Welcome to Best of Redmond! Redmond's twice-weekly newsletter and podcast about all the amazing things happening in Redmond for the next seven days! 📰 RedLink Just Got Bigger Redmond's free RedLink rideshare service just expanded, and that means more people can use it to get around without driving. The new service area reaches the Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village, the Woodbridge neighborhood, and parts of Education Hill up to NE 104th Street, including Hartman Park and the Redmond Pool. The city also started a shared parking program on Education Hill, with limited spaces at Redmond Assembly of God. RedLink is free and connects riders to light rail, businesses and other local stops. Check the app before you go and see if your next trip can skip the car. 🎨 Downtown Redmond Art Walk Downtown Redmond turns into one big art walk Thursday, September 17, from 4 to 7 p.m. The action starts at Downtown Park, then spreads through participating businesses around downtown. There'll be temporary public art, live painting, poetry, and a salsa performance, plus a bunch of local businesses getting in on it. It's free, and you don't need to know anything about art to have a good time. Start at Downtown Park, grab the event map, then wander wherever something catches your eye. Give yourself at least an hour because there's more than one stop worth making. 🎵 Arts in the Park Is Back Saturday Arts in the Park takes over Redmond Downtown Park Saturday, September 19, from 4 to 8 p.m. You'll get live music, local performers, Eastside Made vendors, small businesses, and family-friendly activities all in one spot. It's free, so this is an easy one if you want to get out of the house without turning it into a whole expensive production. Bring the kids, grab something to eat nearby, and wander through the artisan booths while the music's going. The event is at 16101 Redmond Way, right in Downtown Park. Get there early if you want a good spot. 🛍️ Redmond Saturday Market The Redmond Saturday Market is back Saturday, September 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 9900 Willows Road NE. It's the weekly market with local vendors, food and the usual Saturday-morning wandering around, but there's also a donation drive happening this week. The September 19 market is one of four September dates collecting school supplies and cat food for local needs. So you can grab something for breakfast, shop for a few things, and toss some supplies into the donation effort while you're there. Bring a reusable bag, and don't wait until the last hour if you want the full selection. 🐾 Poker Pup Crawl: Football Edition Got a dog who thinks every walk is an event? The Poker Pup Crawl runs Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, around Downtown Redmond, with the big tailgate finale Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. at Flatstick Pub. Dogs and their humans visit participating businesses, collect poker cards, then bring their best hand to the final party for prizes and Seahawks football. Participating stops include Postdoc Brewing, Eastside Dog & Cats Too, Salt & Straw, Brick & Mortar Books and Flatstick. Keep your dog leashed and vaccinated, and check the crawl details before heading out. 👨👩👧👦 Stories We Share: The Courage to Connect Welcoming Week continues Wednesday, September 16, with Stories We Share: The Courage to Connect from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Together Center, 16305 NE 87th Street. The evening is built around local stories and conversations about what connects people and how we make a community feel welcoming. It's not a concert or a kids' activity, so think more conversation and community than entertainment. But if you're curious about the people who make up Redmond, this is a good one. Show up ready to listen, and maybe talk to somebody you don't already know. 🎵 SoulFood Poetry Night SoulFood CoffeeHouse has its monthly poetry night Thursday, September 17, at 6 p.m., and this one lines up with the Downtown Redmond Art Walk. Benjamin Schmitt and Rhea Melina are the featured readers, followed by the open mic. The whole thing is free and takes place at SoulFood CoffeeHouse, 15748 Redmond Way. They've been doing this since 2006, so this isn't some brand-new open mic that may or may not happen. If you've never checked it out, Thursday is an easy night to wander in, hear a few poems, and see what the local writers are up to. 🍷 Syrah, Snacks and a Little Wine Talk SAMĀ Cellars is doing a Taste & Talk called “Que Syrah Syrah” Sunday, September 20, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at 7425 166th Ave NE, Suite C-110. It's a guided Syrah tasting with a certified sommelier, so this is more than just sitting down and drinking whatever somebody pours in front of you. Tickets are $25, with complimentary admission for club members. If you're into wine but don't really know what you're tasting beyond “yep, that's red,” this is probably a useful afternoon. Grab a spot ahead of time because tastings aren't exactly walk-in-and-hope-for-the-best events. 🚲 A Bike Ride With a Policy Lesson There's a bike ride Thursday, September 17, starting at Dote Coffee at Redmond Technology Station and heading toward Quamaria Yemeni Coffee. Riders meet at 5 p.m., with the ride leaving at 5:30, and the focus is on Redmond's bike lanes and infrastructure. So you're getting a ride and a little local transportation nerdiness at the same time. If you've ever wondered why a bike lane was put where it was, or what the city is trying to connect next, this could be a fun way to learn. Bring your bike, helmet and lights, and be ready to roll. 🕰️ Redmond History Minute Okay, it's time for the Redmond History Minute, where we share an interesting piece of history, trivia, or tidbit about life in and around Redmond. Why was Education Hill originally known as Poverty Hill? A) There weren't enough schools B) The area lacked a water supply C) It had poor farmland D) It was outside Redmond's city limits Answer revealed at the bottom of this newsletter. 🔮 Redmond Rumor Mill Okay, here's a fun one. We've been hearing that a craft and maker space could be looking at a spot somewhere around Downtown Redmond. Think sewing machines, pottery, woodworking, classes, and a place where you can start a project without having to turn your garage into a full-blown workshop. We don't know the business, we don't know the location, and we don't know if it's happening at all. That's why it's a rumor. Would you actually use a place like that in Redmond? If you've got a guess or have heard something, head to our Facebook page at facebook.com/BestOfRedmond and drop it in the "Redmond Rumor Mill Guesses" post. 🗳️ Your Picks: Best craft store in Redmond Alright, that's it for this week. Head on over to facebook.com/BestOfRedmond, find the post called "Your Picks," and drop your vote in the comments. We want to know who you think is the best craft store in Redmond. 📻 Don't Miss the Podcast If you enjoyed this newsletter, you're gonna love the companion podcast. Find it at bestofredmond.com. We'll see you in the next one... or maybe before then, walking around Redmond. 🎯 History Minute Answer The answer is B – The area lacked a water supply. Education Hill is one of Redmond's oldest neighborhoods, but it wasn't always called Education Hill. The area was formerly known as Poverty Hill because of the lack of a water supply. It was eventually annexed by Redmond in the 1950s and got the Education Hill name because of the number of schools in the area. Today, it's known for its tree-lined streets and connections to trails like the Powerline Trail.
