This is our Commons. Our Commons. It’s not just a business with a public space. It’s our Commons area, with local businesses, food, and places for us to meet and talk, and celebrate who we are.
Anne Stadler, Founder
As we close out 2025 – our 25th anniversary year – we want to begin with a heartfelt thank you. Your participation, encouragement, and generosity make Third Place Commons what it is: a welcoming place where neighbors can gather, connect, and belong. Together, we are building real community in real space.
This past year has been one of growth and renewal, with new leadership, an expanded Board of Directors, stronger partnerships, and new programs that help us connect as neighbors. We also celebrated two meaningful milestones: 25 years of Third Place Commons and 20 years of the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market. These achievements honor our founders’ vision – and they are only possible because you show up and support this work.
Thousands of Moments That Mattered
Your support isn’t abstract. It creates real experiences, every day:
-
Neighbors coming together for weekly live music and dancing
-
Families building memories through free, joyful programs for kids
-
Local groups sharing their gifts through free access to our community stage
-
Community members accessing fresh, healthy food through Market Bucks and other Farmers Market assistance programs
Thanks to supporters like you, the Commons is a place to meet friends, learn, create, unwind, celebrate, have conversations about what’s happening locally, or simply sit with a book, a sketchpad, or a laptop—no membership fees, open to all.
A Snapshot of Community Impact
Our community shows up in a big way:
-
Over 23,000 people gathered at Third Place Commons for events, performances, and activities in 2024 – and we are on track to surpass that this year.
-
Over 120,000 people attended the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market in 2025.
To give you a sense of how busy the Commons is, in 2024 we hosted:
-
27 community music performances
-
8 community dance performances
-
6 senior dance events
-
15 recurring community groups and meetups
-
21 fairs, civic events, classes, and town halls
-
24 youth-focused recitals, performances, comedy, and magic shows
This year we’ve expanded our outreach by 44% and our community of supporters by 54%—and individual donors remain essential to our financial health. In 2025 so far, 133 new donors have joined the Commons community.
Help Keep the Commons Open to All
As we plan for 2026, your year-end gift helps ensure we can:
-
Welcome thousands of neighbors each week to a space that’s open to all
-
Offer hundreds of free performances, gatherings, and events each year
-
Sustain the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market and the assistance programs it provides
-
Maintain a safe, inclusive place where connection happens naturally every day
In a time when many people feel isolated or disconnected, spaces like Third Place Commons are more important than ever. We believe our community needs places to gather – to dance, listen, sing, learn, create, and simply be together.
Make a Year-End Gift
Whether you can give $25, $50, $100, $250, or more, every dollar strengthens the fabric of our community. If you give by December 31, your contribution may be tax-deductible for this year.
Donate online: https://donorbox.org/tpc-general-4-2
Or mail a check to:
Third Place Commons
PO Box 82355
Kenmore, WA 98028
Thank you for believing in the power of community—and for helping keep this special place thriving for the next 25 years and beyond.
P.S. Your year-end gift makes an immediate impact: the neighbors we’ll welcome tomorrow, the connections we’ll foster next week, and the community we’ll build in 2026 – it all starts with your generosity today.
Third Place Commons is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Tax ID # 91-2054524.