The South Sound Block Party Returns to the Olympia Waterfront

Olympia's marquee summer music weekend is nearly here.

The South Sound Block Party returns to the Port of Olympia waterfront!

On Friday and Saturday, August 28–29, 2026, for two days of live music, local food, and community vendors right on the water.

This year's lineup is a strong one. Headliners include Sleigh Bells, Sleater-Kinney, and Shannon and the Clams, and for Olympia, Sleater-Kinney is a hometown story, one of the defining bands to come out of the area's music scene. The rest of the bill runs deep across indie, alternative, punk, and folk: Annie DiRusso, Sol, Cheap Perfume, Alien Boy, Glitterfox, Alex Vile, Babes in Canyon, and more, for 14 performances total across the two days.

The festival is an all-ages, waterfront event that brings together local, regional, and nationally touring artists alongside food and retail vendors from around the South Sound. Gates open Friday at 4 PM and Saturday at 2 PM, with music running until around 10:30 PM each night. Admission is free for children under 12.

Details:

• Dates: Friday–Saturday, August 28–29, 2026

• Location: Port of Olympia (NorthPoint), Olympia

• Hours: Gates Fri 4 PM / Sat 2 PM; music to ~10:30 PM

• Tickets: All ages; free for kids under 12 — see southsoundblockparty.com

Real estate note: downtown Olympia and its waterfront have leaned into being a genuine arts-and-music town, and events like the Block Party are a big part of that identity. A two-day festival on the port isn't just a fun weekend, it's the kind of thing that draws people downtown, supports the bars and restaurants around it, and signals a walkable, culturally active core. For anyone weighing a move to Olympia, that lived-in music-town character is a real part of the appeal.