“Downtown Summer Sounds is a cornerstone of the summer experience,” Harrang said. “It brings people together across neighborhoods and creates a shared sense of energy that carries throughout downtown.”

Watch parties and more

Summer of Sports, presented by Nordstrom, will transform Westlake Park into Seattle’s go-to destination for outdoor sports viewing this summer. Visitors can gather for free watch parties for all of the big soccer games, and a secondary screen (65 inches, to be exact) will show Mariners, Storm, Reign, NBA Finals games and more.

Fans can expect a lively atmosphere with a dedicated summertime food and drink kiosk, a Nordstrom VIP viewing area and a consistent lineup of marquee matchups designed to bring the community together.

“This isn’t just about putting games on a screen,” Harrang said. “It’s about creating an experience that is free, open to the public and uniquely downtown Seattle, especially with an influx of international visitors coming. We want Westlake Park to be the place people think of when they want to be part of the action.”

On each of the tournament’s six Seattle match days (see the bulleted list below), Occidental Square will transform into Pitchside at the Square, an all-day gathering space open to all. Visitors can expect music, activities, a beer garden and a custom soccer pitch that invites participation from attendees of all skill levels.

FIFA World Cup games on Seattle matchdays:

• June 15: 3 games at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
• June 19: 3 games at noon, 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
• June 24: 3 games at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
• June 26: 3 games at noon, 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• July 1: knockout games at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• July 6: knockout games at noon and 5 p.m.

Later Westlake Park watch parties for the tournament include quarterfinal games on July 9 (1 p.m.), July 10 (noon) and July 11 (2 p.m. and 6 p.m.), the semifinals on July 14/15 (both at noon) and the final on July 19 (noon).

All of this comes as Seattle prepares to welcome a global audience. Visit Seattle projects as many as 750,000 fans at World Cup matches in the city, generating up to $846 million for the local economy, supporting nearly 20,000 jobs and producing about $96 million in tax revenue.

Together, these events signal a full-scale return of summer in downtown Seattle, with Westlake Park at the center of it all — serving both as a neighborhood gathering place and a front-row seat.

“You’ll be able to come down almost any day and find something happening,” Harrang said. “Downtown will be buzzing, and we’re so excited to host all of these events and activations, not only for visitors, but for our downtown workers and residents.”