Dakota Place Park Building

This was the perfect venue for our smallish wedding… Our rental money went to something we believe in, taking care of our parks, and it was simple small and lovely. The small Notting Hill style neighborhood park behind the building was perfect for our afternoon outdoor wedding, and just enough space for us, it was LOVELY. Our park staff member, Melinda, was just great… She actually talked me into taking a second look at Dakota when I went to see her show the bath house down on Alki. I was worried about parking and bathrooms, Dakota hit both exceptionally, everything is just so NICE there. I was thrilled Melinda ended up being our staff member for our day, she was just like having another friend there during setup! Dakota is an old electric substation that’s been completely refurbished as a small event venue. It’s all brick and hardwoods and classic. We did penants from the rafters, old glass electric insulators that covered electric candles, and vintage runners with wildflowers and they fit the building like they were made to go together. Our wedding seated 96 (we did bring in extra tables and chairs) and everyone fit perfectly, it was EXACTLY the cozy backyard bbq we envisioned. The staff was helpful, the value was exceptional, the flexibility was greatly appreciated, and I’ll stop by our little park to check on it now and again and remember our awesome time there. It was perfect.

As a musician, I play a lot of weddings and people often ask me about affordable event and gathering spaces. The newly renovated Dakota Place Park Building in West Seattle is a great new venue run by the City of Seatte which can accommodate up to 200 people. It’s former City Light substation, located within walking distance of California Junction, a popular neighborhood with lots of shops and restaurants. The building retains some of the old brick architecture, but has lots of modern amenities such as a full A/​V system with video projector and built in sound system, a catering kitchen with icemaker, and comfortable tables and chairs. The best part of this venue is the adjoining outdoor patio, which would be great spillover for guests during the summer when weather is nice. Venue rental includes one staff member, who will stay throughout the event and help coordiante cleanup. Visit the city website for more information!