The Downtown Bremerton Association launched Food Truck Fridays in October, bringing five rotating food trucks to Quincy Square every Friday from 3 to 8 p.m. The pilot program began during First Friday Art Walk and was “incredibly well received,” said DBA executive director Jessica Combs.
Combs said the community expected food trucks to be part of Quincy Square when it was redeveloped, but logistical challenges, including fire code limitations, previously made that difficult. The association worked with the city’s permitting department and the fire department to create a pathway for weekly food trucks along the pedestrian corridor.
“It’s been exciting,” Combs said. “We figured out a solution to bring five every single week.”
The association considers the program a pilot through the winter months due to weather and current economic conditions. Combs said government shutdown impacts have contributed to lower foot traffic recently, but she hopes First Friday Art Walk events can help reactivate foot traffic.
DBA is also leading plans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after Bremerton was designated one of nine official state fan zones. Combs said the designation is “a once-in-a-generation opportunity” for Kitsap County and compares the scale of the World Cup to “seven Super Bowls in one.”
Quincy Square will serve as the central World Cup activation site, with six weeks of programming scheduled, including a 20-foot LED screen showing matches, Budweiser beer gardens, food trucks, live music and community partnerships. Bremerton will broadcast as many matches as possible, including all three USA matches, Combs confirmed.
The first major activation begins June 19 with a Juneteenth event in partnership with Doc Loves Kids. The following weekend aligns with Bridge Blast, and the association plans to supplement festivities downtown without interfering with established waterfront programming. During that weekend, the association will launch “Level Up Bremerton,” an interactive gaming experience with virtual reality headsets, soccer simulators and gaming consoles in collaboration with Beyond Reality, a local business.
July 1 will feature an Americana-themed event to celebrate the Fourth of July and America 250, offering a traditional backyard barbecue atmosphere for visitors and potential international tourists.
Combs said Quincy Square was ultimately selected for the fan zone instead of the boardwalk due to FIFA’s strict sponsorship protections and conflicts with existing events such as Bridge Blast. She said Quincy Square offered better infrastructure, a stage, and fewer competing restrictions.
“We want to bring tourism to Bremerton,” Combs said. “We want our businesses to thrive and our hotels to be full.”
The fan zone has also led to policy changes intended to support small business startups downtown. Combs worked with the city to create a 60-day pop-up shop exemption that allows temporary occupancy leases for $400 without requiring the business to have a state license or full code upgrades inside vacant storefronts, since exterior infrastructure such as handwashing stations and portable restrooms will already be in place for the fan zone.
Combs said the goal is long-term revitalization. Property owners can reinvest pop-up revenue back into buildings to prepare them for long-term occupancy.
“That’s literally the definition of revitalization,” she said. “This will be sustainable and continue to help grow and revitalize our downtown.”
