The 0.66-acre community garden that 90 individuals and families tend year-round is throwing itself a birthday party.
Art in the Garden, the Ballard P-Patch's annual festival, returns Saturday, August 1, with 30 artist booths, live music, a beer garden, and free admission to mark the garden's 50th anniversary.
The Sølje Sisters kick things off at 10 a.m. Visitors can browse art, bid in an auction, grab bratwurst and ice cream, and walk through rows of organically grown flowers and produce until 5 p.m. Proceeds support garden projects and Real Rent Duwamish, a grassroots program that directs voluntary payments to Duwamish Tribal Services.
The garden was founded in 1976 when Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church leased the land to the City of Seattle for $1 per year, according to the garden's published history.
In 2020, the nonprofit GROW Northwest purchased the property for approximately $2 million using community donations, a $1.256 million King County Conservation Futures Tax grant, and a $270,000 contribution from Amazon. A conservation easement now protects the site permanently.
Art in the Garden itself dates to 2001, when gardener Len Eisenhood recruited artist friends for a modest outdoor show. "I decided just to try something small — to get some art from my friends who are artists, maybe make a poster, and we'll see what happens," Eisenhood recalled in a 2022 account on the garden's website.
The first event nearly collapsed when wind blew art off homemade easels. Twenty-four years later, the festival fills the garden with 30 booths.
The P-Patch also grows food for neighbors who need it. Its 1,300-square-foot Giving Garden donates produce to the Ballard Food Bank and other free food programs.
Ballard week ahead: July 27–August 2
Monday, July 27 — Free Irish Dance lessons with the Seattle Irish Dance Company, 5:30–8 p.m., Conor Byrne Co-op. No experience needed.
Monday, July 27 — Wrecked Romantasy Book Club, 7–8:30 p.m., Swoon City. July pick: Throne in the Dark by AK Caggiano.
Tuesday, July 28 — BYOC (Bring Your Own Craft), 5–7 p.m., Artemis Coffee. Drop-in crafting, no pressure.
Tuesday, July 28 — Doric Scots songs workshop with Iona Fyfe, 6:30 p.m., Dusty Strings.
Wednesday, July 29 — Iona Fyfe live at Fremont Abbey Arts Center (4272 Fremont Ave N), 7:30 p.m. The Scottish folk singer has won the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Award twice. Tickets at fremontabbey.org.
Wednesday, July 29 — Book Trivia, 8–9:30 p.m., The Ink Drinker. Free entry, prizes for top three.
Thursday, July 30 — Book launch: Hanna Gaard's debut novel No Gods West of Here, 7–8:30 p.m., Swoon City. Mocktails provided.
Friday, July 31 — Intro to Machine Knitting, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., The Seattle Knitting Lab.
Friday, July 31 — Leatherworking Workshop, 6–10 p.m., Atria. Limited to 10 participants.
Friday, July 31 — Bag Charms Workshop with pastry chef Rosalie Cass, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Swoon City. Make mini pastry keychains from air-dry clay.
Saturday, August 1 — Art in the Garden, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Ballard P-Patch, 8527 25th Ave NW. Free.
Saturday, August 1 — Author signing with Maia Strong, noon–3 p.m., Swoon City.
Sunday, August 2 — Ballard Farmers Market, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Ballard Avenue NW between 22nd Avenue NW/NW Market Street and 20th Avenue NW. Accepts EBT/SNAP, Fresh Bucks, and WIC. Street meters free.
Sunday, August 2 — Conor Byrne Open Mic, doors 7:30 p.m., music 8 p.m.–1 a.m.
