Jeff Gunn, Legislative Assistant, jgunn@spokanecity.org
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 8:21 a.m.
At the Monday Spokane City Council meeting, Council passed the “Family Friendly Festivals” Ordinance, which allows families to stay together at street festivals that serve alcohol by aligning Spokane’s regulation with the state requirements.
“It is great to see the City Council so committed to bolstering Spokane’s festival scene,” said Council Member Zappone. “Council worked with local event organizers to give them more options that make street festivals more enjoyable and accessible for all families like mine.”
“This is such an exciting ordinance for Spokane,” said Council Member Paul Dillon. “It will help a lot of our beloved events sponsored by non-profits and small businesses that are still bouncing back from the pandemic, and this approach strikes a good balance with state code and serving our communities.”
Currently, the City of Spokane policy is more restrictive than the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board guidelines, and these changes would meet the necessary State requirements. The Family Friendly Festivals Ordinance was drafted in consultation with the Spokane Police and Fire Departments, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, the City of Spokane’s Office of Planning and Economic Development, and the City of Spokane’s Office of Neighborhood Services.
Visit Spokane, the Downtown Spokane Partnership, the Washington Hospitality Association, and Greater Spokane Incorporated support it.
The Family Friendly Festivals Ordinance now goes to Mayor Brown for her signature and would go into effect 30 days later.
About the Spokane City Council
The City Council is the legislative body of the City of Spokane, which is home to more than 220,000 people and is located in the heart of the Inland Northwest. The City’s 2,000 employees strive to deliver efficient and effective services that facilitate economic opportunity and enhance the quality of life for all our citizens. For more information, visit SpokaneCity.org/CityCouncil/ and follow us @SpokaneCityCouncil on Facebook.
