Renton gets ready to celebrate downtown Heart Block ahead of World Cup
Published 1:30 pm Friday, May 22, 2026
The city of Renton has scheduled a celebration of the grand debut of the Legacy Square, the revitalized Piazza Park, and the completion of the Renton Market building for June 6.
The three projects are “cornerstone spaces” in downtown Renton’s Heart Block, at the intersection of S. Third Street and Logan Avenue.
“Dating back to the early 1900s, the Heart Block has always been envisioned as a true community gathering place,” Economic Development Manager Jessie Kotarski said.
The celebration event will kick off at 1 p.m. June 6 with the Hazen High School marching band, followed by a welcome from Sounders legend Brad Evans. After speeches and the ribbon cutting, Soundwave, the official Sounders Drumline, will perform while the other attractions like food trucks, photo booths and treasure hunts will open. Games will take place on the new futsal court. There will be live performances by Yambambo, Joyas Mestizas Dance Company and Te Fare O Tomatoe Dance Company.
The city refers to Piazza Park as “the essential outdoor” lobby for the Renton Market. $2.8 million was spent to overhaul the area with new seating, shaded areas and paved paths. The new south-facing canopy of the Renton Market will create a unified space with the Piazza Park festivals, farmers markets and casual daily use.
The Legacy Square is the city’s “newest living room.” It features a futsal court, a children’s play structure, and a 15-foot large-format screen with a stage. The square will feature in the city’s plans to entertain visitors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as it will be used for watch parties throughout the tournament.
The city hired a contractor called The Workshop to help coordinate the opening event and activation of the square this summer.
“Their work is helping create a cohesive, high-energy experience that keeps the day flowing while keeping community presence at the center of everything,” Kotarski said.
Kotarski said the opening day is just the beginning of a summer-long activation for the “flexible, community-driven space.”
“The activation is intended to showcase the square’s full potential, bringing together art, music, sports, food and cultural experiences in one shared space,” Kotarski said. “Throughout the summer, and beyond the World Cup, the space will stay active with a full lineup of programming, including Friday movie nights, Saturday concerts, an Art and Wine Festival in August, and a Harvest Festival in September. Each event is designed to encourage ongoing participation and keep people coming down to the Square to gather, connect, and experience the space in different ways throughout the summer.”
Here are the events currently planned for the Legacy Square this summer:
Soccer watch parties
• Thursday, June 11: Pre-game opens at 10 a.m., match begins at 12 p.m. Mexico vs. South Africa
• Friday, June 12: Pre-game opens at 4 p.m., match begins at 6 p.m. USA vs. Paraguay
• Saturday, June 13: Pre-game opens at 1 p.m., match begins at 3 p.m. Brazil vs. Morocco
• Sunday, June 14: Pre-game opens at 11 a.m., match begins at 1 p.m. Netherlands vs. Japan
• Thursday, June 18: Pre-game opens at 4 p.m., match begins at 6 p.m. Mexico vs. South Korea
• Friday, June 19: Pre-game opens at 10 a.m., match begins at 12 p.m. USA vs. Australia
• Saturday, June 20: Pre-game opens at 11 a.m., match begins at 1 p.m. Germany vs. Cote d’Ivoire
• Sunday, June 21: Pre-game opens at 10 a.m., match begins at 12 p.m. Belgium vs. Iran
• Thursday, June 25: Pre-game opens at 5 p.m., match begins at 7 p.m. USA vs. Türkiye
• Saturday, June 27 : Pre-game opens at 2:30 p.m., match begins at 4:30 p.m. Colombia vs. Portugal
• Sunday, June 28: Pre-game opens at 10 a.m., match begins at 12 p.m. Playoff 2A vs. 2B
• Friday, July 10: Pre-game opens at 10 a.m., match begins at 12 p.m. Quarter Final Game
• Saturday, July 11: Pre-game opens at 12 p.m., match begins at 2 p.m. Quarter Final Game
• Saturday, July 18: Pre-game opens at 12 p.m., match begins at 2 p.m. Third Place Game
• Sunday, July 19: Pre-game opens 10 a.m., match begins at 12 p.m. FINAL River Nights (as part of Renton River Days)
• Friday, July 24, 5 to 9:30 p.m.
• Saturday, July 25, 5 to 9:30 p.m.
Summer concerts at Legacy Square
• Saturday, Aug. 1, 5:30-9 p.m. performance by BeatleConcert
• Saturday, Aug. 8, 5:30-9 p.m. performance by Clinton Fearon
• Saturday, Aug. 15, 5:30-9 p.m. performance by Soul Sacrifice
• Saturday, Aug. 29, 5:30-9 p.m. performance by The Underhills
• Saturday, Sept. 5, 5:30-9 p.m. performance by Golden: A K-Pop Dance Party
Summer movies at Legacy Square
• Friday, Aug. 7, 6-9 p.m. showing of “Lilo & Stitch”
• Friday, Aug. 14, 6-9:30 p.m. showing of “Black Panther”
• Friday, Aug. 21, 6-9 p.m. showing of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”
• Friday, Aug. 28, 6-9 p.m. showing of “Pokémon Detective Pikachu”
• Friday, Sept. 4, 6-9 p.m. showing of “Crazy Rich Asians”
• Friday, Sept. 11, 6-9:30 p.m. showing of “In the Heights”
Art and Wine Block Party
• Saturday, Aug. 22, 12 to 8:30 p.m.
Harvest Festival Extravaganza
• Saturday, Sept. 19, 12 to 9 p.m.
