August 4–9, 2026
👋 A Note Before We Start
I started putting this together because useful Redmond information has a habit of turning up on one website, and sometimes one day, too late. An event lives on one calendar, a transit change on another page, and a city deadline somewhere else entirely.
That is the idea behind Redmond Beat: one short weekly email with the local updates worth knowing and a small selection of things genuinely worth doing. Not every announcement. Not an endless calendar. Just the useful stuff, with links to the original sources.
For this first issue, there is a surprisingly generous tree giveaway, a bus stop to avoid during the day, and a free concert that may make Wednesday feel a little more like summer.
📍 Three Things to Know
Redmond is giving away 750 trees
If you have room for a tree, or perhaps three, the City of Redmond is taking applications for its second annual tree giveaway through August 17, or until all 750 trees are claimed.
Who can apply: Redmond residents may request up to three trees per household. Eligible schools, nonprofits, faith organizations, HOAs, and small businesses with fewer than 25 employees may request up to 20.
Do this first: The application requires you to call 811 and check for underground utilities at the intended planting location. Renters can participate with written permission from the property owner.
Pickup: Saturday, October 10, at the Redmond municipal campus. Mulch is available at no charge, too.
Tree species are limited and offered first come, first served, so this is one deadline that may arrive before the date on the calendar.
One eastbound bus stop is closed during the day
The eastbound stop at NE 85th Street and 154th Avenue NE is closed from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily through August 13 for construction. The closure affects Sound Transit routes 542 and 545.
Riders can use either:
The temporary northbound stop on 154th Avenue NE, just south of NE 85th Street
The eastbound stop at NE 85th Street and 161st Avenue NE
Construction details can change, so it is worth checking the live alert before heading out rather than discovering the closure from the bus window.
Do not expect the usual Tuesday council schedule this month
If you were expecting a regular City Council meeting tonight, it was moved to Monday, August 3. The city's latest extended calendar also marks the regular meetings on August 11, 18, and 25 as canceled.
That makes August unusually quiet on the council calendar. A special meeting could still be added, so anyone following a specific issue should check the live city calendar rather than assuming there will be a normal Tuesday meeting.
🎵 Worth Doing This Week
Free live music on the Great Lawn
Wednesday, August 5 · 6 p.m. · Great Lawn between City Hall and the Redmond Senior & Community Center
Chicago Transit Experience opens this year's Rockin' on the River series with a nine-piece tribute to the music of Chicago. The concert is free, all ages, and rain or shine. Food trucks will be onsite.
This is probably the easiest spontaneous outing of the week: bring something to sit on, find dinner there, and let the horn section do the rest.
Learn which wild berries are safe to pick
Friday, August 7 · 2:30–4:30 p.m. · Redmond Library
Berry Picking Basics covers the Pacific Northwest berries you are likely to encounter, when to find them, and how to distinguish edible varieties from dangerous lookalikes.
It is practical local knowledge with a much longer shelf life than a typical Friday afternoon activity. Check the listing before leaving for any updated attendance instructions.
Give an imperfect concrete piece a second life
Sunday, August 9 · 2–4 p.m. · Redmond Library
Local maker Pratitee Shah leads a workshop in painting and customizing assorted imperfect or experimental concrete studio pieces.
The slightly unusual material is what earned this one a place here. Check the listing before attending in case KCLS adds registration or capacity details.
📅 Plan Ahead
Big Truck Day
Friday, August 14 · Noon–3 p.m. · Farrel-McWhirter Park
Children can climb around trucks, tractors, construction equipment, and other working vehicles, then take a tractor-pulled wagon ride. The event is split into two 90-minute sessions, and each child must be registered separately.
Good to know: The city recommends pre-registration and warns that there may be horns, sirens, and other loud noises. Babies in arms under age one are free.
CHOMP!
Saturday, August 15 · 10 a.m.–6 p.m. · Marymoor Park
King County's free celebration of local food and sustainable living returns with farmers, food vendors, hands-on activities, and live music. This year's music lineup includes Cat Power and Whitney.
Admission and parking are free, no registration is required, and well-behaved dogs are allowed on leash. There will not be an ATM onsite, so plan accordingly if a vendor does not accept your preferred payment method.
Redmond Wine Walk
Friday, August 21 · 5–8 p.m. · Redmond Town Center
The fifth annual Wine Walk combines tastings from Washington wineries with live music and an evening around Redmond Town Center. A general-admission ticket includes 12 one-ounce tasting tokens and a souvenir glass.
Tickets: $35 in advance, $32 per person for groups of two to four, or $45 on the day if tickets remain. A limited $45 early-access option begins at 4 p.m.
Barks, Bikes & Brews
Friday, August 28 · Starts at 4 p.m. · Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome at Marymoor Park
This free, dog-friendly evening brings together high-speed bicycle racing, local brews, food, and community activities at the velodrome. It is an unusual combination, certainly. It also sounds much more plausible once you remember it is happening at Marymoor.
🚈 One Useful Tip
Marymoor is easier to reach without a car now
The new Marymoor Station Trail connects the 2 Line's Marymoor Village Station directly with the north end of Marymoor Park. Another new connection, the Bear Creek Trail Bridge, links the East Lake Sammamish Trail with the Redmond Central Connector.
For CHOMP! and other busy park events, light rail or a bike may now be simpler than joining the parking shuffle. Just compare the return schedule with the event's end time before committing to the plan.
📬 Before You Go
That is the first Redmond Beat.
If one item saved you time, or if something obvious was missing, reply and let me know. Corrections, event tips, and useful neighborhood information are welcome, too.
And if you know someone who always finds out about Redmond events one day too late, forward this issue to them. They can subscribe here: https://redmondbeat.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Until next week,
Redmond Beat
Event times, prices, availability, and transit alerts can change. Follow the original links before making plans.