After stepping into the Edmonds Waterfront Center, you’ll first notice a wide, sweeping wooden staircase twisting upwards towards the ceiling. A few more steps and you are confronted with 180-degree views of Puget Sound backed by the craggy, snowcapped Olympic Mountains. Ferries float by, and birds soar overhead, through vast, sky-high windows. The space is lifted off the sand, feeling as if it’s floating in a ship on the water.
A long hallway on the left displays a colorful wall with rotating styles of artwork for sale by local artists.
The Waterfront Center has become a community in and of itself in Edmonds, connecting people of all ages for dozens of important purposes. It serves the local community for everything from exercise and art classes to counseling, weddings, and memorials.
A stunning community room is booked, decorated, and catered by patrons for weddings, baby showers, corporate events, celebrations of life, and fundraisers. The stunning panoramic views of Puget Sound make for a memorable, serene event for any occasion. A special wedding circle outside is encircled in white roses and soft yellow lights, creating a stunning backdrop for ceremonies.
The Edmonds Waterfront Center even has its own coffee company; Common Grounds Coffee is located inside the building and sells tea, coffee drinks, pastries and ice cream to consume on the sunny sand or in soft seats with cozy views of the rain trickling down on the water on gray-sky days.
The Center is priced for everyone to enjoy. For an annual rate of only $35, members can participate in dozens of daily activities on an ever-changing, packed calendar of events, many of which are free or low-priced. Classes are available to everyone, whether they are a member or not, but with extra discounts for members.
Instructor-led exercise classes are offered daily, such as baby and me yoga, chair fitness, Tai Chi, prenatal yoga, dance, jazzercise and strength classes. Ping-pong and billiards tables are open for drop-in use for first-come patrons.
Arts are a cornerstone of the center’s programming. Classes in watercolor, drawing, quilting, woodcarving, and other mediums provide opportunities for beginners and experienced artists. Music lovers can join the Sound Singers Choir, ukulele groups and orchestra programs, while dancers can participate in line dancing and social dance events. The center is an active contributor to Edmonds’ thriving arts community.
Connections through games are some of the center’s most popular activities. Visitors participate in bridge, cribbage, bingo and pinochle. Organized trips to museums, theaters, live entertainment and special events keep participants busy throughout the year. Regular trivia nights bring together students, families and older adults, creating meaningful connections across age groups and fostering community connections.
The Edmonds Waterfront Center is often thought of as a partner of Edmonds’ Senior Center, and some programs emphasize seniors, but it’s open to all members of the community.
Senior citizens have access to wellness workshops, help with Medicare, wills and affordable counseling. The SHIBA (Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors) program brings in trained volunteers to provide free, confidential assistance to Medicare-eligible residents. Advisors help participants understand Medicare plans, prescription drug coverage and other insurance options, empowering them to make sense of complicated insurance plans and make informed healthcare decisions.
Participants can access education about their health and maintain their physical, mental, and emotional health. Healthy and affordable lunches are served every day and are available to seniors over 60 and their guests for only $5. This service brings people together, creating healthy social lives and a strong community.
A packed calendar of educational and recreational opportunities is offered on weekdays. Lectures, discussion groups, and presentations cover topics ranging from history and genealogy to financial planning and healthcare. Language classes, writer groups, and cultural programs encourage lifelong learning while helping participants build new friendships.
Volunteers play an essential role in making the center successful and help keep prices low. They assist with events and classes, help serve meals and greet visitors, and contribute thousands of volunteer hours each year.
Volunteers are crucial to the running of the Edmonds Senior Center Thrift Store and Showroom. Both of which are separate buildings that house home goods, clothing and furniture, fully run by volunteers and powered by donations. Money raised in these stores helps to run the Edmonds Waterfront Center. They also throw fundraisers that help cover extra expenses for the Waterfront Center lunches.
If you are looking for a fitness class, a creative outlet, a healthy meal, a volunteer opportunity, or companionship, the Edmonds Waterfront Center has a place for you.
In a time when meaningful connections are difficult to find, the center is an inviting place where people of all ages and backgrounds gather, learn and thrive together. The Edmonds Waterfront Center has become much more than a community center—it is one of the city’s most important social anchors, framed by the city’s most iconic and memorable backdrop.
Edmonds Waterfront Center
220 Railroad Ave., Edmonds
