Historic Downtown Ellensburg Is About to Get a Little Facelift: Meet the Winners of 2026 EDA Revitalization Grants

• TL;DR: Find out which of your favorite local spots in the Downtown Ellensburg area made the list, see what exciting updates are coming.

One of the quaintest and charming small towns I've come across is Ellensburg, Washington. I love perusing the shops and feeling the relaxed, yet subtly energetic buzz from the locals who form a mix of university students from Central Washington University and folks that have been born and raised there.

Historic Downtown Ellensburg Is About to Get a Little Facelift

On your next road trip to Ellensburg, population 21,000, you might notice something different about businesses in downtown over the next year or so. That's because six local businesses have just been awarded a revitalization grant from the Ellensburg Downtown Association.

The Vitalization Committee arm of the org gifts annual grants to local businesses and nonprofits. The 2026 grant recipients have received at total of $8,875 and their projects include beautifying up "storefronts, signage, landscaping, and historic properties throughout downtown Ellensburg.", says Hayley Harrell, Partnerships and Marketing Manager with the Ellensburg Downtown Association (EDA). The larger-than-life display checks were furnished by Columbia Bank.

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I'm excited to see what upgrades each of these grant recipients will create. EDA sent out a list of their latest winners.

Residents are looking forward to more fun happenings in downtown Ellensburg, including Halloween Night for trick or treating on Saturday, October 31st and the long-awaited anticipated grand opening of Strike Central, the former Rodeo Bowl venue.