Seattle Recognizes Denny Blaine Park as LGBTQ+ Site
Mayor Katie Wilson and Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth joined a Monday ceremony formally honoring the Lake Washington park's longstanding local significance.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in LGBTQ+
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Seattle city leaders officially recognized Denny Blaine Park as a historic LGBTQ+ site at a ceremony on November 10, 2026. The recognition follows a Seattle City Council resolution passed in September and the park's addition to the Washington Heritage Register one year earlier.
Why it matters
The city's recognition acknowledges the park's long-standing importance to Seattle's LGBTQ+ community as local leaders develop new rules and upgrades for the clothing-optional beach. The move comes after a King County Superior Court ruling in July ended a neighbor lawsuit seeking to prohibit nudity or close the park.
The Park CommUNITY Fund has a total budget of $427,000 for upgrades, with fencing separating nudity areas from street and home views. Specific rules defining legal and illegal behavior remain under development.
The players
Katie Wilson
Katie Wilson is the Mayor of Seattle, who joined the ceremony recognizing the park's historic LGBTQ+ significance.
Joy Hollingsworth
Joy Hollingsworth is a Seattle City Councilmember who participated in the Monday recognition ceremony at the park.
Friends of Denny Blaine
Friends of Denny Blaine is a local group that advocates for the park and joined city leaders at the recognition ceremony.
The details
The Seattle City Council passed a resolution in September encouraging signage and a Pride flag or similar symbol at the park. A July King County Superior Court ruling ended a lawsuit seeking to prohibit nudity or close the park, and court-ordered mandates now require accessibility initiatives and clear behavior definitions.
Timeline
In 2023, neighbors pushed to end nudity with a children's play area plan.
The Washington Heritage Register added the park one year before this recognition.
In July 2026, a King County Superior Court ruling ended the neighbor lawsuit.
In September 2026, the Seattle City Council passed the recognition resolution.
On November 10, 2026, the historic recognition ceremony was held at the park.
Legacy Context
The recognition reverses the 2023 neighborhood push to end nudity at Denny Blaine Park with a children's play area plan, affirming instead the park's identity as a longstanding LGBTQ+ space. Its placement on the Washington Heritage Register one year earlier had no administrative component to oversee preservation.
Visitors to Denny Blaine Park should expect clothing-optional and required areas to be defined on a forthcoming map as the city finalizes its rules. Fencing already separates nudity areas from view of the street and nearby homes.
The takeaway
Public parks can carry community histories that formal recognition helps preserve. Residents interested in the park's future rules can follow the city's public meetings as guidelines are drafted.
What happens next
The city is developing new guidelines and upgrades for the nude beach following public meetings, with the final map of clothing-optional areas still pending.
Further reading
Explore more on LGBTQ+ coverage across Seattle's communities and history.
More information
Review the Denny Blaine Park long-term site improvement plan on the Seattle Parks engagement portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CHS Capitol Hill Seattle.
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