Your bi-weekly update for city and community news, local events, volunteer opportunities, neighborhood resources, and more!

Greetings everyone,

Happy April and Happy Earth Month! As the weather warms up and flowers bloom, we are reminded of the beauty and fragility of our planet. April is the perfect time to appreciate the natural world around us and to take action to protect it.

Earth Month is a time to celebrate the Earth and raise awareness about the importance of environmental protection. It's a reminder that we all have a role in preserving the planet for future generations. There are many ways to get involved during Earth Month. You can participate in local cleanup efforts, reduce your carbon footprint, plant trees or take time to appreciate the natural world around you. Every action, no matter how small, can make a difference.

As we gear up for Easter and Passover weekend, there are plenty of ways to celebrate and enjoy the holiday with friends and family. Whether attending an Easter egg hunt at local businesses or a cozy brunch at a local restaurant, we hope the holidays bring joy and renewal to your lives.

Keep reading for neighborhood news, community initiatives, and events you don't want to miss. As always, we encourage you to stay involved and engaged with our community.

Sincerely,



-The Ballard Alliance

Celebrate Easter & Passover in Ballard🐣

As Easter approaches, we encourage our community to spend the holiday weekend in Ballard and support our local businesses. From delicious brunch spots to charming gift shops, Ballard has a variety of businesses that could use your support during this time. In doing so, we help them thrive and preserve the vibrant character of our community. Let's show our love for all things local this holiday!

Click here for Easter specials.

Thanks for Attending the Ballard Wine Walk🍷

On behalf of the Ballard Alliance, we would like to express our sincerest gratitude for your presence and support at our spring Wine Walk on March 25th. It was a wonderful evening with great wine, delicious food, and good company. We hope you enjoyed exploring the Ballard neighborhood and tasting the diverse selection of wines from PNW wineries.

Your attendance not only made the event a success but also helped to support the local wineries and small businesses that are so important to our community. We are grateful for your contribution and look forward to welcoming you back for our fall edition. Stay tuned for more information!

The Ballard Community Survey Closes Soon✅

Attention Ballard residents! Have your voice heard and help shape the future of our community! The Ballard Community Survey is live and accepting responses until Thursday, April 20. Your feedback is important to us. Share your thoughts and opinions on community shopping, dining, and service preferences. All responses are confidential and will be reported only in the aggregate. Take the survey now, and enter to win a $100 Visit Ballard Gift Card! Have your say, fill out the survey today!

Join Us for Second Saturday Ballard ArtWalk🎨

Think of Ballard as your personal art gallery thanks to the Ballard ArtWalk, a free, fun way to experience art brought to you by the Ballard Alliance, local artists, and neighborhood businesses.

Hit the streets this Saturday, April 8th, from 6-9 PM and admire an impressive selection of artwork on display in various venues during a self-guided walking tour, with artists on-site to walk you through their creative process for each piece.

Thanks to overwhelming support from the community since the event’s initial launch in 1997, Ballard ArtWalk has continued to grow with increased participation from residents & visitors, local businesses, and artists.

We're grateful for your unwavering support over the years and look forward to continuing to bring free arts programming to the Ballard neighborhood for years to come. Click here to see this month's artist lineup!

Businesses: Reduce Waste & Save Money♻️

This Earth Month, commit to going green by rethinking your waste with the help of the WM outreach team.

Whether you’re a café manager hoping to minimize your garbage to save on cost, a restaurant whose staff needs help sorting properly, or a small retail business looking for sustainability initiatives above and beyond recycling, WM’s education team will work with you to design a plan for sustainable success!

Their WM recycling experts can share customized feedback about your recycling program through free recycling 101 workshops, consultations, service level assessments, and free indoor bins and signage.

Email their team now to arrange a site visit! And sign up for their upcoming virtual recycling center tour!

Open an Early Savers Account With BECU💵

Looking to start saving for your future, now is a great time to open a BECU Early Savings Account. To celebrate Credit Union Youth Month, you’ll get a gift when you open an Early Saver for your kids by 4/30/23 — plus a $10 bonus with any deposit of at least $5 into the Early Saver within the first 30 days. Just visit a BECU location to apply. Use promo code: CUYouthMonth. The offer expires on 4/30 and is good while supplies last.

Learn more now!

Youth Web Design Program for Small Biz💻

Are you a Seattle small business in need of assistance creating a website? The Kay Tita Digital Sales Access Program is partnering with the Seattle Office of Economic Development and the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle to present the 2023 Youth Web Design Program!

Local business owners will receive a comprehensive package to enhance their online presence.

Click here to learn more and apply!

Join Skal for Their 4 Year Anniversary Party🥳

Sound the horns! Skal is turning four! To thank Mug Club Members for their support throughout all of the twists and turns of the last four years, you are invited to join them for one of two ticketed sessions on Friday, 4/7. You can expect live music all evening. They’ll be opening their Aquavit vault with some rare, hard-to-find aquavits. And they’ll be bringing in a handful of limited-release beers and meads for the celebration.

Learn more & purchase tickets!

Ballard NW Senior Center Turns 50 This Year🎂

The Ballard Senior Center is proud to announce that they are turning 50 this year! To celebrate, they've launched a fundraising campaign to raise $50K to cover operational costs. The Center relies on fundraising and donations to keep its doors open and wants to make it another 50 years.

Currently, the Center needs a new elevator, as the one they're using now is on its last legs, and without it, the Center can't provide service to the larger senior community.

As part of their fundrasiing campaign, they're selling t-shirts and tote bags designed by Phil Scroggs with the phrases "Anchored in Ballard for 50 years" and "Put a twinkle in your wrinkle." Don't miss out on the chance to support the center and show off your Ballard pride with these unique items! The t-shirt and tote bag campaign will run until April 26. Order now!

New Rates for On-Street Paid Parking🚙

On-street parking rate adjustments have taken place in most business districts throughout the city in response to an increase in urban economic activity. This regular seasonal update is based on the latest available street parking data collected and analyzed in January.

SDOT’s goal is for one or two open parking spaces to be open on each block. This supports businesses and helps drivers find parking without circling the block multiple times.

A few key highlights include:

• Parking rates are not increasing in about one-third of places and times.
• The largest parking rate increase is $1.00 per hour.
• In general, many rates remain lower than before the pandemic, particularly in and around downtown Seattle.
• For example, in First Hill, rates were $5.00 per hour in early 2020 and now range from $2.00 to $3.50 per hour, depending on the time of day.

View a list of impacted locations and rate increase amounts.

Ballard Improvement Area Clean Team Numbers🧹

Are you outside the Ballard Business Improvement Area (BIA) boundary and interested in joining the Ballard Alliance? We're here to help promote, assist, and grow your business! Do yourself a favor & click the button below to join the Alliance.

Serving the Ballard Community since 1927!

Copyright © 2023 Ballard Alliance, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:

2208 NW Market St, Suite 230

Seattle, WA 98107