The City of Anacortes and First Forty Feet are working with the community to create a Downtown Streetscape Plan — a long-term roadmap for projects that improve how downtown looks, feels, and functions. This plan will help guide future investments in things like pedestrian safety, public spaces, lighting, seating, wayfinding, and how people move through … Continue reading Share your input on the Downtown Streetscape Plan
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Holiday Cheer Contest Results: Celebrating the Businesses at the Heart of Elves Night Out
Elves Night Out 2025 transformed downtown Anacortes into a bright, laughter-filled holiday scene. Families, friends, and full squads of elves filled Commercial Avenue, visiting shops, sipping cocoa, and soaking up the magic. And at the center of it all were the businesses whose creativity and care made the night truly shine. This year’s Holiday Cheer … Continue reading Holiday Cheer Contest Results: Celebrating the Businesses at the Heart of Elves Night Out
2025 Q3 Report – 589 Volunteer Hours, 8,000 Local’s Passes, and a Downtown in Full Bloom
Downtown Anacortes continued to bloom this quarter—literally and figuratively. From vibrant planters to new programs that strengthen our community, Q3 was full of progress and collaboration. Here are a few highlights: 🌼 Beautification and Design Our volunteer Planter Patrol kept downtown in full color all summer long, and we launched our new Façade Grant Program … Continue reading 2025 Q3 Report – 589 Volunteer Hours, 8,000 Local’s Passes, and a Downtown in Full Bloom
SUMMER OUTDOOR SEATING SURVEY RESULTS
Last summer, we gathered real-world data on how outdoor dining spaces are being used in Downtown Anacortes. Between June and September, volunteers tracked lunch and dinner activity across weekdays and weekends to better understand parklets, sidewalk seating, and overall utilization. The results will help inform future decisions related to outdoor seating, public space, and the … Continue reading SUMMER OUTDOOR SEATING SURVEY RESULTS
Students + Sensors: Tracking Foot Traffic in Downtown
This summer, the Downtown Anacortes Alliance partnered with Black Box Robotics — a team of talented Anacortes High School students — to explore a big question: when and how do people actually come downtown? The students designed and built custom door-mounted devices that track entries in and out of shops. Six downtown businesses volunteered to … Continue reading Students + Sensors: Tracking Foot Traffic in Downtown