Bellevue is awarding $300,000 to 38 organizations for summer community programming.

The city says it is supporting more events in 2026 than it ever has before, according to the Summer-Fall issue of the "It's Your City" newsletter published Tuesday, June 30.

The Community Programming Fund grants were announced in May. The funding coincides with FIFA World Cup activity in the region (June 11–July 19), though the city has not published a schedule of specific Bellevue-based World Cup events.

Programming includes night markets, cultural performances, dance classes, and family-friendly workshops across Downtown, Crossroads, BelRed, Factoria, and Wilburton.

The city is also making it simpler for residents to organize their own events, offering predefined event packages with traffic control plans, permit guidance, and staffing information. Details are at BellevueWA.gov/cpf.

$10 Million for KidsQuest's New Home

The City Council on May 5 approved $10 million to help KidsQuest Children's Museum move into the former Bellevue Arts Museum building, a 36,000-square-foot structure designed by architect Steven Holl in downtown. KidsQuest serves more than 220,000 children and families per year. The total project cost, covering the building purchase, new exhibits, and an endowment, is estimated at $67 million.

Three New Off-Leash Dog Areas

Dog owners have three new fenced, pop-up off-leash areas:

  • Enatai Neighborhood Park, 10643 SE 25th St.
  • Goldsmith Neighborhood Park, 14475 NE 35th St.
  • Highland–Glendale property, 820 134th Ave. NE (access off 136th Avenue Northeast)

The pop-ups follow a 2023 pilot at Crossroads, Wilburton Hill, Wildwood parks, and City Hall. Those Crossroads, Wilburton Hill, and Wildwood sites are now permanent, joining established off-leash areas at Robinswood and Newport Hills Woodlawn parks.

Beavers vs. Engineers on Southeast 26th Street

When beavers dammed Richards Creek this spring, flooding Southeast 26th Street and Kamber Road, Bellevue Utilities engineers installed two wildlife-friendly devices called "beaver deceivers." One device lowered water levels by about six inches in May, clearing water from the roadway without harming the animals.

Jesse Canedo, Bellevue's chief economic development officer, framed the city's expanded programming as a response to resident demand, saying in the newsletter that residents and small businesses "have asked for smaller, more frequent ways to come together, and this summer we're delivering."

What's Next

Budget public hearings are scheduled for September and October. The city's free Climate Leaders Initiative, eight Wednesday evening sessions beginning in late July, is open for registration at BellevueWA.gov/climate-leaders-initiative. The next "It's Your City" newsletter arrives in November.