Marymoor Amphitheater Information
Marymoor Park is located on the north end of Lake Sammamish in Redmond, WA. The park is King County’s largest, oldest, and most popular park, with more than 3 million annual visitors coming to roam its 640 acres (2.6 km2).
A little history on the park before we get into the Amphitheater itself:
The historic Willowmoor farm and Clise Mansion lie at the western edge of the park, along with the Sammamish River. The farm and mansion were created in the early 1900s by James Clise, who was a banker. On the other hand, the landscaping was designed by the Olmsted Brothers. Additionally, the Clise Mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places. At the western end of the park, 2.1 acres are used by the Marymoor Community Gardener’s Association, one of the oldest public gardens in the country.
Ralph Dodd and two of his brothers, Dean & Lloyd Dodd were partners with Walter Nettleton in operating a large dairy farm. They work hand-in-hand at the Willowmoor farm from 1930 – 1964. However, the brothers renamed the farm Marymoor in honor of Walter’s young daughter, Mary Nettleton, who died in a bicycle accident. Although all 6 of Ralph Dodd’s brothers were happily married, Ralph remained single. It is said that Ralph considered the children of Bellevue’s Kemper Freeman to be his family, having lived at Marymoor when the Freeman’s resided there.
It’s impossible to discuss the history of Marymoor Amphitheater without looking at the history of Marymoor Park first. The park houses the amphitheater, making it a thoroughly important part of its heritage.
Marymoor Park is a historical nature site in Redmond, as it is King County’s oldest and largest park, with around 640 acres of land. It is also the most popular park in the area, attracting over three million visitors every year.
Native American inhabitants
The land that Marymoor Park was built on was inhabited by Native Americans. This was discovered during an archaeological dig in 1964. During the dig, which lasted four years, it was found that Native Americans had occupied the land in two different periods.
The first occupation was over 6,000 years ago, around 4000 BCE. This early occupation is thought to have been a seasonal camp. The next occupation discovered was around the year 1000 BCE, though this camp was thought to have been more permanent.
The proximity to the Sammamish River and Lake Sammamish would have been of great use to the native tribes and is likely why they settled there.
19th-century development
The park developed further in 1876 when it was homesteaded by a man named Josh Tosh. In the early 1900s, the site was purchased by banker James Clise. Clise transformed the western edge of the park into farmland and built the renowned and historical structures Clise Mansion and Willowmoor Farm. Clise Mansion is recognized for its historical nature, as it is part of the National Register of Historic Places.
Willowmoor Farm became home to a large dairy farm operation overseen by Walter Nettleton and his partners, brothers Ralph, Dean, and Lloyd Dodd.
The name Marymoor came from a tragedy in the Nettleton family. Walter’s daughter Mary Nettleton passed away after a bicycle accident when she was still a child. Because of this, the three brothers renamed the farm Marymoor. The name stuck, and both the park and the future amphitheater would continue to carry Mary’s name and memory.
Marymoor Amphitheater
In 2013, Marymoor Park began playing host to Concerts at Marymoor, a series of summer concerts, thus marking the beginning of Marymoor Amphitheater. Cascade Music Collective took over the management of the concerts in 2023.
The amphitheater has hosted a range of well-known and diverse artists over the years, including Willie Nelson, Norah Jones, Duran Duran, AWOLNATION, and Barenaked Ladies.
It was only in 2013, that the park became the home to a summer concert series known as Concerts at Marymoor, produced by AEG Live. “Forming this partnership with one of the largest concert promoters in the world will bring some of the best talents in the world to local audiences while generating revenue that helps support public access to King County Parks,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. All revenue from the concert series, including 100% of the revenue from parking, directly supports the operation and maintenance of King County Parks’ facilities and public lands.
Additionally, the park hosts movies at Marymoor every summer. The scenic environment easily makes the 5000-capacity outdoor venue the home to Seattle’s best open-air concert series. The best part is that this intimate outdoor concert experience is only a 15-minute trip away from downtown Seattle.
Also, all Marymoor Park Concerts are booked and operated by AEG Live. It is the live-entertainment division of the L.A. based company is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring for a variety of programming, and multi-media production. AEG Live is the nation’s second-largest concert promotion, and touring company. It is comprised of special event, broadcast and exhibition divisions, fourteen regional offices, and numerous state-of-the-art venues nationwide. The company also has an international reach with a regional and local presence in San Diego, New York, Las Vegas, London, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, St. Louis, Atlanta, Denver, San Francisco, Florida, and Los Angeles.
Food and beverages
There are plenty of options for food and drink inside the Marymoor Amphitheater. The services are offered by the Marymoor Live concessions team at Seattle Event Solutions.
Throughout the venue, guests will find 5 bar locations, all of which offer draft beer, wine, and curated specialty drinks menus. 11 local food vendors also offer a broad range of varied cuisines.
Some of the food trucks and stands you will find at the venue include the following:
- » Bella M’Briana – Italian cuisine.
- » Big Boys – Filipino cuisine.
- » Billy Cheesesteak – cheesesteaks.
- » Bread and Circuses – American cuisine.
- » Buddha Bruddah – Hawaiian cuisine.
- » Cascadia Pizza – Pizza.
- » Cay Sal Pies – Sweet pies on a stick.
- » Dirty Dog – Hot Dogs.
- » Dumpling Tzar – Savory dumplings.
- » El Tajin – Mexican cuisine.
- » Hallava Falafel – Mediterranean cuisine.
- » Impeckable Chicken – Chicken sandwiches.
- » In Pizza We Crust – Pizza.
- » Incredibowls – Asian rice bowls.
- » Isidro’s – Mexican cuisine.
- » MexiCuban – Mexican/Cuban fusion cuisine.
- » Now Make Me A Sandwich – Sandwiches.
- » Nutty Squirrel Gelato – Gelato.
- » Po’ Boy & Tings – Po Boys.
- » Sam Choy’s Poke To The Max – Poke/ Hawaiian.
- » Shug’s Soda & Ice Cream – Ice cream.
- » Street Treats – Ice cream sandwiches.
- » Where Ya At Matt? – Creole cuisine.
- » Wired Chicks Espresso – Espresso.
- » Woodshop BBQ – Barbecue.
- » Yummy Gyros – Gyros.
For more information on the Marymoor Amphitheater at Marymoor Park, please see the specific pages below.
Parking Information:
Arriving by car? Read about parking options on the Marymoor Amphitheater parking information page.
Ticket Policy:
For information on ticket guarantee and other ticket related questions, view the Marymoor Amphitheater tickets page.
Seating Information:
For information on accessible seating and to view the Marymoor Amphitheater seating chart page.