Join the Celebration with a Birthday Bonus Treasure Hunt and a Gift Card Giveaway

Honoring over a century of Market history with a month of discovery, prizes, and local pride

SEATTLE, WA – Pike Place Market is turning 118 years old this August, and we’re inviting the community to celebrate with a month of special giveaways and hidden prizes. From birthday bonuses for shoppers to a weekly Treasure Hunt through the Market’s historic halls, the celebration is designed to bring visitors closer to the vibrant small businesses and stories that make this place so special.

Founded on August 17, 1907, Pike Place Market is the oldest continuously operating public market in the United States. It was established in response to public outcry over skyrocketing produce prices; onions, for example, had jumped from 10 cents to $1 per pound. The city created the Market so that farmers could sell directly to shoppers, cutting out middlemen and ensuring fair pricing. Since then, the Market has grown into a thriving community of over 500 small businesses, including farmers, craftspeople, food vendors, artists, buskers, residents, and social service providers. It remains a place built for the people and still proudly serves that mission today. Learn more about the origin story of Pike Place Market.

Be One of the First 118 Shoppers to Get a Birthday Bonus!
Beginning August 4, the first 118 people who purchase a $50 Pike Place Market Gift Card will receive an additional $18 as a thank-you for supporting the Market during its birthday month. Gift cards can be used across hundreds of Market businesses from handcrafted goods and fresh specialty ingredients to meals from locally loved eateries.

Birthday Bonus Treasure Hunt – Every Week in August
To make this birthday truly unforgettable, Pike Place Market is also launching the Birthday Bonus Treasure Hunt – a weekly adventure taking place in the Market.

Each week in August, starting August 4, a $118 Market Gift Card will be hidden somewhere in the Market to be claimed by a lucky shopper. A short video clue will be posted on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, offering a visual puzzle to solve. Participants are encouraged to visit, follow the clues, and search the Market for one of these four special prizes.

Here’s how it works:

  • Follow the Market on social media, the full celebration details will be posted here on August 2nd:
  • Make sure to tap the bell icon on each platform to turn on post notifications
  • Watch for a short video clue showing the gift card being hidden
  • Come to the Market, follow the clues, and be the first to find the card
  • Email us (instructions on card) to activate it and you win!

Each video clue will spotlight a unique corner of the Market, from tucked-away shops to iconic nooks, offering a fresh way to discover what makes Pike Place Market.

Timeline: Weekly gift card drops throughout August
Prize: One $118 Pike Place Market Gift Card per week
Cost: Free to participate!

Plus, don’t miss our special birthday history videos posted on social media throughout the month. Learn how this Market has served Seattle for more than a century—and why it’s still the soul of the city today.

Full celebration details here.

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About Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority
The nine-acre historic district is maintained and operated by the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA), a not-for-profit public corporation created by the City of Seattle in 1973. The PDA supports the Market’s remarkable community by increasing farm and food retailing opportunities, supporting small and marginal businesses, and providing services for low-income individuals. In addition, PDA helps protect the essence of the Market by preserving, rehabilitating and maintaining the buildings within the Market. PikePlaceMarket.org

Media Contact:
Madison Douglas
Director of Marketing & Communications at Pike Place Market PDA
E: Madison.Douglas@PikePlaceMarket.org
P: (206) 724-8142

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