Past Events
Events
Walking Tour – Woodland Park and Rose Garden with SPR
Woodland Park 1000 N 50th Street, SeattleBy the time the Olmsteds arrived in 1903 to plan Seattle’s park and boulevard system, Woodland Park was the city’s largest public park. Purchased from the widow of Guy Phinney in 1899 for $100,000, it was six miles outside Seattle's city limits. In 1908 the Olmsted Brothers firm was hired to create a design for […]
Free2026 Annual Conference— The Power of Connection: Shaping Resilient Public Landscapes
Portland, ORThe Olmsted Network’s 2026 Annual Conference—The Power of Connection: Shaping Resilient Public Landscapes—will convene park leaders, designers, advocates, funders, policymakers, and practitioners from across the country to explore how connection shapes resilient public landscapes.
Set against the backdrop of Portland’s renowned park system and enduring Olmsted legacy, this year’s conference examines the relationships that sustain public spaces—linking people to parks, history to innovation, and vision to stewardship.
$350Walking Tour – Schmitz Preserve Park with SPR
Schmitz Preserve Park Meet near the intersection of 58th Ave SW and SW Stevens St, Seattle, WA, United StatesThe 53-acre Schmitz Preserve Park was donated to the City of Seattle in pieces between 1908 and 1912. The most generous portion came from a German immigrant/banker/realtor named Ferdinand Schmitz, who served on the park commission during those years. He and his wife Emma donated the land to be used perpetually for park purposes in […]
FreeBus & Walking Tour: Olmsted Legacy with Seattle Parks
MultipleTravel along Olmsted-designed boulevards to three historic parks (Seward Park, Washington Park Arboretum, and Volunteer Park). Guides from Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks will introduce and lead you on short walks through some of Seattle’s most beautiful outdoor spaces. Walks will be on a variety of surfaces, including lawn and gravel paths. Walking distance will be less than 1 mile total.
$140Bus Tour: Historic Olmsted Parks of West Seattle with Academy for Lifelong Learning Resources
MultipleDue to the tremendous response of our Seattle Olmsted Park excursion last year, this June we continue our visit to Olmsted-designed parks on Seattle’s west side.
$150Walking Tour of Interlaken Park & Boulevard
Interlaken Park 2451 Delmar Dr E, Seattle, WA, United StatesSign up here This walk will take you down a wooded trail through Interlaken Park to Interlaken Blvd. The route then travels east along the boulevard to 24th Ave., then backtracks to follow the boulevard in the other direction. John Charles Olmsted laid out Interlaken Boulevard along an early bicycle path heading westward from Lake […]
FreeWalking Tour of Washington Park Arboretum with UWBG
Washington Park Arboretum 2300 Arboretum Drive East, SeattleThe city first acquired Washington Park from the Puget Mill Company in 1900. By 1904, the city hired the Olmsted Brothers firm to prepare drawings for a roadway alignment through the park. Plans for how a “pleasure drive” would connect Lake Washington Boulevard to the university campus through Washington Park evolved quickly over the next […]
$30
Walking Tour of Discovery Park
FeaturedDiscovery Park WA, United StatesOfficer's Barracks, 1907 (Asahel Curtis). Courtesy UW Special Collections Learn about John Charles Olmsted's original impressions and vision for Fort Lawton, renamed Discovery Park in the 1970's. Olmsted envisioned this park as the north anchor of Seattle's inter-connected system of parks and boulevards, extending throughout the city from Seward Park in the southeast. The tour […]
FreeWalking Tour of Kinnear Park and SW Queen Anne
Kinnear Park 899 W Olympic Pl, Seattle, WA, United StatesJoin us on a free walking tour of Kinnear Park and SW Queen Anne! This 1.5 mile loop tour will focus on the Olmsted-related history of the south Queen Anne neighborhood and Kinnear Park, Seattle’s second oldest park. Learn more and register for free at the Eventbrite link below.
FreeWalking Tour of Cal Anderson Park
Cal Anderson Park 1635 11th Ave, SeattleJoin us on a free walking tour of Cal Anderson Park. The city’s "newest oldest" Olmsted-designed park is the hub of the Capitol Hill neighborhood. It sensitively combines historic preservation and new design in the Olmsted tradition. The spacious design accommodates a wide variety of uses and users. Even while it creates areas for new […]
Free
Walking Tour of Lakeview, Viretta, and Denny Blaine Parks
Lakeview Park Lake Washington Blvd, East Harrison Street, and 37th Avenue East, Seattle, WA, United StatesJoin us on a free walking tour of three Seattle parks. This tour is of a lesser known segment of the system, but a pivotal one. Two of the three parks exemplify public/private conflicts over use and “ownership” of park land - a seemingly perpetual tension.
FreeMount Baker Park and Boulevard Walking Tour
Mount Baker Beach SeattleJoin Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Parks for this free walking tour of Mt. Baker Park and Boulevard!
Love Parks Gala
MOHAI 860 Terry Ave N, SeattleJoin the Seattle Parks Foundation at the Museum of History & Industry celebrating 300 community-led projects in 25 years.
$250
University of Washington Campus Walking Tour
University of Washington WA, United StatesJoin UW Botanic Gardens and the Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks on the final walking tour of Seattle’s Olmsted Brothers historic design legacy this summer! Relocated from downtown northward to larger, less-developed acreage in 1895, the University of Washington consisted of just six buildings when the Olmsted Brothers firm prepared a general campus plan in […]
$30
Volunteer Park Walking Tour
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave. E, SeattleJoin UW Botanic Gardens and the Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks on a walking tour of Seattle’s Olmsted Brothers parks and parkways this summer! Volunteer Park is often referred to as the crown jewel of Seattle’s Olmsted park and boulevard system, as its most complete and best-preserved Olmsted-designed landscape. Land purchased in 1876 was originally […]
$30Magnolia Park and Boulevard Walking Tour
Magnolia Park 1461 Magnolia Boulevard West, SeattleCalled out as “Magnolia Bluffs Park” in Olmsted’s 1908 report, Olmsted envisioned this scenic park bordering the “Magnolia Bluffs Parkway” (Magnolia Boulevard), which he first proposed in 1903.
Cultivate & Celebrate – 50 Years of Tilth
Rainer Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands 5513 S Cloverdale St, SeattleYour support at Cultivate & Celebrate goes directly toward championing organic and regenerative farming, promoting community gardening, and expanding access to healthy and nutritious food.
$115 – $135
Schmitz Preserve Park Walking Tour
Schmitz Preserve Park Meet near the intersection of 58th Ave SW and SW Stevens St, Seattle, WA, United States53-acre Schmitz Preserve Park was donated to the City of Seattle in pieces between 1908 and 1912. The most generous portion came from a German immigrant/banker/realtor named Ferdinand Schmitz, who served on the park commission during those years. He and his wife Emma donated the land “to be used perpetually…for park purposes…in order that certain […]
Free
Summer Series at the Amphitheater
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave. E, SeattleJoin us for the third Summer Series at the Amphitheater, featuring an evening with Sara Gazarek (Grammy Award Winner!) and Marina Albero on Thursday, July 25th from 6:00-8:30pm. Food trucks, including Taco Cortes, Carver Kitchen, Where Ya at Matt, Oskar’s Pizza, and Village Perk, will be onsite. Transportation: The Amphitheater in Volunteer Park can be […]
Free
Summer Series at the Amphitheater
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave. E, SeattleJoin us for the second Summer Series at the Amphitheater, featuring an evening with The Paperboys and Smokey Brights on Thursday, July 18th, from 6:00-8:30 pm. Food trucks, including Taco Cortes, Carver Kitchen, Spooky Dogs, Oskar’s Pizza, and Village Perk, will be onsite. Transportation: The Amphitheater in Volunteer Park can be reached by light rail […]
Free
Washington Park Arboretum Walking Tour
Washington Park Arboretum 2300 Arboretum Drive East, SeattleJoin UW Botanic Gardens and the Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks at Washington Park Arboretum for walking tours of Seattle’s Olmsted Brothers parks and parkways this summer! The city first acquired Washington Park from the Puget Mill Company in 1900. By 1904, the city hired the Olmsted Brothers firm to prepare drawings for a roadway […]
$30
Summer Series at the Amphitheater & Picnic in the Park
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave. E, SeattleJoin us for the first Summer Series at the Amphitheater, featuring an evening with Clinton Fearon and the Phinney Ridge Steel Drum Band on Thursday, July 11th, from 6:00-8:30 pm. We will also be hosting our annual Picnic in the Park! Bring a picnic, your blanket, and your friends and family. There will be free […]
FreePop-Up Seattle – Dunn Gardens
E.B. Dunn Gardens 13533 Northshire Road NW, Seattle, United StatesJoin the Olmsted Network for tour and lunch at the historic Dunn Gardens in Seattle, WA. We’ll explore the magnificent grounds together— with history and horticulture experts leading the way— before gathering for a boxed lunch and conversation. Attendees are encouraged to wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes. All are welcome to stay at the […]
$50
Jefferson Park Walking Tour
Jefferson Park 3801 Beacon Ave. South, SeattleJohn Charles Olmsted visited the large tract of city-owned land on Beacon Hill (now Jefferson Park) in 1903 when he toured the city to develop his city-wide system of parks and boulevards. In the 1903 report, Olmsted recommended ways the city could develop the eastern section into ball fields, walkways, and pleasure drives. Originally purchased […]
Free
Holiday in Volunteer Park
FeaturedVolunteer Park 1247 15th Ave. E, SeattleFree holiday event in Volunteer Park on December 7, 2023!
Halloween Pet Parade
FeaturedVolunteer Park 1247 15th Ave. E, SeattleHalloween Pet Parade at Volunteer Park
Art Installation Opening: “UNION” by John Grade
Washington Park Arboretum 2300 Arboretum Drive East, SeattleJoin us on Sunday, September 24th for a FREE public event in the Washington Park Arboretum with a plant sale, food trucks, tours, and new art!
Free
Woodland Park & Woodland Park Zoo Tour
Woodland Park 1000 N 50th Street, SeattleWhen the Olmsted's arrived in 1903 to plan Seattle's park and boulevard system, Woodland Park was the city’s largest public park. Purchased from the widow of Guy Phinney in 1899 for $100,000, it was six miles outside Seattle's city limits. The Phinney estate consisted of a large house where the Woodland Park Zoo’s south parking […]
Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks Annual Meeting
Washington Park Arboretum 2300 Arboretum Drive East, SeattleJoin the Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Park board for their annual meeting. Timeline: 5:15 - Arrival and networking 5:45 - Welcome remarks, introductions, reports and updates; followed by Board and officer elections 7 - Departure Please register in advance via Eventbrite. Limited parking available. About our board: The Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Parks (FSOP) board […]
FreeUW Botanic Gardens: Jefferson Park Walking Tour
Jefferson Park 3801 Beacon Ave. South, SeattleJ.C. Olmsted visited the large tract of city-owned land on Beacon Hill (now Jefferson Park) in 1903 when he toured the city to develop his city-wide system of parks and boulevards. In the 1903 report, Olmsted recommended ways the city could develop the eastern section into ball fields, walkways, and pleasure drives. Originally purchased by […]
$30
Hiawatha Park & Playfield Tour
Hiawatha Playfield 2700 California Avenue SW, SeattleDeclared a City of Seattle landmark in 1984, Hiawatha Park and Playfield was designed by the Olmsted Brothers Firm in 1910. It began a ’new era in public recreation in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest’. At the time, it was the largest public playfield in Seattle. It included a playground, athletic field, tennis and basketball […]
UW Botanic Gardens: Washington Park Arboretum Walking Tour
Washington Park Arboretum 2300 Arboretum Drive East, SeattleThe city first acquired Washington Park from the Puget Mill Company in 1900. By 1904, the city hired the Olmsted Brothers firm to prepare drawings for a roadway alignment through the park. Plans for how a “pleasure drive” would connect Lake Washington Boulevard to the university campus through Washington Park evolved quickly over the next […]
$30
Leschi & Frink Park Tour
Frink Park 398 Lake Washington Boulevard South, SeattleLeschi and Frink Parks were privately-owned parks open to the public when John Charles Olmsted arrived in 1903 to design Seattle's Park and Boulevard system. Olmsted referred to these steeply-sloped parks as the “Rainier Heights Landslide Section" and recommended that the entire area become part of Seattle's park system to prevent major loss from future […]
Summer Series at the Amphitheater 2023
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave. E, SeattleFree Summer Concerts at the Volunteer Park Amphitheater from July 13th to August 17th! Over the summer, Volunteer Park Trust is presenting the Summer Series at the Amphitheater, hosting six free shows and performances on Thursday evenings, July 13 to August 17, from 6:00-8:30 pm. Come celebrate with us all summer long! Bring a picnic, […]
UW Botanic Gardens: University of Washington Campus Walking Tour
University of Washington WA, United StatesRelocated from downtown northward to larger, less-developed acreage in 1895, the University of Washington consisted of just six buildings when the Olmsted Brothers firm prepared a general campus plan in 1903. John Charles Olmsted returned in 1906 to design the grounds for the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (AYPE), which attracted over three million people to Seattle […]
$30
Farm Stand at Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands
Rainer Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands 5513 S Cloverdale St, SeattleBuy local right in Rainier Beach, every Thursday, June 15 - Sep. 28; 2-6 p.m. The Farm Stand offers an abundance of fresh vegetables, herbs, fruit, flowers, eggs, honey, and other agricultural products. Available products include produce and flowers grown right at our farm and additional items sourced from small, local farms and food producers. […]
UW Botanic Gardens: Seward Park Walking Tour
Seward Park 5900 Lake Washington Blvd. South, SeattleOriginally called Bailey Peninsula, Seward Park boasts some of Seattle’s oldest-growth native forest thanks to John Charles Olmsted, who helped save it from development by encouraging the city to include its purchase in the park and boulevard system he designed in 1903. Bailey Peninsula was far outside the City limits when Olmsted proposed including it […]
$30
Delridge “Dell” Tour
Delridge Neighborhood 26th Avenue SW & SW Yancy Street, SeattleThe Olmsted Brothers' 1903 report did not include West Seattle because it was still outside Seattle's city limits. But when the neighborhood was annexed in 1907, Olmsted was hired back to add to his original park and boulevard plan. He recommended connecting boulevards between the City's east side and West Seattle. In addition to the […]
FreeAids Memorial Pathway Tour
Cal Anderson Park 1635 11th Ave, SeattleThe Capitol Hill Historical Society is is excited to announce this opportunity to walk Capitol Hill's AIDS Memorial Pathway with former City Council member Tom Rasmussen.
$20Spring Restoration Day at Volunteer Park
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave. E, SeattleClearing out the invasives at the May cleanup. Courtesy Volunteer Park Trust Come garden with us at Volunteer Park Trust’s Spring Restoration Day on Saturday, April 29. This annual clean-up event is a major community effort to make Volunteer Park more beautiful for everyone. A great activity for kids and families, come join friends and […]
FreeMagnolia Boulevard Madrone Walk
Magnolia Boulevard W Glenmont Ln & Magnolia Blvd W, SeattleSeattle’s Olmsted Parks and Boulevards was imagined as a system of beautiful landscapes and boulevards in the late 1800s. Magnolia Boulevard is home to some of the most picturesque views foregrounded by madrone with an expansive Puget Sound backdrop. In late November, Seattle Parks and Recreation installed a series of planting beds to protect larger […]
FreeWork Party at Cal Anderson Park
Cal Anderson Park 1635 11th Ave, SeattleMeet at NE Entrance Bring gardening equipment (gloves, clippers, rakes, etc.), sun screen and bottled water. We're weeding and mulching the planting beds and edging the walkways. Please RSVP to: susanmnichols@gmail.com
Free
Love in Bloom – Opening Night Party
Washington State Convention Center 705 Pike Street, SeattleA benefit for Washington Park Arboretum February 14, 2023 5 to 9 PM Washington State Convention Center Tickets: Patron $250 ~ Benefactor $500 ~ Table of Ten $2,500 The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival returns to the Convention Center in mid-February, and for the first time since the start of the pandemic, the Arboretum Foundation […]
$250 – $500Walter Willcox: The Man Behind the Walls
The Willcox Wall on Queen Anne is one of its most beloved public landmarks. Its early construction is well documented but the story of its designer, Walter R.B. Willcox, is often shrouded in myth. What inspired him to create this beautiful civic architecture? Architectural historian Marvin Anderson has researched more than 200 letters held by […]
Halloween Pet Parade in Volunteer Park
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave. E, SeattleJoin the Volunteer Park Trust for the return of the Halloween Pet Parade – in the NEW amphitheater! We are excited to see the clever costumes and adorable animals. Enter Your Pet in the Costume Competition! Please register at the event. Entry into the costume competition is free. No registration is needed to join the […]
FreeE.B. Dunn Gardens Tour – Sunday, September 18, 2022
E.B. Dunn Gardens 13533 Northshire Road NW, Seattle, United StatesJoin us for an in-person guided tour of the E. B. Dunn Gardens. About the Dunn Gardens tour: Please park on Northshire Road and walk through the white gates to enter the garden. This tour is appropriate for all ages. These walks are free and open to all, and will happen rain or shine. Please […]
Mount Pleasant Cemetery tour on Queen Anne
Mount Pleasant Cemetery 700 West Raye St., Seattle, WAJoin historian Kim Turner and the Queen Anne Historical Society on this tour through the beautiful grounds of Mount Pleasant Cemetery in north Queen Anne. Kim will point out interesting historical sites of early movers and shakers of our city. We will meet at the south entrance to the cemetery at 700 West Raye Street […]
freeRainier Beach Neighborhood Tour – Saturday, August 20, 2022
Join us as we explore the Rainier Beach neighborhood! About the Rainier Beach tour: Meet at the NE corner of the intersection of Rainier Beach Avenue and South Henderson Street. The distance is approximately 2.5 miles. The tour will last approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The tour is appropriate for all ages. These walks […]
Friends of Seattle Olmsted Parks Walking Tour: Volunteer Park
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave. E, SeattleVolunteer Park is often referred to as the crown jewel of Seattle’s Olmsted park and boulevard system, as its most complete and best-preserved Olmsted-designed landscape. Land purchased in 1876 was originally used as a cemetery, but in their 1903 report to the Seattle Board of Park Commissioners, the Olmsted Brothers proposed extensive improvements to the […]
$25Free Public Art and Tree Tour
Parsons Garden 1191 7th Ave. West, SeattleExplore Parsons Garden and artwork at the Betty Bowen Viewpoint! The free public tour will take approximately one hour as we circle through the park to learn about its history and trees. The background of artists and their work will be disucced at the Berry Viewpoint.
FreeGreen Lake Tour – Saturday, June 18, 2022
Green Lake 7201 East Green Lake Dr N, Seattle, WA, United StatesJoin Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Parks for an in-person guided tour of Green Lake About the Green Lake tour: Meet at the north entry to Green Lake Community Center. The distance around the lake is 2.8 miles. The tour will last approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours. It is appropriate for all ages. These walks […]
Support Seattle’s Olmsted Parks & Boulevards with your GiveBig Donation
OnlineThe Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks (FSOP) is dedicated to preserving Seattle’s unique Olmsted landscape heritage that provides vital open space for everyone. The public’s need for these parks and boulevards this past year illustrates the need for all of us to support Seattle’s open spaces. Your 2021 donation through the GiveBig Campaign will help […]
FSOP to Participate in GiveBIG Washington
Parks and open spaces have always been vital to people's health and well-being and are especially so in this challenging time. The Seattle parks system is now over 100 years old, originally designed by the Olmsted Brothers’ Landscape Architecture firm in 1903. Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks (FSOP) is dedicated to educating people and preserving […]
Call for Submissions – Earth Day
FeaturedCelebrating the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and Appreciation of Seattle’s Parks Do you have a favorite photo, memory, or personal artwork that involves one of our Olmsted parks or boulevards, or any of our city parks? In these days of self-containment, do you find yourself growing introspective about Seattle’s striking surroundings or its […]
Olmsted Book Launch Announced
Seattle Public Library 1000 4th Ave, Seattle, United StatesHistoryLink, Documentary Media and FSOP are proud to announce the upcoming launch of Olmsted in Seattle: Creating a Park System for a Modern City, which tells the story of Seattle's Olmsted Brothers-designed public park system. Join us for a book launch featuring a talk by its author, historian Jennifer Ott, who will discuss how research […]
Olmsted in Seattle Book Talk at CUH
Center for Urban Horticulture 3501 NE 41st St, Seattle, WA, United StatesJoin us for a talk by historian Jennifer Ott about stories she uncovered in her research for Olmsted in Seattle. In the midst of galloping growth at the turn of the 20th century, Seattle's city leaders seized on the confluence of a roaring economy with the City Beautiful movement to hire the Olmsted Brothers landscape […]
Join Us on September 21 for our Walking Tour of the UW Campus & FSOP Annual Meeting
FeaturedUniversity of Washington WA, United StatesView of Rainier Vista, UW Campus, from Drumheller Fountain. This walking tour will be followed by our annual meeting and potluck, which all are welcome to attend. On the tour, learn about the Olmsted Brothers' design of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in 1909 and experience its lasting legacy, the central axial green of Rainier Vista. […]
Landmarks Preservation Board to consider nomination of University of Washington Mechanical Engineering Building and former Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (AYPE) Foundry / MEB Annex for landmark status
Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board will consider the nomination of the University of Washington Mechanical Engineering Building and the former Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (AYPE) Foundry / MEB Annex (3900-3902 East Stevens Way NE) on Wednesday, August 21 at 3:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in Seattle City Hall (600 4th Avenue, Floor L2) in the Boards & Commissions […]
Schmitz Preserve Park Walking Tour
Schmitz Preserve Park Meet near the intersection of 58th Ave SW and SW Stevens St, Seattle, WA, United StatesBridge across stream in Schmitz Preserve Park, 1910. Courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives, 30259. We will meet at the park sign near the intersection of 58th Ave. SW and SW Stevens St., close to Alki Elementary School. We’ll take a look at the park as a component of the Olmsted system of parks and boulevard, […]
Denny-Blaine, Lakeview, & Viretta Parks Walking Tour
Denny-Blaine Park 200 Lake Washington Blvd E, Seattle, WA, United StatesLearn about Olmsted's vision for Lake Washington Boulevard as it climbed the slope toward Washington Park, and view some early neighborhood parks established in 1901 with the platting of a new subdivision. We will also visit the Bush School's oldest building and a couple of estates designed by Olmsted. The tour will begin and end […]
May 18th Walking Tour — SW Queen Anne Hill
Kinnear Park 899 W Olympic Pl, Seattle, WA, United StatesMembers of the Queen Anne Historical Society will be joining us and talking about early development and historical properties that we'll encounter on this walk.
MOHAI History Café: Volunteer Park from Cemetery to City Landmark
Join Jennifer Ott as she uncovers how Volunteer Park’s designers, caretakers, and users have shaped its ever-evolving landscape. Wednesday, May 15, 2019 6:30 – 8:30 pm For more information, please see the posting on MOHAI's website https://mohai.org/event/history-cafe-volunteer-park-from-cemetery-to-city-landmark/
