If you need an excuse to spend a Saturday eating your way through the U District, this is it. The U District Chow Down & Street Party returns Saturday, October 3, bringing 78 neighborhood restaurants, $6 food specials, live entertainment, and a car-free stretch of The Ave.
The event runs from 11 AM to 8 PM and celebrates the fifth anniversary of the U District light rail station. What started in 2021 as a small food walk has grown into one of the neighborhood’s biggest annual celebrations.
Food is the main attraction, with 78 participating restaurants offering two special $6 items each. Expect a seriously wide-ranging menu, from Peking duck rolls, biang biang noodles and Korean hotteok to birria tacos, butter chicken, Japanese sandos, shawarma, banh mi, and Indigenous frybread. There will also be plenty of matcha, bubble tea, coffee, pizza, burgers, and dessert, with vegetarian and vegan options throughout.
Some new food and drink options on the menu this year include: Sakura Plum Popcorn Chicken, Fruity Pebbles Matcha, Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza, Quesa-Birria Tacos, Matcha Strawberry Parfait, and a Campfire S’mores Croissant.
Meanwhile, University Way NE will transform into a street party between NE 41st and NE 45th streets. Expect a beer garden, live music, lion dancing, pop-up vendors, K-pop dance lessons, a BTS lookalike contest, and a UW hip-hop dance battle.
New this year is the Hungry Dawg Hunt, a selfie scavenger hunt that lets attendees explore the neighborhood while collecting five bingo stops. Complete a bingo, submit the event survey and show your selfies at the Welcome Tent for a prize.
To get there, your best bet is public transit. If you take the Link light rail, you can get off at the U District Station at NE 43rd and Brooklyn and be one block away from The Ave.
U District Chow Down & Street Party
📅 Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
⏰ Time: 11 AM–8 PM
🚈 Transit: U District Station at NE 43rd & Brooklyn
🎟️ Admission: Free!
