PHOTO ESSAY: Community Gathers for Two-Day 'Welcome Back' Celebration at Hing Hay Park

by Ronnie Estoque

The Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA) and the City of Seattle collaborated to host a celebration of local culture and food at Hing Park on Saturday, July 17, and Sunday, July 18. The weekend was also the inaugural event of "Welcome Back Weeks," which was organized by the City of Seattle with the goal of bringing small businesses, workers, and visitors back to the downtown area after nearly a year and a half of restrictions. As part of "Welcome Back Weeks," over $300,000 has been invested into small businesses, artists, and nonprofits , which all have experienced significant hardship during the pandemic.

The two-day event featured live music and performances from local artists from the community, which attracted sizable crowds. The event also offered attendees the opportunity to receive either a Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which was administered by representatives from the Seattle Fire Department (SFD). The CIDBIA will be hosting another Summer CID Food Walk from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 31. Events such as this have been planned to spur more community support for locally owned restaurants and businesses that are rebounding from the economic impacts of the pandemic.

This Saturday, July 24, "Welcome Back Weeks" will continue with an event starting at 10:30 a.m. at Pioneer Square, which will be followed up the next day at Westlake starting at 11 a.m. For more information about "Welcome Back Weeks," visit the Office of the Mayor's "Seattle's Equitable Recovery" webpage.

📸 Featured Image: Daniel Pak (left) and Prometheus Brown (right) perform a live piece at Hing Hay Park for a "Welcome Back Weeks" event. (Photo: Ronnie Estoque)