Welcome to the Amazon Playfield! Depending on the day you’re visiting, there are lots of things that might be happening here. For example, during the summer months we have a twice-weekly community farmers market (an extension of the famous Pike Place Market) where local farmers can set up to sell their produce and goods to South Lake Union residents. Amazon in the Community, an Amazon group focused on giving and building community, regularly organizes volunteer events for employees like assembling disaster-relief kits. We also host local groups like The Girls Scouts of America for STEM education classes. Also in the playfield, you will find free concerts that occur throughout the summer.
You might also notice the silver Airstream trailer which houses our community banana stand. Go ahead and grab one - they are free for everyone! Every day Amazon gives out about 6,000 bananas to anyone passing by. Did you know that a bunch of bananas are referred to as a “hand,” and each individual banana is a “finger”? Also, the people giving out the bananas? We call them “Banistas”, and they are full of other fun banana facts.
At Amazon, we aren’t just giving out community bananas. Our employees, working with a variety of our local charitable partners, delivered over 1.8 million meals to underserved families in the Puget Sound area in 2022. Once a year, you will see this area transformed for Amazon’s global month of volunteering. In September of 2023, Amazon hosted over 1,800 unique volunteer opportunities in over 50 countries. In the Puget Sound area Amazon is the #1 corporate philanthropist donating more than $174 million to 200 nonprofits in 2021 & 2022.
What about what you are seeing in the gardens? The landscape along the exterior walkway separating The Spheres and the Day 1 Playfield features many hardy plants that are related to those inside The Spheres, including begonias, bromeliads, and epiphytic ferns. These species hail from areas around the world, with a focus on species from Asia, South America, and Australia.
As you walk along this northern path, the large tree ferns make it feel as though you’re transported back to the prehistoric era. These ferns live comfortably in Seattle’s cool, rainy climate, but are pampered in winter with special blankets provided by our horticulture team!
