 In this week’s episode we’re joined by Kirkland Arts Center Executive Director David Lynx and City of Kirkland Special Projects Coordinator Christian Lash to talk all about how Kirkland will transform for the upcoming Umbrella Fringe Festival. Plus, we talk upcoming events for kids, seniors, and the entire family, Kirkland’s updated crime numbers (which have greatly improved!), City opportunities, a survey, and more! Check it out.
The Kirkland City Council met on September 15, 2026. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items on the Business Agenda:
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Council adopted a Kirkland Youth Bill of Rights.
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Council approved a long-term improvement approach for addressing water pressure in the Highlands neighborhood.
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Council held a discussion on options for the NE 85th Street Station Area name.
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Council considered a potential Development Agreement for the MainStreet Property Group LLC Slate Peak Project and directed staff to continue to explore the possibility.
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Council held a public hearing on revenue sources for the 2027-2028 budget.
Prior to the above Business Agenda, the Council held a Study Session, where they discussed:
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2027-2028 Proposed Utility Rates
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2027-2028 Human Services Commission Grant Funding Recommendations
How to watch: Kirkland City Council meetings are streamed live and can be watched after the fact on the City’s:
Meetings are also televised on Comcast Cable Channel 21 and Ziply Cable Channel 31. To watch the Council discussions on the specific agenda items outlined above, visit the City’s website. The full agenda packet with information on each item is located on the City’s website.
The next City Council meeting is on September 29, 2026.
Want to meet Kirkland Councilmembers in an informal setting outside of City Council meetings? Bring your own topic to the next Conversations with Council event.
Not sure where to find what you’re looking for?
Check out Ask Kirkland — the City’s website chatbot. Click on the circular icon in the lower lefthand corner.
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Have a question for the City but aren’t sure where to ask?
Rep’d is an innovative video platform that allows City staff to quickly and easily share short, plain-language answers to community questions. Ask a question today!
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See an issue needing to be addressed?
Whether it’s potholes, graffiti, downed trees, or otherwise, let us know through Our Kirkland!
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 The Houghton Transfer Station will operate on temporary hours on Sunday, September 20, 2026. The temporary hours will be from 8:30 AM to 3 PM. If you have questions, please email recycle@kirklandwa.gov.
As of 4:12 p.m. on September 15, Public Health – Seattle & King County is recommending that people and pets stay out of the water at the swimming areas of Juanita Beach Park for at least one week due to elevated bacteria levels. Signs will be positioned to indicate that the swimming area is closed. The rest of the park remains open.
Additionally, Houghton Beach has been reopened for swimming, wading, and other water activities, by recommendation of Public Health – Seattle & King County. The beach had been closed to swimming since September 9 due to elevated bacteria levels.
Kirkland’s favorite civic celebration is rolling into town! Join us for City Hall for All on Saturday, September 19 from 12 to 4 PM at 123 5th Avenue. The family-friendly gathering makes City Hall feel like a fair for a day and has something for everyone. Join us for live music, a pop-up market, fixer fair, Truck-a-Palooza, and more.
Every year, the event celebrates the work in Kirkland communities to become welcoming places for everyone. Bring family, friends, or neighbors and enjoy the celebration! For more information or to get involved, visit https://www.kirklandwa.gov/CityHallForAll.
Staff wants to hear from you (yes, you!) while exploring changes to regulations that guide where and how we do business in the City of Kirkland. New and updated rules could potentially allow small-scale, neighborhood-serving businesses in residential areas. By making it easier for local entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses, we could see more walkable, connected neighborhoods with better access to everyday goods and services.
Before any decisions are made, members of the Kirkland community are invited to take the Neighborhood Stores and Services Community Survey. Feedback from community members will help shape critical components of the project, like allowed business types, hours of operation, location requirements, and more. If you’d like your voice heard, visit kirklandwa.gov/neighborhoodstores and complete the survey by September 30, 2026.
The Kirkland Health and Wellness Fair is bringing services and resources to our community on Saturday, September 19. The fair will be held at Juanita High School (10601 NE 132nd Street) from 10 AM to 2 PM and is free to attend and open to the public. Free services, including basic health screenings, vaccines, and dental treatments, will be available.
Health screenings include blood pressure checks, blood glucose levels, A1C testing, HIV testing, and more. Walk-ins are welcome. Vaccinations are also available on site for children and youth under age 18; adults who are uninsured are eligible to receive vaccines during the event, by appointment only. Learn more about services, eligibility, and making appointments on the City’s event webpage, Kirkland Health and Wellness Fair.
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Green Kirkland is looking to add to its fun and dedicated team of Stewards! Stewards are ongoing volunteers who share their love of green spaces by leading volunteers in forest restoration projects in their local parks. The Kirkland Parks Department offers support and training. If you’re interested, attend Session 1 of the upcoming New Steward Orientation.
Orientation is free and open to the public, and it is a blend of online and in-person sessions covering topics in urban forestry, habitat restoration, and volunteer management. Visit the New Steward Orientation event page to register for the September 2026 Orientation.
Session 1: Program and Urban Forestry Overview (Online) – Wednesday, September 23, 6-8 PM. Online via Zoom
Session 2: Field Training in Restoration Practices (In-person) - Saturday, September 26, 10 AM-1 PM. Kirkland Area Park
Session 3: Site and Volunteer Management (Online) - Wednesday, September 30, 6-8 PM. Online via Zoom
The 2026 Pee Wee Monster Bash is bringing the ultimate preschool Halloween party to Kirkland on Friday, October 30. Bring your little ones to the North Kirkland Community Center at 12421 103rd Avenue NE from 10 AM to 12 PM for a spooktacular time. The seasonal celebration is designed for children ages 1 through 5 years old, and it will be packed with fun, games, and treats for your (beloved) tiny terrors.
“The Pee Wee Monster Bash is a fun fall event where young children in our community can celebrate Halloween and make memories together,” said Councilmember Amy Falcone. “It’s a tradition that my kids and I have loved sharing over the years. Our Parks and Community Services team does a wonderful job of developing engaging activities that cater to little ones of different ages, abilities, and interests.”
Expect a morning of magical, spooky fun but no scares. Kids can create creepy cool crafts, join the Monster Munch Cookie Stroll, and more. Costumes are encouraged, so your cutest little goblins, witches, and monsters are in for a memorable Halloween bash.
Event highlights include:
- Creepy cool crafts
- Monster Ball Bowling
- Little Vamp Skee Ball (a fang-tastic game!)
- Monster Munch Cookie Stroll
- Prizes, treats, and much more!
Entry costs $18 per child. Spaces are limited, so sign up now. Visit KirklandParks.net or call 425-587-3336 before this Monster Bash vanishes into the mist.
Energy Smart Eastside is kicking off fall with its next heat pump webinar. Learn about how heat pumps can keep your home comfortable year-round while reducing energy use. The free virtual workshop will take place from 7 to 8 PM on Tuesday, September 22 on Microsoft Teams.
Staff will walk you through how heat pumps work; their benefits for comfort, health, and the environment; current rebates and incentives; how to connect with installers; and more. Energy Smart Eastside is part of the Eastside Climate Partnership comprised of the Washington cities of Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, Mercer Island, and Sammamish and offers reliable, local, and unbiased information. Register here for the workshop.
The latest crime numbers are in and there are some encouraging trends in Kirkland.
During the first half of 2026, several major crime categories were down significantly compared with the average for the same period over the previous four years:
- Burglaries are down by 58%.
- Motor vehicle thefts are down by 59%.
- Vehicle prowls are down by 60%.
- Theft of vehicle parts/accessories is down by 70%.
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Robberies are down by 33%.
Although violent crime remains low, aggravated assaults increased 16%. There were no murders reported during the first half of 2026. Historically, Kirkland averages zero to one murder per year.
Want to dig into the numbers? KPD’s upgraded Police Transparency Dashboard lets you explore crime trends, calls for service, arrests, and other police activity across the city.
A career path is not always a straight line. Many of our full-time employees started out in on-call and seasonal roles before transitioning into full-time, benefitted positions here at the City of Kirkland. Non-benefitted, contingent work can be a valuable growth opportunity. Not only do these roles offer flexible schedules and great hourly rates, they also provide the experience needed to become a more competitive candidate for a job with our great City benefits package.
When you join us as a contingent staff member, you will SERVE the community in our shared vision of advancing the City of Kirkland’s values in everyday interactions with co-workers and members of the public. As a valued team member, all contingent staff BELONG in a work environment that prides itself on professionalism and positive achievements. As benefitted job opportunities become available at the City of Kirkland, contingent staff are prepared with solid knowledge of working here and can THRIVE in their career as they are hired and grow in a profession of their choice.
If you would like to learn more about our many contingent and seasonal job opportunities, please visit our jobs page.
Medicare open enrollment starts on October 15. Get ready by attending the Medicare Resource Fair, presented by the Kirkland Senior Council, on Thursday, October 1. Stop by the Peter Kirk Community Center (352 Kirkland Avenue) between 10 AM and 2 PM to get the information you need.
There will be presentations by Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) volunteers throughout the day, offering free, unbiased Medicare assistance. You’ll have a chance to learn about Medicare parts, enrollment, benefits, and plan options. Explore changes during open enrollment and how to get help with costs. Providers will also be on site to answer your questions.
 Looking to get rid of old or broken electronics? Kirkland residents can schedule a free curbside e-waste pickup through Waste Management by calling 425-587-0040. There is no limit to the number of pickups you can schedule.
To learn more, contact recycle@kirklandwa.gov or find Kirkland’s recycling guidelines here.
(1) NE 134th/136th/137th Streets: 2026 Overlay Program
Drivers can expect peak disruptions between 90th Avenue NE and 100th Avenue NE on NE 134th/136th/137th Streets as Kirkland’s contractor is scheduled to be paving Thursday, September 17 and Friday, September 18. Working hours are between 7 AM and 6 PM.
(2) NE 112th Street at 132nd Avenue NE
Drivers can expect the NE 112th Street to be closed near 132nd Avenue NE. Local access will be maintained, but this extended closure is necessary for the sanitary sewer construction project at the Trend Lift Station.
(3) NE 124th Street Intersections with 128th Lane NE and 134th Court NE
Drivers can expect uniformed police officers to control each intersection for one day the week of September 21 as City personnel update signal infrastructure at both locations. 128th Lane NE is expected Tuesday, September 22; 134th Court NE is expected Wednesday, September 23. The intersection signals may be dark or flashing, with periodic stopping of traffic. Allow extra time through these intersections. Work is expected to be done by the afternoon rush hour.
(4) NE 128th Street at 120th Avenue NE (at Evergreen Hospital)
Drivers can expect a change in traffic flow at this location, as westbound travel on NE 128th Street is expected to be reopened at Evergreen Hospital. Eastbound travel remains closed from 120th Avenue NE to 124th Avenue NE (see Phase 2 map). King County Metro has relocated the transit center during this closure. Metro users should follow their signage for bus stop changes. Kirkland’s contractor continues the concrete work for the intersection to the transit center entrance. Additional ramp repairs are beginning around the hospital campus to facilitate the coming street overlay of NE 130th Lane.
City Hall for All
Date: Saturday, September 19
Location: City Hall | 123 5th Ave.
Join Kirkland’s annual celebration at City Hall! City Hall for All is a public, family-friendly event designed to foster civic engagement, cultural inclusion, and dialogue between the City and the community. There will be live music, a pop-up market, fixer fair, Truck-a-Palooza, and more.
Umbrella Fringe Festival
Date: Friday, September 25-Sunday, September 27
Location: Various venues in downtown Kirkland and the Village at Totem Lake
From pop-up performances in unexpected places to interactive experiences that blur the line between audience and performer, Umbrella Fringe will transform Kirkland into a stage like never before. Whether you’re a theater buff, an art lover, or just curious about something different, this festival promises a one-of-a-kind adventure that will surprise, inspire, and leave you wanting more.
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Conversations with Council
Date: Tuesday, September 29
Location: Kitchen & Market Café | 10426 Northup Wy.
Join us for the next Conversations with Council! This casual, drop-in event is part of the City Council’s pilot program to meet community members where they are — creating space for listening, connection, and conversation outside of formal meetings.
It’s B.Y.O.T. (Bring Your Own Topic)™ — no agenda, no presentations. Just stop by to connect with Councilmembers and fellow community members, share ideas, and ask questions. Light refreshments provided.
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Don’t miss City Hall for All on September 19! Take a peek at what to expect.
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