Sunday · August 23 · 2026
★ Held during National Black Business Month ★

Golden Hour Unboxed

A celebration of Black entrepreneurship
on the Eastside.

Bellevue Botanical Garden Free · All Ages Golden Hour → Twilight
RSVP Free → Sponsor This Event
About the Evening

When the sun softens, we show up.

August is National Black Business Month. When the sun begins its descent over the Eastside on August 23, something remarkable happens. The light softens. The air warms. People slow down — and they show up for one another.

Golden Hour Unboxed is a free, cross-cultural evening at Bellevue Botanical Garden where Black entrepreneurs, artists, families, and allies gather under the sunset to mingle, share, and rise together. It's a celebration of the many ways our community contributes to the Eastside — through art, food, storytelling, mentorship, and the everyday brilliance of building something from nothing.

This is more than an event. It's a platform — for emerging Black entrepreneurs to mingle with seasoned professionals. For families to experience cross-cultural exchange in real time. For artists, vendors, and community builders to be seen and supported.

Plan Your Visit

Find your way through the garden.

Golden Hour Unboxed is held at the Aaron Education Center inside Bellevue Botanical Garden — 12001 Main St, Bellevue, WA. Enter at the Garden Entrance by the parking lot; the Education Center is a short, accessible walk just past the entrance. Explore the full garden map and accessible routes below.

Come early and walk the garden. The Bellevue Botanical Garden is open to the public all afternoon — arrive whenever the light calls you, wander the pathways, and make an evening of it. The Aaron Education Center doors open at 5:30 PM for check-in; program begins at 6:00 PM.

Open Garden Map (PDF) →

Map & access guide courtesy of Bellevue Botanical Garden.

What to Expect

An evening, five movements.

Programming designed for cross-generational connection — performances, ideas, and warmth that move from afternoon light into twilight.

i.

Sunset Sounds

Acoustic music, spoken word, and movement from cross-cultural artists — programmed for the garden's evening rhythm.

ii.

Storytelling

Personal narratives of building, belonging, and rising — voices from across the Eastside.

iii.

Micro Speed Pitching

Emerging entrepreneurs and artists share ideas shaped by their identities. Three minutes. One spotlight.

iv.

Pack-the-Box Drive

A back-to-school giving initiative with our nonprofit partner Eastside for All. Bring supplies, leave with new friends.

v.

Twilight Social

As the sky turns lavender and gold, we gather for an unhurried social that closes the evening with warmth.

Get Involved

Find your way in.

Whether you're coming for the sunset, the connections, or to share what you've built — there's a path for you.

For Attendees

Black entrepreneurs, allies, families, multicultural neighbors, and anyone who loves a good sunset — this is for you. Bring your people. Wear something that makes you feel beautiful.

  • Free admission · All ages welcome
  • An evening to stand, stroll, and mingle — seating available for accessibility
  • Reserved parking at WISC (12241 Main St) · short walk to the Garden · Rideshare encouraged
  • Garden-casual dress · Shoes you can move in · Layers for twilight
RSVP on Eventbrite → See the Program
i — Attendees Show up.
Stay awhile.

For Performers

Musicians, dancers, spoken-word artists, and storytellers — the lineup is nearly set, and we have room for one or two more. If you're an artist rooted in the Eastside or building cross-cultural work, we'd love to hear from you.

  • Acoustic & lightly-amplified sets preferred
  • Programmed to align with City of Bellevue sound permits
  • Professional photo and video coverage of your set
  • Submissions close Monday, July 20
Get in Touch
ii — Performers Three minutes.
One spotlight.

For Storytellers

Vendor tabling is now closed, but we are inviting additional business owners and orgs to join us as Storytellers — a chance to be present, network, and share the story behind why you do what you do.

  • Nametag or identifier on arrival — attendees know to seek you out
  • Free to network and conduct outreach throughout the evening
  • Share your business offerings and the story behind what you're building
  • Bring products or links to share with attendees
  • A dedicated segment in the program schedule spotlights our Storytellers
Sign up as a Storyteller →
iii — Vendors Build connection
under the sun.

For Press & Media

We welcome media coverage of Golden Hour Unboxed. The full press release and save-the-date image are public; the full press kit (high-resolution flyer, headshots, brand assets, sponsor and partner credits, and interview availability) is available on request.

Golden Hour Unboxed — Save the Date — Sunday, August 23, 2026 at Bellevue Botanical Garden
Save the Date · Public Asset Public-facing event collateral. Share freely. Download →
  • Full press release — live
  • Save-the-date image — public (above)
  • Event flyer (1080×1350) — public
  • Brand assets & headshots — on request
  • Interview availability with organizers
  • On-site media credentials by request

Press contact: Katoya R. Palmer · katoya@toyboxconsulting.net

Request Press Kit → Interview Request
iv — Press A platform,
not a passive showcase.
Stay in the loop

Get Golden Hour updates.

Event news, sponsor and vendor opportunities, and ways to volunteer, delivered to your inbox.

Get event updates
Community Initiative

Pack the Box.
Send a kid to school.

Bring back-to-school supplies and pack a box for a student in need. It's the easiest, warmest way to participate — bring a notebook or backpack, leave with new friends. Everything collected goes to the schools with the highest need, PreK through high school.

Whatever you give, whether supplies or a gift of any amount, is a tax-deductible charitable donation received through Eastside For All, a DBA of Alliance for a Just Society, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

See supply ideas → Ask a question
Behind the Evening

The team bringing it to life.

Producer, host, and event management — the people stewarding the evening from concept to closing toast.

Katoya R. Palmer
Producer
Katoya R. Palmer
Founder · ToyBox Consulting & Management

Strategist, cultural producer, and Bellevue-based small business owner. Builds at the intersection of community, equity, and execution.

On the boards of
Bellevue Chamber of Commerce SplashForward The Sophia Way
Besa Gordon
Emcee
Besa Gordon
Besa Gordon Media

Voice of the evening. Multimedia journalist and storyteller carrying the program from sunset to twilight.

Charmaine Madden
Event Management
Charmaine Madden
Event Management & Logistics Coordinator

Operational backbone of the evening — vendor coordination, run-of-show, and day-of logistics.

Follow the Build

We’re building this in public.

A first-year event, a City grant, and no safety net. Every week I post what it actually takes — the yeses, the declines, the budget math, the parts nobody puts on a flyer.

Updated weekly · @katoyapalmer
Golden Hour TikTok series — five clips from @katoyapalmer Watch the series on TikTok
Endorsements

In good company.

Golden Hour Unboxed is part of the City of Bellevue's Cross-Cultural Center without Walls — programming designed to celebrate the multicultural fabric of the Eastside.
NAACP State Area Conference Alaska · Oregon · Washington Sheley Secrest · President
Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Joe Fain · President & CEO
SplashForward Susan Pappalardo · Executive Director
Get involved

Take the stage.

Three ways to get involved with Golden Hour — an open-mic pitch showcase for Black entrepreneurs, a call for artists to perform, and a hand behind the scenes as a volunteer. All vendor, speaker, and performer applications close Monday, July 20. Earlier submissions get first look.

For Entrepreneurs

Pitch your idea.

Black entrepreneurs — apply to pitch at Golden Hour's Micro Speed Pitching Showcase. A short window on the mic to share what you're building, in front of a live audience and a panel of judges. Emerging and established founders welcome. This same form is also how you sign up to be a Storyteller — indicate your role in the form.

Apply to Pitch →
For Artists

Take the mic.

Musicians, spoken word artists, poets, storytellers, and performers — an open call to bring your voice to Golden Hour. Original work rooted in the evening's themes of Black entrepreneurship, community, and belonging is especially welcome.

Submit Interest →
For Volunteers

Lend a hand.

Help the evening shine — setup, check-in, guest experience, and teardown. Every shift and role is welcome.

Volunteer with us →
Vendor Village

Also at the table.

Fourteen Black-owned businesses and artists plus six community organizations are joining us. Start planning your shopping trip.

Community organizations tabling at Golden Hour Unboxed — mission-aligned neighbors bringing resources, connection, and welcome to the Vendor Village.

Missed the deadline?

Vendor applications are closed, but there is still a way in. We are inviting additional business owners and orgs to join us as Storytellers — nametag or identifier on arrival, freedom to network and share what you are building, and a dedicated segment on the program to spotlight you. Sign up through our Pitch & Storyteller form.

Sign up as a Storyteller →
With Gratitude

Civic champions.

First voices in support — public servants who saw the vision early and lent their offices to lift Black Business Month on the Eastside.

Katoya R. Palmer accepting the Black Business Month proclamation from the Bellevue City Council on August 4, 2026
Proclamation Received · August 4, 2026
"Bellevue welcomed me with wide open arms, and made room for me at table after table. I want every Black business owner building in this city to feel that — because every entrepreneur deserves that kind of welcome."

— Katoya R. Palmer, accepting the City of Bellevue's proclamation declaring August 2026 as Black Business Month, delivered by Deputy Mayor Dave Hamilton on behalf of Mayor Mo Malakoutian and the Bellevue City Council.

Watch the moment on TikTok →
Proclamation Signed · King County
"Black Business Month takes on particular meaning on the Eastside, where a new generation of Black founders, makers, and small business owners is reshaping the cultural and economic fabric of our communities."

— King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, proclaiming August 2026 as Black Business Month and recognizing Black Entrepreneurship on the Eastside. The proclamation will be read at Golden Hour Unboxed by Angela Phan, East County Relations Manager, King County Executive Office.

Read the full proclamation →
King County proclamation declaring August 2026 Black Business Month and recognizing Black Entrepreneurship on the Eastside, signed by Executive Girmay Zahilay
Deputy Mayor Dave Hamilton City of Bellevue
Bellevue City Council Leadership
Executive Girmay Zahilay King County Digital Welcome & Signed Proclamation
Sponsors & Partners

Thank you to the partners lighting the evening.

Golden Hour Unboxed is brought to life by partners across sectors. Conversations welcome at any level — from presenting partner to in-kind contributor.

Become a supporter or sponsor →
Presented by Producing Partner
Programming Partner
Community Sponsor Underwriting Event Experience
Event Caterer Catering Labor Sponsor
Event Partner Marketing & Promotions
Tanise Love
Tanise Love
Co-Founder, Sync Seattle

Seattle-based speaker, social impact expert, and event curator. Co-founder of Sync Seattle, a community-driven events company that has hosted 125+ experiences connecting people to one another, to local businesses, and to Black-led causes. Through her storytelling, Substack (Vibing Through Grief), and greeting card line (Lingering Love Notes), she helps people feel seen and choose joy.

Derrick Love
Derrick Love
Co-Founder, Sync Seattle

Seattle-based technology and product leader with 20+ years shaping enterprise data platforms, security programs, and AI-driven solutions. A member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and co-founder of Sync Seattle alongside his wife Tanise, he is dedicated to mentorship and community servant leadership.

Media Partner Media Coverage & Storytelling

Converge Media is an Emmy Award‑winning, Seattle‑born producer of news, shows, and films that center Black voices across the Pacific Northwest — and they’re helping tell the story of Golden Hour Unboxed.

Nonprofit Partner Charitable giving & community programming

Eastside For All is our nonprofit partner for this event. A DBA of Alliance for a Just Society, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, they are an East King County organization led by and for Black and brown community members, organizing for a safe, welcoming, and just Eastside. They receive, receipt, and safeguard every charitable gift made to Golden Hour Unboxed. eastsideforall.org

Why This Event

Bellevue is one of Washington's most diverse cities. Intentional spaces for Black entrepreneurs to be celebrated and seen by their neighbors are still rare on the Eastside.

Golden Hour Unboxed is a free, public evening built to close that gap — for Black entrepreneurs, their families, and the whole Eastside community that gathers around them.

We hold this gathering in August, during National Black Business Month, because the timing matters. We hold it at Bellevue Botanical Garden because the place matters. We hold it as part of the City of Bellevue's Cross-Cultural Center without Walls because the structure of belonging matters.

This isn't a passive cultural showcase. It's an active exchange — Black entrepreneurs, allies, and neighbors sharing names, ideas, and how to find each other after the sun sets.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Still curious? Email katoya@toyboxconsulting.net and we'll get back to you.

Golden Hour Unboxed is free to the public per our agreement with Bellevue Botanical Garden. RSVP secures your spot but does not include a charge. Please RSVP so we can plan accordingly for refreshments and seating.
Yes — please do! Bellevue Botanical Garden is open to the public all afternoon and is a beautiful place to wander. Arrive whenever you like, take in the pathways and plantings, and make an evening of it. The Aaron Education Center doors open at 5:30 PM for Golden Hour Unboxed check-in; the program begins at 6:00 PM.
Yes — all ages are welcome. Programming is designed for cross-generational engagement, and families are encouraged to attend together.
Golden Hour Unboxed is designed as an unhurried, flowing evening at Bellevue Botanical Garden's education facility — most guests stand, stroll, and mingle their way through the program. Tables are set up for vendors, food, and the Micro Speed Pitching Showcase. Accessible seating is set up inside the Aaron Education Center, and there are benches and seating areas throughout the Garden grounds. If you'd like to request accessibility accommodations in advance, email katoya@toyboxconsulting.net.
Because we are in peak summer season at the Bellevue Botanical Garden, we have reserved overflow parking for our guests at Wilburton Instructional Service Center (WISC) · 12241 Main St, Bellevue WA 98005 — a short walk east of the Garden along Main St. Look for Golden Hour Unboxed signage as you arrive. Build a few extra minutes into your arrival window to make the walk over comfortably. Carpooling and rideshare are still encouraged. We are expecting a big turnout, so if you can arrive before 5:30 you will have an easier time parking — and so will everyone behind you.
Yes. Bellevue Botanical Garden has accessible pathways and seating areas. If you have specific accessibility needs, please reach out to katoya@toyboxconsulting.net in advance and we'll make arrangements to support your visit.
Apply through our Pitch & Storyteller sign-up form. The same form is used for both formal Micro Speed Pitching slots and general Storyteller sign-ups — indicate which role you want inside the form.
Vendor tabling applications closed on July 20 and all tables are booked. If you missed the deadline, you can still join us as a Storyteller — you will get a nametag or identifier and can network and share your business throughout the evening. Sign up through our Pitch & Storyteller form.
We welcome partnership conversations at any level. Whether you're interested in being a presenting partner, programming sponsor, community supporter, in-kind contributor, or media partner — we'd love to design something together. Reach out to katoya@toyboxconsulting.net for our sponsor & partner outreach kit.
The event happens. Sunday, August 23 is firm, and the Aaron Education Center is indoors — so smoke, rain, or heat will not cancel Golden Hour Unboxed.

What would change is the shape of the evening. Much of the experience is built around being outdoors: the Garden, the patio, the way the vendor village breathes across the space. If air quality, heat, or rain makes the outdoors unwise, we will move the program and the layout inside and adjust the run of show accordingly.

If conditions look uncertain in the days before the event, check this website — it is where we post the most current plan, and we will send the same information by email and social media. Please check before you leave the house on the 23rd.
We are expecting a big turnout, and that is a good problem. Golden Hour Unboxed is built à la carte — there is no single moment you have to be seated for. Four things are happening: the Garden itself, the vendor village, the Micro Speed Pitching Showcase, and the Pack the Box drive. Take them in whatever order suits you.

The most useful thing you can do is spread out your arrival. Doors open at 5:30 and the program begins at 6:00, so the heaviest crowding will be right at six. If you come earlier and walk the Garden first, you will have a better evening — and so will everyone behind you. Wander, come back, sit down, go out again. Nothing is missed by moving at your own pace.
Bellevue Botanical Garden is a living collection and a public garden, open to other visitors that same day. Please stay on the paths, leave the plantings alone, keep an eye on little ones near the beds, and take your cups and plates with you. Treat it the way you would someone's home, because that is closer to the truth than a venue rental. We would very much like to be invited back.
Pack the Box is our back-to-school drive, and everything collected goes to the schools with the highest need, PreK through high school. Bring anything new and unwrapped to the registration table when you arrive.

Bellevue and most neighboring districts now provide required classroom supplies, so the most useful gifts are the things they don't cover — backpacks, headphones, hygiene items, adaptive and sensory supplies, and the classroom items teachers buy with their own money. Gift cards are the easiest of all. See the full list of supply ideas.
Garden casual — think effortless evening wear. Layers are recommended as the temperature can shift from the warm afternoon into a cooler twilight. Shoes you can stand and stroll in, since most of the evening is spent on your feet. The botanical setting invites a celebratory, culturally expressive aesthetic — wear what makes you feel beautiful and yourself.
August 23 · 2026

See you in the golden light.

RSVP is free. Bring your people. Wear something that makes you feel beautiful. Plan to stay for the twilight social.

RSVP Free on Eventbrite → Become a Sponsor