Renton has big plans for downtown’s Legacy Square

Published 7:30 am Saturday, January 24, 2026

The city of Renton is preparing to open Legacy Square downtown ahead of the World Cup watch parties and many other events this summer.

Renton Economic Development Director Amanda Free presented an update on the Legacy Square activation plans at the Jan. 12 committee of the whole meeting.

“We envisioned Legacy Square as an arts and culture hub for Renton,” Free said. “As this is new, it’s kind of an experimental year for us to see what is possible and kind of stretch our city experiences and staff.”

To help with the activation, the city hired The Workshop as consultants in Sept. 2025 to maximize what the city has built in the space. This and all the other costs this summer are covered by $660,000 from LTAC (lodging tax fund) and Port of Seattle grants.

The main use of the space this summer will be the FIFA World Cup watch parties, held during matches from June 11 through July 19. The proposed layout for watch parties will include a large screen specialized for daytime viewing and an interactive fan zone with food trucks, a “beverage garden” and a referee host.

“The concept behind the referee host is kind of to provide the emcee to keep the show moving, but also (the consultant) is proposing to their staff to wear referee shirts to kind of stand out in the crowd so you know who is in charge and a place to go if you need help,” Free said.

The plan is for the fan zone to open two hours before matches to sell food and beverages and to begin “soccer-themed activities.” The city is proposing 15 watch parties this summer. The parties will coincide with matches on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with “favorable” start times.

“The goal with the match day is really to make the most of the day and have themed events if possible with the teams playing,” Free said. “The goal is really to have a focused and unique experience for those that attend that you can’t get at a restaurant or at your home.”

Prior to the start of the World Cup, Legacy Square will host an opening celebration event on June 6. The event will include a ribbon-cutting, interactive games for kids and adults and an evening of live music performances. The Seattle Sounders will also be at the event.

After the World Cup events, Legacy Square will host Friday Movie Nights from July 31 to Sept. 4. These events will include a host to entertain the crowd before the movie with trivia games for prizes and giveaways.

Saturdays from Aug. 1 to Sept. 5, the square will host a concert series with a variety of bands and genres with a regional draw.

The futsal court, which will have games at the World Cup parties, may be used as extra seating space for other events like the movie nights and concerts. Gina Estep, community economic development administrator, said they are still trying to decide how to best use that space.

“I think right now part of it is trying to figure out that flow because at some point, especially on concert nights, that might be something that parents actually enjoy, that that space is open for some play,” Estep said.

The city is also planning a new event to take place at the square after the Renton River Days called River Nights for after-hours experiences. The events would utilize the square after the World Cup and before the movie nights.

The square would also be utilized by the Tuesday Farmers Market by using the stage for their musical guests.

“I see this is a good chance for those to get their goods, listen to the music, and also have a place to sit with their food that they’ve picked up at the food trucks and other events there,” Free said.

The city is also looking to hold a harvest festival at the square, around late September, to close out the summer. The vision would be an Oktoberfest theme with multiple local microbreweries expressing interest in the event. The proposed event would also have roving performers and markets for local artists and vendors.

The calendar for approved events is expected to be finalized by Jan. 30, with all the talents for the various events selected by the end of March.

Outside of city sponsored events, local community groups and organizations have also shown interest in using the space.

“We had 47 submittals, but within those submittals there were multiple events within some of the submittals,” Estep said. “So we have everything from standalone events to dance showcases. There is live theater, fitness challenges, 5K run, soccer tournaments and night markets. So, there’s a lot of variety in what the community is interested in using the space for.”

The city will continue engaging with community partners to fill out the schedule and plan for events in October and beyond. The city will also be hosting events for businesses to learn to optimize the economic impact the square will bring to the community.