SPOKANE, Wash. — Mayor Lisa Brown signed an executive order Wednesday putting a freeze on a special event fee increase that was expected to go into effect this year.
The current city code would have doubled the cost of special event fees this year for large cultural events, such as the Spokane Lilac Festival. This executive order will now keep the fees at the same level they were last year.
The Spokane Lilac Festival Association said over the past twenty years, the cost to put on the festival has risen to an unsustainable rate. This funding increase freeze allows event planners to strategically address funding needs and coordinate with other Spokane legacy events like Hoopfest, Bloomsday and Pride.
“The SLFA is grateful to the Brown Administration for their proactive approach, and we look forward to collaborating with our partners in the city and community to ensure the Spokane Lilac Festival remains a staple of our city’s cultural landscape,” says Jamie Dedmon, President of the 2025 ‘To Spokane, With Love’ Festival. “Our goal is to continue celebrating this tradition for years to come, reaching our 100th year and beyond.”
The city said this executive order also aims to reduce the impact and costs for the city of Spokane by getting staff to look for opportunities to innovate around event planning.
“Community events are the heartbeat of our city. From Hoopfest to Bloomsday to Tacos y Tequila, these events bring us together and create lasting connections between locals and visitors. But we’re seeing too many barriers that make hosting these events harder than it should be,” Mayor Brown said. “By rethinking our processes and finding innovative solutions, we can reduce costs for all and make it easier for people to bring our community together.”
Currently, Spokane Police, Spokane Fire, Solid Waste, Streets, Parking and the Office of Neighborhood Services support these events without recovering the full cost of services. This order would make staff look for ways to reduce police overtime costs, develop solid waste management plans to reduce food waste and evaluate policy and procedure changes necessary to reduce barriers to events like neighborhood block parties.
“Downtown is a destination for our community to gather and celebrate together. In 2024, more than a million visitors from near and far marched in parades, participated in sporting events, supported local vendors and businesses, and made new memories downtown during special events,” said Emilie Cameron, President & CEO of the Downtown Spokane Partnership. “We look forward to working with Mayor Brown’s administration, local partners, and event organizers to evaluate opportunities to support, attract and grow events that enhance our downtown.”
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