To The 2025 Dads and Grads
Spring’s arrival has Downtown Edmonds positively in bloom. The farmer’s market is back, the city is buzzing with events, and celebrations are constant.
The next two lots on the list? Dads and grads.
These two groups can sometimes stump us as far as gift-giving goes, so we’ve assembled a comprehensize guide that not only honors your graduates and fatherly figures in Downtown Edmonds, but helps us come up with ideas for our people, too. Stick around—the list is long, but it’ll set you up for major success.
For The Keepers of Keepsakes + Grillmasters
Say hey to your favorite shopkeepers as they guide you to the perfect gift from places like The Fox + Bottle, The Paper Feather, The Papery, Crow, or Ace Hardware. Oh! And don’t forget to reserve your cakes of all sizes from Cakes by Frosted, located right inside Ace’s sliding doors. Check out the company’s book full of photos for how impressive their pastries are, and make sure to submit your order at least two weeks in advance.
The Wooden Spoon
For The Homebodies
Dad or grad prefer a solo recharge? Yeah, that’s relatable.
Select something mid-century for them to gaze at our lounge on from Driftwood Modern; a vintage flag, doodad, or whatsit from Camp Vintage; or a model vehicle from Edmonds Hobby Shop & Model Machinist Center. Outfit their kitchen at The Wooden Spoon, get them a soft tee from Little Bipsy, or! A perfectly PNW flannel from Podium.
Homebodies love to curl up with a good book. Give them a gift they can bury their nose in while lazing in a hammock or under a blanket by the fire pit from Edmonds Bookshop. If you know what you want, you can also order it ahead and pop by for pickup.
The Edmonds Arts Festival
For The Art Lovers
The Edmonds Arts Festival is back for Father’s Day weekend (June 13-15, 10am–7pm Friday & Saturday, 10am–5pm Sunday) and allows you to bond over art while hand-selecting something perfect for your favorite people, together or as a welcome surprise. Nearly 200 artists will showcase their work at Frances Anderson, so the likelihood of finding something meaningful is exceptionally high.
For many, the Edmonds Art Festival is an annual tradition. Treat them to coffee at Stillhouse Coffee on your way up the hill or a crumpet from The Crumpet Shop. Then, get your grad a piece of art that reminds them of home when they’re away at school or some new lawn art for dad. Use the festival as a jumping-off point to explore all that Downtown Edmonds has to offer, especially if you go on Saturday—market day!
Looking to explore more evergreen art? Take yourself on an art tour down from the Festival to Cole Gallery and Art Studio, Graphite, Sunlight, and Young Asian Art Gallery. Or, invest in continuing education and sign up for an art class!
Maize & Barley
For The Glass Raisers
For the 21+ crowd, clink glasses at Calypso, Santa Fe Mexican Grill & Cantina, ChurchKey Pub, Daphnes, Kelnero, Dusted Valley Wine Bar, or Vinbero.
Dad or grad pretty tapped into cold beers? Take them to Maize & Barley to check out what’s in the rotation or to Salish Sea Brewing Co. for their pick of fine hand-crafted ales and lagers. You can also pop over to the Victor Tavern or Leftcraft for an elevated pub experience. If you have a dad and a grad to celebrate, consider setting them up on Victor’s bowling lanes and challenging them to see who comes out on top.
For sub 21s, choose either Salish location for root beer on tap!
Salt & Iron
For The Food-Lovers
There is something tried and true about a special occasion dinner out. Take yours to Salt & Iron Charcoal, Demetris, Fire & The Feast, Las Brisas Restaurante, or Ristorante Machiavelli. Don’t forget to cap the night off with froyo loaded with extra toppings (hey, you’re celebrating!) from Revelations Yogurt or one of Molly Moon’s rotating specials and a giddy stroll to the water.
Breakfast more their style? Hit up Claire’s Restaurant, Pancake Haus, or Rusty Pelican Cafe.
And, if you want to get more interactive with it, grab some seats at Table for 12. The whole crew can learn how to cook what they’re eating, an important skill to hone, especially for grads.
For The Giftees Still Pulling All-Nighters
Whether they’re night owls or coffee connoisseurs, they’ll love a hosted visit or gift card to Red Twig Bakery Cafe, Walnut Street Coffee, or Waterfront Coffee Company. And, if they need a place to be productive behind a screen while meeting new people (with both cold brew and drip coffee flowing), gift them a membership to Workhorse Coworking.
Rick Steves’ Europe
For The Explorers
Is your grad planning a gap year? Is dad on the cusp of a sabbatical? Edmonds houses Rick Steves’ Europe headquarters, where they can absorb all the European knowledge. They’ll find travel gear for any budget and expert planning assistance. And if you have both, consider suggesting they explore together—a perfect father-child adventure.
How Are You Celebrating Your Dads and Grads This Year?
Okay, now that you’ve gone through our whole list (Thank you! We’re so glad you’re here), the celebration wheels should be turning. Did we jumpstart your plans?
As it turns out, dads and grads aren’t so hard to celebrate, after all.
If you take them out or give them a gift suggested in this list, show us by tagging us in your social media posts (we’re @edmondsdowntown on Instagram and Facebook) or add #loveedmonds to your captions. We’ll double-tap and reshare your dad toasts and grad boasts on our stories!
By Whitney Popa, photos by Matt Hulbert
