Olympia's waterfront music festival is playing its final set.
The South Sound Block Party will close for good after its Aug. 28–29 shows at the Port of Olympia's NorthPoint, organizer Christen Greene announced Tuesday, Aug. 11 on the festival's social media channels.
The two-day farewell features Sleater-Kinney headlining Friday and Sleigh Bells on Saturday.
Greene founded the festival in 2022 after moving back to Olympia, building it into an event that drew more than 5,000 people in 2025 and paired nationally touring acts with local bands on the same waterfront stage. Bikini Kill played in 2024. But the economics of running an independent festival never penciled out.
"The simplest answer is that the resources never consistently caught up to the impact," Greene told The Olympian.
Producing SSBP costs $290,000 to $340,000 a year, Greene said, with more than 45 paid staff and expenses for sound, power, tents and security piling up before any band takes the stage. In five years of organizing, she paid herself once.
Funding fell short
The festival relied on a mix of ticket sales, private sponsorships, arts grants and public dollars. Three private sponsors dropped out for 2026, Greene said, and public funding covered only a fraction of costs.
The City of Olympia awarded $75,000 in Lodging Tax Advisory Committee funds for 2026, plus $37,500 through the Inspire Olympia cycle, according to city spokesperson Brandon Chapman. Both figures were the highest the festival had received from the city.
Thurston County contributed $6,720 in LTAC funds for 2026, according to county spokesperson Susan Melnyk. That followed $0 in 2025 and $7,000 to $10,000 in prior years.
Port of Olympia spokesperson Taber Lee said the port gave SSBP a $1,500 annual grant and in-kind support including a forklift, tents, parking, water and electricity. The festival was never charged a venue fee.
Even with those contributions, the gap was too wide. Greene said she could no longer personally cover the difference.
Lee told The Olympian that the festival's departure is a loss for the community and the region, noting the event put the port's NorthPoint property on the map as a music venue.
How to catch the finale
The final South Sound Block Party runs Friday, Aug. 28 and Saturday, Aug. 29 at 1210 Marine Dr. NE. The lineup includes Shannon & The Clams, Annie DiRusso, Sol, Alien Boy and nine more acts across 14 performances.
Gates open at 3 p.m. Friday and 12:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the festival's website. Music wraps around 10:30 p.m. both nights.
Single-day general admission costs $66.16. Weekend passes are $99.44. Weekend VIP wristbands are sold out. Kids under 12 get in free.
Parking near the site is limited. Organizers encourage biking, ride-share or taking Route 45 to the Olympia Farmers Market stop, about a half-mile walk. Monitored bike lock-up zones will be available near the main entrance.
