The Bellevue Arts Fair Guide.
Every July, downtown Bellevue closes off its core and becomes the Northwest’s biggest outdoor art gallery — 350-plus artists, live music, food trucks, and roughly 150,000 people. Here’s everything you need for the 2026 fair, July 24–26.
Bellevue’s arts fair has been running since 1947 — it predates the freeway, the towers, and very nearly the city itself — and it remains the single biggest weekend on the downtown calendar. Co-produced by Bellevue Arts Museum and the Bellevue Downtown Association, the fair brings more than 350 juried artists into the streets around NE 6th and Bellevue Way: painting, sculpture, jewelry, glass, wood, fashion, and home décor, nearly all of it handmade and most of it for sale directly from the person who made it.
It’s free, it’s outdoors, and it’s genuinely walkable — the fair footprint runs from the Bellevue Arts Museum district across NE 6th Street to the open-air Arts Market between 105th and 106th. Around 150,000 visitors are expected across the three days in 2026. Go Saturday morning if you want elbow room; go Friday evening if you want the music.
What to See
One fair weekend, several distinct zones — all free, all within a few blocks.
The Juried Fair
The main event: hundreds of artist booths lining the fair footprint around Bellevue Square, the West Garage, and the BAM district — juried work spanning fine art, jewelry, glass, wood, and more.
Bellevue Downtown Arts Market
The BDA-produced market on the open lot between 105th and 106th Avenues NE — 110-plus additional artists in sculpture, home décor, fabrics, and gifts.
LIVE on Sixth Street Stage
A full weekend schedule of live music and cultural performances in the middle of the fair — plus two more stages in the BAM district.
Arts Activations
Interactive art projects and live artist demonstrations throughout the footprint — watch work being made, then make some yourself.
Free Kids’ Programming
Hands-on crafts, BrickCon activities, and interactive art experiences — the fair is one of the best free family weekends of the Bellevue summer.
Food Trucks & Local Kitchens
Global food-truck cuisine plus local partners like Woods Coffee and Nakagawa Sushi. Or step one block off the fair for a sit-down break — see our restaurant guide.
What’s New This Year
Living Traditions
A new curated cultural exhibition series, debuting with Japanese Art and Resilience in the Pacific Northwest — Japanese artistic traditions and community stories across generations.
Evening Programming
The fair now runs past dinner: the Sixth Street Sessions dinner-concert series, the ticketed BAM Rooftop Rhythms (live music, food, cocktails, dancing), and the return of Fashion Friday, an after-hours showcase of Pacific Northwest designers.
A Fair App
New for 2026: a mobile event app with the artist directory, entertainment schedule, demonstration times, food vendors, and interactive maps. Grab it via QR codes posted around the fair.
One Unified Weekend
What began in 1947 — and later ran as several side-by-side fairs — is now produced as a single Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend by BAM and the Bellevue Downtown Association, with one footprint and one schedule.
Plan Your Visit
The fair is easy; parking at 1 p.m. on Saturday is not. Here’s the local playbook.
Hours
| Friday, July 24 | 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. |
| Saturday, July 25 | 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. |
| Sunday, July 26 | 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
Evening events (Sixth Street Sessions, Rooftop Rhythms, Fashion Friday) run after fair hours — check the official schedule.
Take the Train
The honest local advice: don’t drive. The 2 Line’s Bellevue Downtown Station sits at NE 6th Street — you step off the train inside the fair footprint. From downtown Seattle it’s about 25 minutes across the I-90 floating bridge, and you’ll skip the garage hunt entirely.
If You Drive
- Bellevue Square garages are the closest big option — and the first to fill on Saturday
- Garages east of 106th (Lincoln Square, City Hall area) fill later
- Come before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m. on Saturday; Friday and Sunday are easier all day
Make a Day of It
Fair in the morning, lunch one block away, and Bellevue Downtown Park or the Bellevue Square sky-bridge stores when you need shade. Our Things to Do guide has the full downtown playbook.
Bellevue Arts Fair FAQ
When is the Bellevue Arts Fair in 2026?
Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend 2026 runs Friday, July 24 through Sunday, July 26 — 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The fair is held every year on the last full weekend of July in downtown Bellevue.
Is the Bellevue Arts Fair free?
Yes — admission to the fair, the Bellevue Downtown Arts Market, live stages, demonstrations, and family programming is completely free. A few after-hours events, like BAM’s Rooftop Rhythms concerts, are separately ticketed.
Where exactly is the fair held?
In the heart of downtown Bellevue, centered on NE 6th Street and 106th Avenue NE. The footprint spans the Bellevue Arts Museum district, the streets around Bellevue Square and its West Garage, and the open-air Arts Market lot between 105th and 106th Avenues NE — all within a few minutes’ walk.
What’s the best way to get there, and where do I park?
Take the 2 Line light rail if you can — Bellevue Downtown Station is at NE 6th Street, effectively inside the fair, and it’s about 25 minutes from downtown Seattle. If you drive, the Bellevue Square garages are closest but fill first on Saturday; garages east of 106th Avenue fill later. Arrive before 11 a.m. for the easiest parking.
Is the fair good for kids?
Very. Family programming is free and substantial — hands-on craft stations, BrickCon activities, interactive art projects, and live performances, with Inspiration Playground at Bellevue Downtown Park two blocks away when attention spans run out.
How big is the Bellevue Arts Fair?
It’s one of the largest arts fairs in the Pacific Northwest: more than 350 juried artists across the fair proper, another 110-plus at the Bellevue Downtown Arts Market, three performance stages, and roughly 150,000 visitors over the weekend. It has run annually since 1947.