GNDT Feb. 20 – 25

City of Seattle, Washington sent this bulletin at 02/25/2025 03:30 PM PST

Hi all,

Sending another Good News Downtown, a communication to showcase uplifting, interesting, positive stories about activities and people Downtown.

If you have news or events to share or if you want to talk about the work being done to revitalize Downtown, send me an email.

Credit: Seattle Refined

Local businesses in the Chinatown-International District see boost from Lunar New Year celebration

"For local businesses like us, because we're not a big chain, we don't have that all going on, so for us, the boost in business will help us a lot,” said Vinson Liu, the manager of Seattle Best Tea, discussing the Chinatown-International District’s recent Lunar New Year celebration which drew thousands Downtown to ring in the Year of the Snake 🐍: Seattle's Lunar New Year bash draws thousands, bringing business boost and hope to CID – King5.

Weekly digest

The Brutalist architecture of Freeway Park.

Credit: Visit Seattle

The recent Northwest Flower and Garden Festival was a wonderful reminder of the many beautiful green spaces in Downtown Seattle. Visit Seattle compiled a list of some of the best parks in the area for you to explore: Downtown Green Spaces to Pair with Your Trip to the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival – Visit Seattle.

Downtown Lime rides continue to 🛴 scoot up 🛴. Daily winter rides are climbing closer to Taylor Swift numbers, making Lime’s Hayden Harvey excited to see what summer brings: “The demand is there. We are seeing on a good Friday in January…nearly 20,000 rides.” Seattle City Makers Podcast, Episode 78: Hayden Harvey.

CEO Bob Davidson standing in the Ocean Pavilion

Credit: Seattle Magazine

“I saw the opportunity, where else in the world should there be a thriving aquarium than Seattle?” Seattle Aquarium CEO Bob Davidson said of his work transforming the Seattle Aquarium and the Waterfront in an interview with Seattle Magazine: Most Influential: Bob Davidson – Seattle Magazine.

“[Friends of Little Saigon] believes that the most sustainable solutions come from within the community,” said FLS’s executive director, Quynh Pham. FLS announced the creation of Phố Đẹp (Beautiful Neighborhood), a new community-based initiative in partnership with the City, to help the 85 immigrant and refugee-owned small businesses in the Little Saigon area as they foster a safer, more vibrant neighborhood: Friends of Little Sài Gòn announce new, community-based initiative – Northwest Asian Weekly.

Looking ahead

Seattle-area museums will be free on Thursday, March 6 for “first Thursdays.” This long running tradition is a great way to experience Seattle's museums, including the Seattle Art Museum in Downtown. 🖼️

Seattle Center is hosting a 🍸 Carnival of Cocktails 🍸 alongside live performers, tastings, learning labs, food trucks, and more all day on Saturday, March 8.

Credit: ACT Theatre

🎭 ACT theatre’s newest show is a hard-hitting romantic drama about two people falling in and out of love with each other through a tumultuous five-year time span. “The Last Five Years” runs through March 16, with a variety of showtimes options.