Summer in Everett – The Big Guide
Story by: Richard Porter.
It used to be that there was nothing to do in Everett during the summer besides watching seagulls fight over a French fry in a parking lot. No more! There are so many things to do mid-May through August that it’s frankly hard to keep them straight! You could pack your calendar every weekend and still suffer from big time FOMO.
How, then, to plan? Luckily for you, we’ve done the legwork and have rounded up your best bets. Check it out... and see you out in the streets (and waterfront boardwalks).
Cruzin’ to Colby
May 24th & 26th • Downtown Everett
Every Memorial Day Weekend since 1999, the V-8s roar back to life on Colby Ave — and 2026 is no different. Cruzin' to Colby turns 27 this year, and what started as a scrappy two-day cruise put together by local business folks and the Seattle Rod-Tiques Car Club has grown into one of downtown Everett's most beloved traditions, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators and raising over half a million dollars for local charities along the way. Not bad for a bunch of volunteers who just really love old cars.
The format is as reliable as a well-maintained classic: Sunday, May 24 brings the Controlled Cruise from 6–9 p.m. through downtown, complete with a Pro Audio Sound-Off at Hewitt and Colby (it's about clarity, not volume — so you can keep your eardrums). Monday, May 25 is the main event — the Show and Shine runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the Trophy Presentation wrapping things up at 3:30. It's free to watch, totally walkable, and best enjoyed in comfortable shoes. Just don't touch the cars.
Music at the Marina
Thursdays, July–August • Open 5–9 p.m.; music at 6:30 p.m. • Port Gardner Landing
Everett’s waterfront music party series returns, filling the marina with big tunes, a beer garden, and food trucks. Music acts include throwback cover bands, funk, an up-and-coming country star, and (this is perfect for the waterfront) yacht rock. This year, each Music at the Marina set is followed by The Late Shift—an after-party at one of Everett’s downtown venues like Apollo Exos or El Sid. Come for the music, stay for the after-hours chill times.
Full lineup/Late Shift schedule here.
Everett 3-on-3 Tournament
July 25–26 • Downtown Everett
For one weekend at the height of each summer, Colby and Wetmore Avenues shut down and the games begin. Everett’s basketball tourney pits streetball teams of all ages against one another as they vie for the top of their bracket, winning cash prizes.
Word of caution: I learned the hard way that the games are not for casual semi-athletic dads. Contestants are serious ballers and shot-callers, so if you haven’t hit the court in a minute, best to come and watch other folks slay with layups, dunks, etc.
Everett Farmers Market
2930 Wetmore Ave., Everett, WA 98201Sundays, May 10–October • 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
Personally? One of my favorite parts of summer in Everett. The bounty of the season fills Wetmore Avenue as vendors sell flowers, fresh-baked goods, and produce from the lush soil of Washington State. I’m not going to give away all of my secrets, but look for certain hummus and salsa vendors and definitely show up for stone fruit and pear season.
Sorticulture
Downtown Everett • June 5–7 • 10 a.m. daily
Everett’s long-running garden arts festival (28 years running!) is the classic kick-off to summer as 140 vendors bring trellises, fountains, mosaics, and sculptures to the streets... and then to your backyard and patio. Pick up a calla lily and chat with master gardeners about what exactly can be done to give your bougainvillea that extra boost. Nitrogen? Phosphorous? You'll have to ask them to find out definitively!
Schack’s Fresh Paint
Downtown Everett • August 15–16 • August 15: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. • August 16: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Everett’s largest summer arts festival brings you directly into the heart of the creative process as over 100 artists sell their wares in an open air market. You can literally buy art right off the easel (Fresh Paint, get it?) and walk home with the perfect piece to really tie your living room together. Support the local arts, get your steps in, and bask in Everett summer vibes this summertime celebration of creativity.
World Cup Festivities
Port of Everett • June 11–19
The world’s “beautiful game” is coming to Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. Everett’s getting in on the action with live watch parties and an official Fan Zone at Boxcar Park.
Match Schedule:
Thursday, June 11 Mexico vs. South Africa • Fan Zone 10 a.m. • Kickoff 12 p.m.
Friday, June 12 USA vs. Paraguay • Fan Zone 4 p.m. • Kickoff 6 p.m.
Thursday, June 18 Mexico vs. South Korea • Fan Zone 4 p.m. • Kickoff 6 p.m.
Friday, June 19 USA vs. Australia • Fan Zone 10 a.m. • Kickoff 12 p.m.
Waterfront Watch Parties open two hours before kickoff and remain open two hours after the match ends.
Fourth of July Festivities
July 4 • Downtown Everett & Legion Park
Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with a good old-fashioned downtown parade: candy, music, floats, marching bands, dancers, equestrians, motorcyclists, and the like. Then head to the after-party at Legion Park for family-friendly food vendors and music, followed by fireworks over Port Gardner.
The Great Soccer Ball Hunt
3000 Rockefeller & locations throughout Snohomish County • June (early)
In honor of the World Cup, the Snohomish County Arts Commission is bringing five giant maritime buoys to Snohomish County. These artist-painted “soccer balls” will be distributed throughout the county in a scavenger hunt. Collect them all! Buoys will hit local parks and downtown Everett in early June, just ahead of the World Cup. Stay tuned on Instagram @snocoartsandculture.
Richard Porter is a marketer for Snohomish County’s Executive Office by day, and a freelance writer. He lives with his wife and daughters in Everett. When he’s not writing or drinking coffee, he’s probably binging podcasts while running or hiking.
