⚽ Planning Seattle’s summer of soccer ⚽

A huge thank you to our Special Events team for their hard work! The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup took years of planning and preparation. Our staff members alongside the Special Events Committee were behind the scenes planning countless watch parties, parades, and community events for all to celebrate.

 “There’s so much happening around Seattle all summer, in every neighborhood of our city – annual events bringing our communities together, World Cup activations generating incredible energy and encouraging people to see familiar spaces in a new light, and filming capturing our city looking stunning. Behind it all is planning and intention, with a dedicated team working behind the scenes. I’m incredibly proud of the work of our Special Events and Film Permitting team, who exemplify a spirit of public service and problem-solving, and all they do to make Seattle a place people want to be." –  Alicia Teel, deputy director.

Read the behind the scenes blog post to learn more about our team’s efforts.

The excitement of the tournament continues a little longer with scheduled Fan Celebrations at Seattle Center, Waterfront Park, Pacific Place, Victory Hall, the Chinatown-International District, and more! Other events to check out as we close out the celebrations:

• Quarterfinal Watch Party at Hing Hay Park on July 10, 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. This free event will feature live performances.

• 2026 Games in U District for the final matches on July 18 and 19.

• Final Match Watch Party at C-ID on July 19 from 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Watch the championship match on the big screen at Theatre Off Jackson with film screening of "Bend It Like Beckham" following the match.
• Check out the full list of permitted events on our Special Events Public Calendar.

Beto Yarce confirmed as OED’s director!

We’re excited to share Beto Yarce was officially sworn in as our director on June 12. Beto brings decades of experience as a business executive, entrepreneur, and nonprofit leader. We’re excited to continue our work to create an equitable economy under his leadership!

“The City of Seattle is at an important moment – a chance to reset and build a future where we continue making progress as a region toward an equitable economy that works for everyone. None of this happens alone. I am a collaborator and a connector, and my goal is to bring us together to build a stronger, more prosperous region for all,” said Beto.

▶️ Get to know Beto as he shares his ideal Seattle day and answers burning questions, like whether he’s team umbrella or raincoat. Watch now!

😊 Beto’s corner: spending time in community

Our office participated in the REVIVAL Juneteenth Pop‑Up Market at Midtown Plaza, a vibrant community celebration hosted in partnership with local organizations. The event showcased more than 20 local vendors and drew a crowd of over 400 attendees, creating a lively marketplace honoring Black culture, entrepreneurship, and community connection. Beto shared remarks highlighting our office’s investments in this community and shared a recap of his time in a LinkedIn post.

Beto chatted with Parlour owner Brendan Casey, who received a seasonal outdoor dining permit through our partnership with SDOT. Brendan noted they’re already seeing a difference in customers utilizing the space at their Pioneer Square location. Watch the video here.

Apply for a free seasonal outdoor dining permit. The first 100 permits submitted by business and issued by SDOT will be covered by us! Learn more about how to participate in this program in this blog post.

City and State opportunities and resources

Apply for the Back to Business Program

The Back to Business Program helps reimburse the costs of fixing repairs or purchasing approved security equipment. To meet the needs of businesses, we expanded the program to increase the grant amounts business owners can receive. 

• The Storefront Repair Fund now offers grants of up to $5,000 per incident, up to three incidents per year, to reimburse business owners for the cost of fixing damages from vandalism or other property damage.
• The Storefront Security Fund is now a one-time grant of up to $10,000 to reimburse the costs of improving security measures to prevent future storefront damage.

If you previously applied for either grant at the lower threshold with expense documentation above the previous grant amounts, our Back to Business team will reach out to you by Thursday, September 10, 2026.

📅 Applications are open through December 2026, or until funds run out.

💻 Learn more and apply for an updated grant on our website.

Small business resources at OED

• Applications for our Accounting and Business Consulting Program are open. Review the list of services available and apply on our website.
• Here’s a full list of our programs helping small businesses with the tools and support needed to thrive: Helping Seattle’s small businesses grow blog.