Seattle Square Press Release

In its entirety:

For Information Contact:
Don Blakeney
don (at) theseattlesquare (dot) com
or Jen Kelly
jen (at) theseattlesquare (dot) com

A New Outdoor Market Launches in Pioneer Square
The SEATTLE SQUARE to feature locally designed apparel, vintage goods, mobile food, and headliner DJ’s

Seattle, WA (June 29, 2010) – Kicking off on Saturday, July 17th, Pioneer Square will feature a new outdoor market from 11am – 5pm every Saturday for the rest of the summer. What once sat empty and overlooked will soon be filled with local designers, mobile food vendors, public art and music.

The Seattle Square will feature a mix of Downtown restaurants like Delicatus, with mobile food vendors including Skillet, Ram & Rooster Dumplings and Parfait Organic Ice Cream--to name a few! The market will also host a wide range of vintage and craft vendors; selling everything from locally designed clothing, to handmade housewares and accessories, to mid-century modern furniture. To top it off, local and national DJ's will be providing a soulful, upbeat soundtrack each afternoon in the park.

The Seattle Square was conceived in response to the recent departure of Elliott Bay Books. "People thought we were crazy to want to try this new market in Pioneer Square once Elliott Bay announced they were leaving, but this is precisely the reason for doing it," said Seattle Square Co-Founder Don Blakeney. "Neighborhoods from West Seattle to Ballard have perfected the farmer's market--but few markets bring together the vintage, craft, and mobile food--and set it to music." Blakeney, a Seattle native, recently returned from New York City where he orchestrated a series of pop-up stores to activate the vacant storefronts in Times Square.

"The Pioneer Square neighborhood is perfect for a market like this," said Jennifer Kelly, Co-Founder of the Seattle Square. "There is a real sense of community here--and a lot of great people who are working hard to make this market a success and to reinvigorate the neighborhood in the process." Kelly moved to Pioneer Square last summer and writes the New Pioneer Square Blog. Both Kelly and Blakeney saw the popularity of outdoor markets and events like the Brooklyn Flea, MoMA's PS1 and Seattle's Mobile Chowdown, and wanted to bring them together to activate Occidental Square.

Local artists will also be transforming Occidental Park throughout the summer as a part of the Artsparks program put together by 4Culture and Seattle Parks and Recreation. Shoppers will be able to walk through a maze of art installations as they enjoy the food, music, and market. Local DJ's will compete in a weekly Battle of the Mega-Mixes--the winner of which will get a headlining slot at a local nightclub later this summer.

"The creative energy behind the Seattle Square is thrilling," said Todd Vogel, owner of the Nord Building. "The organizers have combined Pioneer’s Square’s artsy vibe and Occidental Park’s beauty to create an event for everyone. I can’t wait to go!" Vogel is the Director of the International Sustainability Institute, a group that forges public and private partnerships to promote public space and urban sustainability. He is also hosting a series of World Cup watching parties in Nord Alley across from Occidental Park through the finals in July.

Ideally located on top of every form transportation in the city, Pioneer Square offers a perfect town center atmosphere that is accessible to all. In addition to comprehensive rail and bus access, the Seattle Square has partnered with Diamond Parking and the Merrill Place Garage to provide complementary parking for all Seattle Square shoppers each Saturday.

About the Seattle Square:
The Seattle Square is a new outdoor market that runs every Saturday from July 17th, through September 25th, in Occidental Park between S. Washington and S. Main Streets, just east of 1st Avenue S. For more information about weekly features, music and mobile food lineup, directions, or contact information:

http://www.theseattlesquare.com/