Cold Plunge Near the Trail? Big Truck Day & Best Drug Store in Redmond?

Welcome to Best of Redmond! Redmond's twice-weekly newsletter and podcast about all the amazing things happening in Redmond for the next seven days!📰 Willows Road Water Main Project Is Moving Toward ConstructionOkay, so the City of Redmond is getting ready for a water main project on Willows Road between NE 124th Street and NE 116th Street. The project adds about 1,300 feet of new 12-inch water main and includes pavement restoration along the route. Construction is expected to start this summer and run into summer 2027, with traffic control once the work gets going. The project is still in design, so this isn't a “Willows Road is closed tomorrow” situation. If you use that stretch regularly, keep an eye on the City's updates as construction gets closer.👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Big Truck Day at Farrel-McWhirterBig Truck Day is Friday, August 14 from noon to 3 p.m. at Farrel-McWhirter Park, 19545 Redmond Road. Kids ages 1 to 10 can climb around trucks, tractors, construction equipment and other big vehicles, plus there's a tractor-pulled wagon ride and a goody bag. There are two sessions, noon to 1:30 and 1:30 to 3, and registration is required. The current registration page lists the cost at $20 to $24 per child, depending on the rate. Also, there can be some serious honking and sirens, so bring ear protection if your kid isn't into that.🎵 Trombone Shorty Comes to MarymoorTrombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue hit Marymoor Amphitheater Wednesday, August 19, with St. Paul and the Broken Bones and Tre Burt. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the show starts at 5:30 p.m. at 6046 West Lake Sammamish Parkway NE. This is a big outdoor concert, so plan for parking and getting through the gates before the music starts. Marymoor says concert parking is $20 per car, unless you've got a seasonal parking pass. If you're taking the light rail, the new Marymoor Village connections make that an option, too.🍷 National Pinot Noir Day at Pint & PieNational Pinot Noir Day lands Tuesday, August 18, and Pint & Pie in downtown Redmond is using it as an excuse to pour some wine. The event listing says they're open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Northwest Brewing Pint & Pie in Redmond. There's no complicated schedule here, which is kind of the point. Grab dinner, order a glass and celebrate Pinot Noir Day without turning it into a whole production. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Drop-In Play at Marymoor VillageDrop-In Indoor Play is Thursday, August 20 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village, 6505 176th Ave NE. It's for kids ages 0 to 6, with toys and indoor space for kids to play while parents get a chance to meet other grown-ups. This one is unsupervised, so an adult has to stay with the child. The center recommends gym clothes and athletic shoes, and the equipment is provided. There's a fee for drop-in play, with fee assistance available by phone.🎨 Erasure Poetry Workshop with Redmond's Poet LaureateRedmond Poet Laureate Nancy Mburu is leading an Erasure Poetry Workshop Saturday, August 15 for adults 18 and up. The idea is pretty cool: take an existing piece of text and create something new by removing words and reshaping what's left. It's part of Redmond's Community Storytelling Poetry Project, which is collecting local experiences and turning them into poems and multimedia stories. 🥁 Wednesday Drum CircleThe Wednesday Drum Circle is August 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Redmond Senior & Community Center, 8703 160th Ave NE. It's an adults-only midday session where you can show up, drum, meet people and basically shake off whatever the morning threw at you. Hand drums and other percussion instruments are available, or you can bring your own. You can register for the month or drop in for the weekly class. If you've got an hour free around lunch and want to do something completely different, this is about as different as it gets.🐾 Take Your Dog to MarymoorIf your dog needs to burn off some serious energy, Marymoor's 40-acre off-leash dog area is open during park hours, from 8 a.m. to dusk, at 6046 West Lake Sammamish Parkway NE. Dogs can run off leash inside the designated area, but outside that zone they need to be on a leash no longer than eight feet. There are trails, water access and plenty of room for dogs to do dog stuff. Marymoor charges a $1 parking fee, too. Bring water, bags and a towel if your dog considers mud a recreational activity.🚲 Bicycle Bling: Know Your E-Bike ClassKing County Parks is putting up signs reminding trail users that Class 3 e-bikes and other unauthorized motorized vehicles aren't allowed on regional trails. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are permitted, but Class 3 bikes can provide pedal assistance up to 28 mph. The county says regional trails have a 15-mph speed limit, too, and deputies are starting with education and warnings. So if you've got an e-bike, figure out which class it is before you hit the trail. And whatever you're riding, slow down when the trail gets busy.🕰️ Redmond History MinuteOkay, it's time for the Redmond History Minute, where we share an interesting piece of history, trivia, or tidbit about life in and around Redmond.Bill Brown is the famous 30-year mayor, but who was Redmond’s first mayor after incorporation in 1912?A) Luke McRedmondB) Fred ReilC) Georgia ErskineD) James CliseAnswer: B – Fred ReilFunny one: A – Luke McRedmond (the guy who got the name, but not the job)Story: Fred Reil was Redmond’s first mayor, elected after the town finally hit 300 residents and incorporated. Bill Brown comes later—and steals most of the spotlight—but Reil is the one who got the first crack at running a newly incorporated Redmond.Answer revealed at the bottom of this newsletter.🔮 Redmond Rumor MillOkay, here's a fun one. We've been hearing that a recovery-focused gym could be looking at space somewhere near the Burke-Gilman Trail. Think cold plunge, sauna, compression boots and the kind of stuff people use after absolutely destroying themselves on a bike ride.We don't know the business, we don't know the location, and we don't know if it's happening at all. That's why it's a rumor.Would you actually use a place like that in Redmond?If you've got a guess or have heard something, head to our Facebook page atfacebook.com/BestOfRedmond and drop it in the "Redmond Rumor Mill Guesses" post.🗳️ Your Picks: Best drug store in RedmondAlright, that's it for this week.Head on over to facebook.com/BestOfRedmond, find the post called "Your Picks," and drop your vote in the comments. We want to know who you think is the best drug store in Redmond.📻 Don't Miss the PodcastIf you enjoyed this newsletter, you're gonna love the companion podcast. Find it at bestofredmond.com.We'll see you in the next one... or maybe before then, walking around Redmond.