Meetings for the week of May 18

Saturday, May 16th 

Safe Parking Program informational open house at Newport Presbyterian Church, 10am-noon, (link)

Monday, May 18th 

Human Services Commission, 6pm (link)

Parks & Community Service department has made $200,000 per year available for proposals for convening organizations in the education and/or human services space to support collective impact work. This was included in the agenda for May 4th, but that meeting was canceled due to lack of quorum. As before, the goal is collective impact, facilitating collaboration and coordination amongst providers, and producing data-driven outcomes. Funding is recommended for Eastside for All, Eastside Pathways, and Hero House, and funds were also requested by Dahlia Living and Leadership Eastside, but these were not selected.Separately, there were over 190 applications for funding (requests exceeded $18M in total). Guidance from Council is to prioritize youth, immigrants and refugees, and food, shelter and financial assistance were previously identified as priorities in 2025. Funding choices will also prioritize returning agencies and fully funding programs over partial funding and new programs. New programs must meet an emerging or critical need to be funded.  

Tuesday, May 19th 

City Council, 6pm (link)

Brenden Fripp is recommended for a full term on the Arts Commission

Oral Communications: There will be 30 minutes for public comment; speaker sign-up starts at noon (link) 

Consent Calendar 

- Claims ($20.7M) and payroll ($19.1M) for April 

- Award Storm Pipe Defect Repair 2025 project to Shoreline Construction Co. for $1.06M plus tax(?, sales tax may not be applicable), work will be on 10 assets at 8 sites, and is funded through the Infrastructure Rehabilitation Program (CIP Plan No. D-64) in the 2025-2030 Utilities CIP budget.  

- Curb Pricing final approval: Establishes the Curb Pricing Zone and a rate range ($1-$8/hr) for paid on-street parking, delegates implementation to the Transportation Director (not all zones will require payment initially, rates will be set to achieve curb occupancy goals), delegates curbside regulations, (e.g., parking zones, loading zones, time-limited zones and shared micromobility parking zones) to the City Manager, adds provisions for payments and penalties, public notices, and establishes conditions for the use of the revenue. In 2026, work will be funded through the Traffic Safety Implementation program (CIP Plan No. PW-R-46), and expenses in 2027 will be covered by revenue, eventually becoming an ongoing source of revenue. Money may be used for parking studies, traffic safety improvements, street activation, investment concepts identified within the Curb Management Plan, and investments that support access and ridership for transit and microtransit services, but only within the Curb Pricing Zone boundary, not in surrounding residential areas. The wording on page 6 of the draft includes "park, stand, or load a vehicle" which may provide optionality to address idling rideshare or autonomous vehicles in the future. 

Public Hearing on the release of a sidewalk and utility easement located at 16035 Northup Way. Utility providers have confirmed that they do not have facilities located here. The pedestrian path will be relocated to the west edge of the parcel as the former LDS church building is redeveloped into 15 single-family homes. The current trail will remain open while the new one is constructed.

Briefing on the Enterprise Initiative, Sound Transit’s response to an estimated $35 billion revenue gap. Council may direct staff to prepare a letter to the Sound Transit Board. Since the last time this was brought before Council, the Sound Transit Board Chair has developed a proposal to lower cost: included in this, the 4 Line project delivery would be extended from 2044 to 2050 and the project cost would be capped at $8.4 billion. In other words, cost savings must be found to reduce the estimated project cost from $9.8 billion to a maximum of $8.4 billion.

     The primary element of the "Bellevue’s Guiding Principles for Sound Transit’s Enterprise Initiative" is subarea equity, since it was promised that East King County should receive transportation benefits roughly equal to the revenue we contribute. Seattle should have paid their share for the Crosslake Connection, and there has been talk that a Downtown Seattle tunnel would serve the Eastside as a "core" part of the system, which could again mean we contribute to those costs. Included in the proposal is a shift of debt service costs to the East King subarea, so that we'd be paying debt service for other subareas' projects.  The proposal also considers changes to ST Express for potential cost savings.

      For a visual of how massive and therefore expensive (and inconvenient for riders) the Seattle tunnel might be, see this post from 2022 - there are some good visuals about halfway down that compare it to Westlake's current volume and show the Escalatorpalooza that could be a hassle for riders even if all the escalators are operating.  https://seattletransitblog.com/2022/03/25/notes-from-a-vancouverite-revisited/

      The way East King is subsidizing West King makes it a bit frustrating that Seattle will have a free Waterfront Shuttle  (granted, this is a FIFA thing) starting soon (going from the Space Needle to International District, mostly along Alaskan Way), while we could have used more money for grade separation in BelRed, more capacity in MetroFlex or BellHop, or continued bus service to the areas of Bellevue where KCMetro made cuts last fall. 

Informational briefing on the partnership with Isan Bellevue to develop a commemoration project in the new park at Main Street and 112th Avenue SE. Isan Bellevue will raise funding (about $3.85M) for design and construction of the project, which will honor Bellevue’s Japanese American heritage. The concept includes a plaza designed as a large-scale inlay map of Bellevue’s historical Japanese American farms, as well as opportunities for a heritage display that may feature artwork and a unique site-specific shelter structure. 

Council will direct staff on the direction Bellevue's Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) program should take. Stakeholders have expressed interest in a catalyst MFTE “Supercharger” program to be paired with HOMA, which would allow developers to double-count mandatory affordable units towards the MFTE requirements without the typical 15% required reduction in Area Median Income (AMI) level served. The Bellevue Chamber specifically recommended a 6-year time-limited catalyst program, and other stakeholders are concerned that renters will not share in the benefits if this is passed. Since the Council asked for an analysis, staff identified that the six year catalyst might result in 255 more 80% AMI units and 179 fewer 65% AMI units, while adding another $12M in shifted* and foregone taxes to the expected $70.5M baseline expected tax impacts. Renters' savings would be reduced by about $368/month per unit (but it is of course, very advantageous for developers). The median homeowner might also pay an extra $7.40 in taxes annually if the catalyst is approved. Staff is recommending a 1500 unit limit on the program if the 6-year catalyst is implemented, to bound the fiscal impact to only about $9.8M of shifted and foregone taxes over ~six buildings. (I support bounding it, because this is only supposed to be a boost to development when the overall economic climate is poor) *The shifted taxes are shifted to property owners across the state because the assessed value of the project is added to the base levy.  

Wednesday, May 20th 

Parks and Community Services Board, 6pm (link) 

Status Updates:  The new neighborhood park in BelRed will be 8 acres, and ~25 people attended the first meeting on May 7 at HCC. An online survey is open until June 7, 2026 to gain additional community input; 30% design has been completed for Ashwood Park and Eastgate Commons; A project to enhance Forest Drive Trailhead has received permits and will bid this Summer; ADA accessibility projects are underway; Feedback from teens was sought at Crossroads Community Center for a planned “teen room” upgrade; Final scoping is nearly complete for repairs and updates at the Bellevue Aquatics Center, with work anticipated to occur in August; A survey to gain community feedback on potential improvements at Enatai Neighborhood Park will be available soon; You can find quarterly updates on the city's Capital Projects Dashboard  

A need for more gathering spaces was identified in both Factoria and Eastgate during the Neighborhood Subarea Plan update outreach (Great Neighborhoods). Specific policy points from the draft subarea plans are provided (such as tree canopy and pedestrian connections), and staff request guidance on whether these provide adequate direction to inform the services and investments that are needed. Staff is still in the process of including community input as well. Planning Commission may have public hearing about these as early as July.  

Staff will present an update on the ongoing public naming process for the park at Main and 112th Ave SE, including a list of potential names for board consideration. The board will have the opportunity to recommend a park name to City Council. The current options are: Main Street Park • Mountain View Park / Cascade View Park / Rainier View Park • Isan Park / Legacy Park / Heritage Park (Isan means “inheritance or legacy” in Japanese) • Bellevue Japanese American Legacy Park • Bellevue Nikkei Park 

Thursday, May 21st 

Environmental Services Commission, 6pm (link)

On March 6, 2026, the Environmental Services Commission voted unanimously to recommend expanding the long-term utility bill assistance program to all households with annual income at or below 50% AMI. The Commission also recommended to adjust the assistance to eligible households from 70 percent to 50 percent of the utility bill. The Commission’s recommendation recognized the need to provide assistance to more customers while also moderating the impact to ratepayers who do not qualify for assistance. The Commission’s recommendation is expected to provide access to the long-term assistance program to 10,000 households. Since residents in multi-family housing already pay lower utility costs than other residents (and the previous calculation did not take this into account), there is a new lower estimate for the cost of the program. The refined cost estimate is $1.9M, down from $2.3M (though that assumes that only 25% of the eligible households participate). There are a couple options for expanding the program that would use the ~$400k, since the previous version would have reduced the discount/rebate to seniors and permanently disabled residents under 50% AMI from 70% to 50% of the bill, increasing the portion they'd need to pay by 66%. There could also be expansions to provide additional income ranges with a 35-40% discount. If approved, changes take effect in 2027. I personally think they should also consider doing better outreach to achieve a greater than 25% participation rate. 

The Commission will also depart at about 6pm on a tour of • Stormwater Park Planning Study at Commissioner’s Waterway (Project Site A, 148th Ave NE and Bel Red Rd.) • Crossroads North and South Reservoir Recoating Project (Project Site B, 16049 NE 8th St) • Somerset 2 Water Pump Station Improvement Project (Project Site C, 13709 Somerset Blvd SE). Members of the public may follow along, but would have to provide their own transportation.

Saturday, May 23rd 

Keep Bellevue Beautiful - West Bellevue, 9am 

Minutes: 

Human Services Commission draft from 3/16 (link)

Parks and Community Services draft from 4/15 (link)

Human Services Commission draft from 4/20 (link)

Council minutes draft for 5/5 (link)

Upcoming meetings:      

5/21 Bid deadline for EASTRAIL TO NE SPRING BOULEVARD TRAIL LINK BID NUMBER: 26012

5/27 Planning Commission: BelRed LUCA: Request to set Public Hearing, Introduction of Downtown Livability 2.0 

5/28 Public Hearing for BASIS Bellevue (K-5 school) permit in Lake Hills for 300 students (across NE 4th from the Grade 6-12 school), virtual, 6pm (link)

6/1 Public Hearing at HSC for the 2027 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan

6/3 Arts Commission meeting

6/4 City of Bellevue's RFP deadline for Performing Arts Center - Market Analysis, Operations Validation, and Fit Study (RFP #26059)

6/4 BSD School Board Meeting

6/9 Council takes action on the TIP update, and will consider Sign Code changes

6/10 Planning Commission: 2026 CPAs: Request to set Public Hearing (Evans Plaza upzone), High Density Residential LUCA: Introduction 

6/11 Transportation Commission: Select chair and vice chair, discuss Factoria and Eastgate transportation policies 

6/24 Planning Commission: Parking Reform LUCA: Request to set Public Hearing, Great Neighborhoods Factoria Update (and Request to set PH)

7/8 Planning Commission: BelRed Public Hearing, Great Neighborhoods Eastgate Update (and Request to set PH)

7/22 Planning Commission: Evans Plaza PH, Transportation Conformance PH, and Parking Reform LUCA PH 

7/30 BSD School Board Meeting, also 8/13 and 8/27 

Opportunities:

There is a Road Safety Assessment survey that asks about safety concerns in specific areas of BelRed and Wilburton. There is a questionnaire and an interactive map that you can put pins on. https://www.engagingbellevue.com/2026-rsa

There is a survey about the new BelRed park's master plan that's open through June 7th. https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/parks/planning-and-development/current-projects/belred-neighborhood-park

Safe Routes to School Survey and Interactive Map is on Engaging Bellevue. The city would like to hear from parents, students, teachers, administrators, bus drivers and neighbors about their experience walking, biking, rolling and driving near schools. Please complete this four-question survey and tell us about things you like, as well as things you see that could improve safety near your neighborhood school. Your feedback will be incorporated into the Safe Routes to School Action Plan.

Engaging Bellevue has a map for residents to pin the kinds of community features they'd like to see in different parts of BelRed, as part of the BelRed Look Forward LUCA.   https://www.engagingbellevue.com/belred-luca There are 21 responses so far, about community and art space, festival streets, bike connections, streams, traffic and parking, and small businesses.

Volunteer opportunities:

Volunteers are needed as reading partners at Stevenson Elementary, 2:30-3:45pm (readingpartners.org/volunteer)

Other:

Bellevue is seeking two emerging artists for artworks for Lake Hills Community Park and the Lakemont neighborhood. Applications are due May 17th.

Bellevue Essentials, a 10-week civic engagement course, is accepting applications for the 2026 cohort. The program will run from September to November, and participants will be able to meet leaders and learn how the city operates. Info sessions will be held on May 20th, June 18th, and June 29th. https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/community-development/neighborhoods/classes-and-events/bellevue-essentials

There are openings for high-schoolers and adult(s) on Bellevue's Youth Link Board, and you have until May 29th at 5pm to apply.

Jubilee Reach applications are being accepted until May 29th. (link) Do you love your home but is yardwork or an outside project too much to manage due to physical or financial hardship? Potential projects are yard clean-ups, bark/gravel spreading, and fence/gate/shed/deck repair and painting.

Verity Credit Union has $5,000 grants for non-profits and microbusiness, applications due May 31st.

BelRed Arts has a call for an artist to do an installation on the exterior of their building, deadline is June 1st.

A $50,000 award from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund is expanding opportunities for young Bellevue residents to lead development of innovative climate solutions. There will be information on the Engaging Bellevue website and a June 3 program from 7-8pm. Individual grants will be up to $5,000 each.(link)

Bellevue's city Arts Program is seeking experienced public artist(s) for a large scale installation in Factoria, apply by June 7th.

Bellevue is offering grants to arts and cultural organizations for capital projects and facility maintenance, possibly including land/building acquisition. Apply by June 15th.

Sign up to be notified about the application timeline for e-bike rebates this summer. https://bellevuewa.gov/pedal-forward-eastside This is separate from the WA state e-bike rebates that have applications at ebikerebate.wsdot-sites.com, and the Eastside ones have a higher dollar value. Applications will open on June 15th. 

Bellevue is providing marketing resources and permitting guidance to businesses, organizations and individuals planning World Cup-related events. See bellevuewa.gov/world-cup.

Bellevue, Issaquah, and Redmond are helping building owners and managers comply with the Washington Clean Buildings Law - benchmarking, energy management plan, guidance for incentives, etc. See the Eastside Clean Buildings Incentive Program.

Fun and Educational Events this month:

See the latest at https://newbellevue.com/?page_id=82 

5/15 Artventory Intro to Ballet Dance workshop for ages 13+ at SBCC, free, register, 4:30-6pm (link)

5/15 Bellevue Japanese English Language Exchange at Meet Fresh!, 6-8pm (link) - waitlist

5/15 Saha Summer Soiree at Third Culture Coffee, 6:30-9pm - this sold out via whatsapp, but there will be future events

5/15-17 and 5/22-24 All performances of BYT's Cinderella, Enchanted Edition are sold out for this weekend and next weekend.

5/15 Club Caviar at Jocovine, $40/$80

5/15-5/16 Second and final weekend of Theatre 33's Diagnostic réservé by Jean-Pierre Martinez, a dark comedy set in a hospital waiting room, where strangers await life-changing news, French with English subtitles, 8pm (link)

5/15 Massy Ferguson: Amplified Americana at Bake's Place, 8-9:30pm (link)

5/15 Miami Nights at Lucky Strike, 21+

5/16-5/17 Dozer Day in Puyallup, $12, entry 9am-2pm and 9am-1pm (link) - several kid-operator construction activity zones

5/16 Ascend Eucharistic Revival Procession and one-day event at Meydenbauer Center (link)

5/16 Saturday morning walk at Downtown Park,9am (link) - recurs weekly

5/16 Venture Saturday at Bellevue College, $20, 9:30am-8:30pm (link)

5/16 Ecoprint on Paper at BBG, 10am-noon, (link) - class full

5/16 Kickoff Seminar for the Big Hug Youth Impact Lab Opioid Prevention Leadership Program at City Hall, 10am-noon

5/16 Safe Parking Program informational open house at Newport Presbyterian Church, 10am-noon, (link)

5/16-5/17 Chinese Floral Art Exhibition by the Hua Yuan School, free, 10-5pm both days (link)

5/16 Rumba del Barrio salsa and bachata festival at Bravo Dance School, also 5/17 (Eventbrite)

5/16 Photowalk with Kate Hailey at Bellevue Downtown Park, free, 10am (link)

5/16 Samena Swim Club annual Open House, 11am-3pm (link) - $0 initiation fee summer special, and there will be fun giveaways

5/16 Free Lakeshore Kids Event: Garden Wonders Featuring Magic Stix™, 11am-3pm (link) - also on May 30

5/16 Spring R&B High Tea presented by Blend Coffee at Elements Apartments, 11am (Eventbrite)

5/16 Petals and Wings: Garden Stories from India at the new Viya Contemporary gallery space in Avenue, 11am-1:30pm - beginner friendly mixed-media workshop

5/16 Meet me at the Henry (Seattle), 11am (link)

5/16 Registration opens for an Autodesk Fusion: Create a Fidget class at Bellevue Library Makerspace, 5/23 11:30-2pm (link)

5/16 Rainbow Elder Play and Connect (board games) at Crossroads Community Center, free, noon-2pm

5/16 Protecting Our Pollinators class at BBG, $15, 1-2:30pm (link)

5/16 Teen Makerspace at Crossroads Community Center, 1-4pm

5/16 King County community repair event at Woodinville Library, 1:30-4:30pm - volunteer fixers help you keep things out of the landfill.

5/16 Chinese Book Group: The Blind Watch-Maker at Bellevue Library, 2-3:30pm (link)

5/16 Lego Block Party at Newport Way Library, ages 4+, 2-4pm (link)

5/16 Math Club at Bellevue Library: Sudoku for kids K-5, 2-4pm (link) - different activities each week

5/16 Latinas Curated Pop Up Market at Bellden Cafe, 2-5pm - wearable art, desserts, clothing, jewelry and crafts

5/16 Slimy Critters class at Lewis Creek Park, ages 5+, 2:30-3:30pm (link) - class full

5/16 Steve Smith Drum Clinic at West Coast Drum Shop in BelRed, $30, 3pm

5/16 Diversity in Heritage AANHPI event at Eastside Bahai Center, 3-5pm (link)

5/16 Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra Spring Concerts at Bastyr University Chapel in Kenmore, 3-4pm and 7-8:30pm (link) - also 5/17 and 5/18

5/16 Registration opens for an 3D Slicer (Prusa) class at Bellevue Library Makerspace, 5/23 4-5pm (link)

5/16 Champions of Youth Gala to support Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue - volunteers needed for event set up, reception, general event, auction and event break down support.

5/16 Black & Bling Fundraiser by Eastside Friends to support Seattle Children's Hospital and families, 5pm

5/16 Africa Fashion Week Seattle at Vasa Park Resort in Bellevue, 6-10pm (Eventbrite)

5/16 Club Millennial + Blackbook at Forum Social House, 6-10pm (Eventbrite)

5/16 Scott Losse at Forum Social House (comedy), 7pm (Eventbrite) - event not found?

5/16 Taken By the Sky: A Fleetwood Mac Experience at Bake's Place, 6-7:30pm and 8:30-10pm (link)

5/17 Application Deadline for Bellevue's Emerging Artist Program, $75k budget for each project

5/17 Shut Up and Write at Cafe Hagen, 9-10am (link) - recurs weekly

5/17 Intro to Row session at Lake Washington Rowing Club with Outdoor Asian in Seattle, 9-11:30am

5/17 Pilates: The Tempo Edit at Fabletics Bellevue Square, 9:30-11am (Eventbrite)

5/17 Lululemon x Aya Pilates x Crunch & Brunch at Bellevue Square, 10am (Eventbrite) -sold out

5/17 Escape Room Meetup at Mox Boardinghouse, 10am-1pm (link)

5/17 Eastrail Partners bike ride on Kirkland Eastrail, with Chainline Station afterward, 11am-1pm

5/17 Russian Storytime at Bellevue Library, 1-1:30pm (link)

5/17 Storytime for K-2 at BBG, 1-1:30pm

5/17 Board Games and Boba with the Millenial Social Club at Lincoln Square, 1-5pm (link) - recurs weekly

5/17 Sawubona Festival "I See You" at Bellevue College, 2-4pm (link) - a vibrant celebration of African Diaspora cultures.

5/17 Bellevue Knotty Knitters at Lincoln Square, 3-5pm (link)

5/18 Energy Smart Eastside offers a Heat Pump Workshop in Kirkland, 2:30-4pm

5/18 Line Dancing at Crossroads Community Center, free, 18+, 5:30-7:30pm - recurs weekly until 6/15

5/18 Toastmasters Public Speaking meetup at Bellevue City Hall, 6-7:30pm (link) - recurring

5/18 MLSys 2026 Happy Hour by LMSYS and Ai2, a SGLang meetup sponsored by Crusoe and Doubleword, 6-9pm (link) - there will be a talk from 7-7:30pm

5/18 Korean-English Language Exchange at Crossroads, 6:30-8:30pm (link) - recurs weekly

5/18 A Capella Joy Chorus rehearsal at Crossroads, 7-10pm (link) - new members welcome

5/18 Chessbar meetup at Tapster, 7pm - recurs on Mondays

5/19 Tuesday Trails 50+ Hike to Osprey Park, $8, 10am-2pm (link) - meet at NBCC and ride to the trailhead

5/19 Trips and Tours goes to Seattle Asian Art Museum for a guided tour, 55+, $10, 11:30am-3:45pm (link) - meet at NBCC and optional home pickup

5/19 Library lecture on Poets and their Muses in Russian at the Bellevue Library, noon-2pm (link)

5/19 HRMVMT Coffee and Cowork at Cafe Hagen in Kirkland, noon-2pm (link)

5/19 Ladies Musical Club Concert at Crossroads Community Center, free, 18+, 1-2pm

5/19 Navigating the Landscape of Commercial Real Estate at PeopleSpace, 4pm

5/19 Agentic + AI Observability meetup at Databricks, 5-8:30pm (luma) - presentations from Databricks and Anthropic

5/29 Perplexity Happy Hour at MLSys, 6pm (link)

5/19 108 Asian Cookies author Kat Lieu will be at Newport Way Library, 6-7:30pm (link) - Kat will bring spices and sauces to share in a discussion on baking with Asian flavors and ingredients, along with a mini-cookie tasting. Free to register but space is limited.

5/19 Midlakes United soccer match vs FC Olympia, $15/$11, 6:30-9pm (link) - food truck will be El Gran Taco

5/20 Tenderfoot Adventures 55+ Hike at BBG/Kelsey Creek, $15, 9:30-11:30am (link)

5/20 Bellevue Consult and Connect for mental health providers, free, 9-11:30am (link) - recurs on 3rd Wednesdays

5/20 Bellevue Library Book Group discusses Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, 11am-1pm (link)

5/20 Bellevue College Annual Networking and Job Fair, free, 11:30am-2pm (link) - you don't need to be a student to participate

5/20 Senior Housing Protections talk with an ombudsman at Tutta Bella, 11:30am (Eventbrite)

5/20 Bellevue Essentials Info Session, 12-12:30pm (link) - virtual

5/20 Opportunity to meet Christian Louboutin in-person at Nordstrom and have him sign a shoe or handbag, 1-3pm - space is limited and requires purchase of a product in the month of May, contact Nordy King

5/20 Lego Brick Builders activity at Bellevue Library, 1:30-2:30pm (link) - recurs weekly through 7/1

5/20 Community Connect: Utilities Budget and Rates Open House at SBCC, 4-6pm (link) - also 5/27 at City Hall

5/20 After School Story Hour at Newport Way Library with games, crafts, and a read-along for ages 5 and older, 4:30-6pm (link) - event has been canceled.

5/20 Self-Care Soiree on Mercer Island, 5-9pm (link) - longevity and biohacking for women

5/20 King County Advanced  Disaster Skills Training: Be Wildfire Ready, online, 5-5:45pm

5/20 Big Data Bellevue Meetup at Bellevue Library, 6:30-7:30pm (link) - also 6/17

5/20 Databricks @ MLSys Networking Event, 6:30-9pm (link)

5/21 Eastside Audubon and Kenmore Camera Wildlife Photo Walk at Juanita Bay Park in Kirkland, 7:30-9:30am (link)

5/21 Waterfront Shuttle starts service in Seattle, will operate through Labor Day

5/21 Audubon Bird Walk at BBG, 9-10:30am (link)

5/21 Chamber Lunch: Westside Story, Seattle Edition at the W Bellevue, 11:30am-1pm (link)

5/21 Bellevue Farmers Market Opening Day, 3pm

5/21 Registration opens for the Bellevue Library Makerspace Intro to Microcontrollers class on 5/28, 4:30-5:30pm (link)

5/21 Data & Drinks Happy Hour with Komprise, EverPure, and Datec at The Redd Dog, 4:30pm (Eventbrite)

5/21 MLSys '26 Swing Suite Rewind, a Snorkel AI community event, 5-8pm (link)

5/21 Seattle Indies Game Showcase at Niantic, 5:30-9pm (link)

5/21 Seattle Rust Users Group at Bellevue City Hall, 6-8pm (link)

5/21 Bellevue Game Designers' Meetup at Mox Boarding House, 6-9pm (link) - recurs on 3rd Thursdays

5/21 No Dumb Questions community-building tools at Crossroads Community Room, free, 6pm (Eventbrite)

5/22 Lovable Founder Series Women & Allies Edition at Bellevue City Hall, free, 1-4pm (link)

5/22 Artventory Intro to K-Pop Dance workshop for ages 13+ at SBCC, free, register, 4:30-6pm (link)

5/22 State Rep. Janice Zahn campaign event at 5:30pm

5/22 Crossroads Community Room Board Game meetup with Japan Seattle ABC Network, 6-8:30pm (link) - Japanese and English language learners welcome, may go to Applebee's afterward - recurs 6/26

5/22 Midlakes United soccer match vs. Tacoma Stars, $15/$11, 6:30-9pm (link) - food truck will be Thai U Up

5/22 Twilight in the Wetland at Mercer Slough, recommended 5+, 7-8:30pm, must pre-register (link)

5/22 Brunch After Dark (B.A.D.) at Primo's, 7:30pm (Eventbrite)

5/22 Darelle Holden at Bake's Place, 8-9:30pm (link)

5/23 ACTV Studio HIIT Class hosted by Vuori and Shred415 at Bellevue Square, free to register, 8-9am (link)

5/23 Keep Bellevue Beautiful - West Bellevue (link)

5/23 Conservatively (not politically) Speaking Toastmasters Club at St Madeleine, 9-10:30am (link)

5/23 Basics of Successful Vegetable Growing at the Bellevue Demonstration Garden, 10-11:30am (link)

5/23 Kin On Cross-Cultural Community Cafe at Westminster Chapel Church, 10am-noon - bringing together seniors, youth, and families affected by dementia across cultures - also 6/27, 7/25, 8/22, and 9/26, and volunteers to help with greeting guests and serving hot drinks are needed.

5/23 Photowalk at Bellevue Downtown Park with Kate Hailey Photography, free signup, 10am-noon (link)

5/23 CommUnity Jam: Multicultural Arts Festival at Jing Mei Elementary, free, no tickets needed, 11am-4pm - with traditions of harvest festivals, storytelling, Afro-beats, House, Bachata, & Reggaeton, part of Cross-Cultural Center Without Walls

5/23 Queer Creative Connections at Bellevue Library, 2:15-4pm (link) - also 6/27, 7/25, and 8/22

5/23 AI Safety and Awareness workshop on where AI is going at the Kirkland Library, free, 3:45-5:15pm (link)

5/23 Eastside FIRE Goal Sharing and Budgets at Capital One Cafe, 4-6pm (link)

5/23 Bollysteps Dance showcase Nachle 14 at Meydenbauer Center, 5-8pm (link) - there are also shows on 5/24 at 11:30am (link) and 5pm (link)

5/23 Math Club at Bellevue Library: Tangrams and Fractals for kids K-5, 2-4pm (link) - different activities each week

5/23 Pasifika Luau Experience — Live Polynesian Show + Island Buffet, $100, 5-8pm (link)

5/23 Bellevue Fashion Show 2026 at the Bellevue Family YMCA, $25, 5:30-8:30pm (link) - organized by Empire of God and former mayor Lynne Robinson

5/23 Eastside Improv Spring Show at Theatre33, 7-8pm (link)

5/23 The Chicago Transit Experience at Bake's Place, 8-9:30pm (link)

5/23 Gen-Zindagi - 2010s and up pop, house, and high nakhra, 10pm (Eventbrite)

5/24 BelRed Bike Club starts at Marymoor in Redmond and rides through Bellevue, Issaquah, and Sammamish, 30 miles, register on Strava, 9am

5/24 Beyond Yoga free mat Pilates class at Bellevue Square, free, 10am (Eventbrite)

5/24 Artvana Paint & Sip at The Redd Dog, $55, 1pm (link)

5/24 All White Affair at Mirra

5/25 KCLS Libraries will be closed for Memorial Day

5/25 Murph Fitness Challenge community workout at Samena, 8am (link)

5/26 Tuesday Trails 50+ Hike to Redmond Watershed, $8, 10am-2pm (link) - meet at NBCC and ride to the trailhead

5/26 Midlakes United vs. Bigfoot soccer match, 6:30pm - food truck will be Pizzamaniac

5/27 2026 Breakfast for Justice at Meydenbauer Center, 7am, supporting legal aid in King County

5/27 Beyond the Build Habitat for Humanity Annual Luncheon

5/27 Community Connect: Utilities Budget and Rates Open House at City Hall, 11:30-1:30pm (link)

5/27 Mod Pizza fundraiser for Chinook Middle School PTSA with code MODGIVES25

5/27 Newport Way Library Teen Volunteer Council Meeting, grades 9-12, 2-3:30pm (link)

5/27 Town Hall to support funding for WA state education, online, 7-8pm

5/28 @Scale Systems and Reliability Conference - date moved to 6/25

5/28 Eastside Leadership Initiative's Believe event, $25, 5-7pm (link) - highlighting smaller and newer non-profits

5/28 Painting & Prosecco at Kitchen & Market (Yarrow Bay in Kirkland), 5-7pm (Eventbrite)

5/28 Public Hearing for BASIS Bellevue (K-5 school) permit in Lake Hills for 300 students (across NE 4th from the Grade 6-12 school), virtual, 6pm (link)

5/28 Bellevue Women's Book Club reads Alison Elspach's The Wedding People, 6:30pm (meetup)

5/29 Bike Classes at Bellevue Library for Bike Everywhere Month, free, Intro to Bike Commuting at11:15am (link) and Bike Maintenance for Every Commuter at 12:30pm (link) - registration not required

5/29 Deadline to apply for Bellevue's Youth Link Board, with teen openings and possibly an adult opening

5/29 Art Opening at BelRed Art Studio: Visualizing Korean Cinema: “From Screen to Canvas: Reimagining Korean Cinema Through Youth Perspectives”, organized by Studio S Fine Arts, free, 4-8pm (link)

5/29 Artventory Intro to Jazz Funk Dance workshop for ages 13+ at SBCC, free, register, 4:30-6pm (link)

5/29 Bellevue High School Orchestra Night Market fundraiser, 5-9pm - enjoy live music from the orchestra and purchase dinner or treats from local food trucks.

5/29 Bellevue Women's Book Club: The Wedding People by Alison Elspach, 6:30-8pm (link)

5/29 Open Mic Night at Third Culture Coffee, 7-9pm - signups start at 6pm

5/29 Paint and Sip: Mom's Bouquet at Northwest Arts Center, non-alcoholic beverages, 16+, 7-9pm

5/29 From the Ground Up rap concert at Third Culture Coffee, free, 7:30pm (peytspencer.com/rsvp)- by Microsoft engineer Peyt Spencer, also 5/30

5/29 New Moon Aerial performers at Suite, no cover, 8-9pm

5/29 Jake La Botz performs at Spring District Studios, 8pm-midnight (link) - They're Coming For Me deftly ties threads from La Botz's background in Chicago blues, gospel, early rock 'n roll, American folksong traditions, and a dash of country twang into a grooving knot of warm-timbred Americana.

5/29 Umami Jazz Fusion at Bake's Place, 8-9:30pm (link)

5/30 Pollinator Fest at 21 Acres in Woodinville

5/30 King County Fire Chiefs Association Diversity and Recruitment Workshop at Bellevue College, ages 16+, 8am-3:30pm - register by May 25th and receive useful information on navigating the hiring process

5/30 ARC Lifeguard Recertification class at Bellevue Club, 10am-8pm (link) - recurs 5/31, 6/27, and 6/28

5/30 Garden Tool Sharpening at the Bellevue Demonstration Garden, 18+, free, 10-11:30am

5/30 Rock Garden Plant Sale at BBG, 10am-1pm

5/30 Lovable Founder Series: Eastside Edition at GIX in the Spring District, free, 11am-3pm (luma) - event full, but volunteers needed, and there may be opportunities to present - founder showcase, demo, and breakout rooms to build with free credits

5/30 Free Lakeshore Kids Event: Garden Wonders Featuring Magic Stix™, 11am-3pm (link) - create a bookmark

5/30 MAPS Eid Celebration at Downtown Park, 11:30am-7pm (link) - cultural activities, traditional attire, handicrafts, food stalls, and children’s games 

5/30 Workshop: AI Across Generations and Cultures at Jing Mei Elementary, free, 1-5:30pm (link) - families, elders, youth, small businesses all welcome

5/30 Ranger-led Hike at Mercer Slough Nature Park, 2-3:30pm

5/9 Math Club at Bellevue Library: Math Card Games for kids K-5, 2-4pm (link) - different activities each week

5/30 Improvised Character Lab at Theatre 33, $50, 2-4pm (link)

5/30 Nature Journaling for Teens at Newport Way Library, Grades 5-9, 2:30-4:30pm (link) - recurs on last Saturdays of the month

5/30 Screening and artist talk at Bellevue Library, Illuminate: Bright Tongue film by Soo Hong, 3-4:15pm (link)

5/30 Monthly Eastside LGBTQ+ Happy Hour at Duke's Seafood, 3-5pm (link)

5/30 Sounds of Vacation fundraiser at Meydenbauer Center to support Listen and Talk serving deaf and hard-of-hearing children

5/30 Sam Miller comedy at Forum Social House, 7pm (link)

5/30 Bellevue Chamber Chorus concert "Let's Dance" at First United Methodist Church on 108th, 7:30pm (link) - includes professional dancers performing a galliard, hora, Irish dance, Csardas, samba, salsa, merengue, tango, and swing - there will also be a Seattle performance on 5/31

5/30 From the Ground Up rap concert at Third Culture Coffee, free, 7:30pm (peytspencer.com/rsvp)- by Microsoft engineer Peyt Spencer

5/30 Laurel Canyon Legacy: Carole King's Tapestry at Bake's Place, 8-9:30pm (link)

5/31 Mercer Slough Canoeing with Bellevue Park rangers from Enatai Beach Park, ages 5+, 8:45am-noon, must pre-register

5/31 Teddy Bear Tea Party at KidsQuest, 9am-noon

5/31 Bellevue Book Club: Virginia Evans' The Correspondent at Bellevue Library, 11am (link)

5/31 Lost Bird Project Documentary Screening at BBG, $10, 2-3:30pm (link)

6/1-6/2 fwd:cloudsec at Meydenbauer Center (link)

6/1-6/6: Final Birthday Celebration week for Ada's Books in Seattle, which is closing its doors

6/1 Startup425 Coworking

6/2 Tuesday Trails 50+ Hike to Twin Falls, $8, 10am-2pm (link) - meet at NBCC and ride to the trailhead

6/2 First Farmers' Market of the season at Crossroads, noon-6pm (link)

6/2 Glowlight Med Spa's Summer Skin Party has event specials, a flower bar, and the chance to win a year of Botox, 4-7pm

6/3 Innovation and Investment - Seattle Investor Summit + Showcase in Redmond, $450, 8:30am-6:30pm (link)

6/3 Innovation Exchange: Your Ideas Build Our Community event hosted by the City of Bellevue at Meydenbauer Center, 9am-5pm (link)

6/3 Trips and Tours goes on a Historic Sightseer lunch cruise, 55+, $85, 10am-3pm (link) - meet at NBCC and optional home pickup, cruise is on Lake Washington and Lake Union, with taco bar, snickerdoodle cookies, tea and coffee

6/3 Intro to Digitization class at Bellevue Library Makerspace, 11:30am-12:30pm (link)

6/3 PCBs Awareness and Removal workshop at Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, free, noon (Eventbrite)

6/3 Made in Bellevue

6/3 Pride on the Plaza at Bellevue City Hall, 3-6pm (link) - food, live music, and performances

6/3 Catapult Accelerator Showcase hosted by Venture Mechanics at a Seattle location, 3:30-7:15pm (link)

6/3 A $50,000 award from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund is expanding opportunities for young Bellevue residents to lead development of innovative climate solutions. There will be information on the Engaging Bellevue website and a June 3 program will be held online from 7-8pm. Individual grants will be $1,000 - $5,000 each.(link)

6/4-6/5 Innovate QA 2026 at the Westin (link)

6/4 Philanthropy conference AFP Advancement NW at Meydenbauer Center

6/5 Story Time at the Garden for Preschoolers at BBG, 10-10:30am

6/5 Artventory Intro to Bollywood Dancing workshop for ages 13+ at SBCC, free, register, 4:30-6pm (link)

6/5 Bellevue Chamber Annual Gala: Celebrating Bellevue, 4:30-8:30pm (link) - early bird pricing and award nominations close 5/1, late registration starts 5/23

6/5 Hopelink fundraiser Farm Fresh Feast at Columbia Collective in Woodinville, $250 - register by 5/8

6/5 MFA Thesis Exhibition at Henry Art Gallery at UW in Seattle, free, 6pm (link)

6/5 The West Coast Feed: The New Seattle Sound at Bake's Place, 8-9:30pm (link)

6/6 Keep Bellevue Beautiful - West Lake Sammamish Cleanup, 9-11am (link)

6/6 Kids Workshop: Goalie Game at Home Depot, free, 9am (link)

6/6 Fleur Wrapped Bouquet workshop, $125, 9am (link)

6/6 Journaling the Garden at BBG, free, 9-11:30am (link)

6/6 Free AI Agent Workshop: Empowering Professionals, offered by Microsoft and iLink, 9:30am-4pm (Eventbrite)

6/6 The Individual Investor's Edge with Wayne Thorpe at Bellevue College, 9:30am (Eventbrite)

6/6 Spring Fernfest Plant Sale at BBG, 9:30am-4pm

6/6 U-District Boardgames Social meets at Mox in BelRed, 10am-1pm (link) - repeats on first Saturdays

6/6 Paws and Pride Dog Walk around Downtown Park, 10am-2pm - mimosa/beer garden, vendor booths, and a stage packed with activities like RuPaw's Dawg Costume Contest, DJs, and Drag Queen performances

6/6 Global Running Day BelRed Run-iversary: Lululemon, solidcore, and TruFusion, 10am - register on Strava

6/6 Waterwise Gardening free master gardener workshop at the Bellevue Demonstration Garden, 10-11:30am

6/6 Seattle WDAI x Lovable Vibe Coding Session 2 in a five-part series at Sammamish Library , 11:30am-1:30pm (link)

6/6 Community Walking Audit of NE 8th and 116th NE with Bellevue's Transportation Department, free signup, noon-2pm (link) - there will also be one on 7/25 along BelRed Rd., and one on 8/22 on Northrup Way

6/6 Youth Nature Journaling Club at BBG, free, noon-1pm, ages 6-11 must be accompanied by an adult

6/6 BelArts Ballet presents Alice in Wonderland in Kirkland, 3pm (Eventbrite)

6/6 Cascada Flamenca Music and Dance Show by Flamenco Haven, 7pm (Eventbrite)

6/6 Cascade PBS Ideas Festival in Fremont Seattle, $55-120

6/6 Bellevue Healthcare Professionals Meetup at the W Living Room Bar, 7-10pm (link) - recurs on 7/4 and 7/25 (last Saturday of the month thereafter)

6/6 DoctorFunk: A Prescription for Soul at Bake's Place, 8-9:30pm (link)

6/7 Big Backyard 5K and 10K at Marymoor Park in Redmond to raise money for King County Parks, 9am (link)

6/7 Name those Plants, Flowers, and Mushrooms at Hazel Wolf Wetlands Preserve in Sammamish, 10:30am (Eventbrite) - part of the Forterra Nature Discovery Series

6/7 Fish Pond art gathering at BBG, free, 11-12:30pm (link) - no registration required, the 100 unglazed fish will be available first come, first served.

6/7 Shades of Brilliance Art Walk in Downtown Park, noon-6pm (link) - a celebration of BIPOC artistry, culture, and community

6/7 Crochet Coffee, and Chat at Woods Coffee/Hotel 116, 1-3pm (link) - wait-list

6/7 Great Neighborhoods Eastgate and Factoria: draft policy open House, 4:30pm

6/8-6/13 Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra auditions, 5-9pm (link)

6/8 Winemaker Dinner at Bis on Main, includes six wine pairings, 6pm, call to reserve