Tacoma, Tuesdays, Trivia, Tacos, Talent. It’s the truth, there’s stuff to do. We have 19 of those things listed right here (twenty would have sounded so good) and not all of them start with “t.” There’s ballet and book club, wine and film, story time and bingo. So dust off your dancing shoes, clean your spectacles, strap the baby in a stroller, study up on random facts, warm up your vocal chords, and work up an appetite; it’s Tuesday in Tacoma!
This is not an ultimate, all time, best of the best, win or go home, top 5 list. No, we aren’t really bringing that kind of energy to life. This is the 4th edition of 5 things we like in Tacoma from a list of way more things we like in Tacoma. Sound good? An annual rogue art treasure hunt, a tiny slip of sandy beach, an old place to watch new and cult classic films, a weekly opportunity for repairing your stuff, and a spot where the noodles and broth fill you up in a good way. Some of it’s free. All of it’s good. We’re not making any other claims (who needs all that best-stress anyway?).
As we take our first steps into 2024, we’re thinking about home and how we make it. We’re thinking about how we continue to seek, find, and create belonging. In this list we’ve collected 7 ways we’ve made ourselves at home in Tacoma and made friends with the city. Go to a festival, become a regular, follow some local news, help out, be pals with the library, explore local history and art, do something new. After a while you’ve made a connection that didn’t exist before. These 7 ideas aren’t deep Tacoma secrets. Rather, think of this list like suggested ingredients for making yourself at home. Take a look and join us.
This month we’ve created a list focused on 10 ways to give in December. You’ll find 5 sections of recommendations for local gift giving with holiday markets and some of our favorite small shops included, and 5 suggestions for giving outside your circle of friends and family to community and unknown neighbors. All 10 ways of giving put love into the Tacoma community! Read on for a choir made of refugees and USA-born residents offering a concert to celebrate peace, a list of local cafes for coffee lovers, a gift card drive to support clients at the YWCA, a nostalgic holiday movie marathon, a diaper drive to comfort local families, a gift that cares for birds, and more.
We all get by with a little help from our friends. And really, we get by with a little help from strangers too. Be a friend or a friendly stranger by finding one way to support neighbors in the Tacoma community, in Pierce County, or across Washington by choosing from the 5 ways to give on our list. Support affordable housing and mental health, volunteer at a food bank, help prevent displacement due to gentrification, and serve or provide a community meal. Over time, we all have something to give and a real need to receive—most often it’s probably both at once.
March is a month full of events! Tacoma continues rolling out community gatherings, open houses, Ladies Nights, fundraisers, dance parties, exhibitions, learning opportunities, markets, and tours no matter which calendar page is open. Speaking of Ladies’ Nights, March is Women’s History Month, so make the extra effort to learn about ordinary/extraordinary inspiring women; they’re all around you. Take a look at our list of 16 Tacoma events!
February in Tacoma is a month when the gray skies can hang pretty low, but it’s also the month of the Destiny City Film Festival, the month we celebrate lunar new year in the Lincoln District, when we focus on Black History, when we make homemade cards for gals/pals/and partners, when we go outside despite the rain (stalwart Pacific Northwesterners that we are). Take a look at 16 ways to get into the Tacoma community this month!
These monthly Tacoma events posts are becoming a tradition with us. We’re a year and a half-in and we’re on a roll. If you’re feeling more like taking a slow roll after all the holiday festivities we understand! Here’s our advice: Choose one thing from this list of 16. Choose one market, one history night, one celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one open mic, one craft for kids, one community gathering. Then take a pause; that’s good too!
It’s November. We’re not kidding. Get out of the house, out of your head, and into the Tacoma community. I mean, mix some cozy, book-reading, hot-buttered rum sipping, curled-up on the couch times in there too, but then go out and get literary, or party like it’s 1999, celebrate Día de los Muertos, submit your vote, take a cooking class, meet Indigenous artists, support a small business, or gather some friends for a local crafts market. We’ll show you the way.
Are you ready? There’s a chill in the air, October has come, and life goes on. Here’s a list of 25 ways life keeps on going here in Tacoma, a list of gatherings, happenings, fests, events, tours, a list of community opportunities, a list of ways to while away the hours, a list inviting you to join it. And if you’re into the arts, you’re in for a treat because October is Tacoma Arts Month!
It’s August and summer is still singing its song. Join the chorus, hum a harmony, bang a gong, it’s up to you. We’re here with 25 Tacoma events to inspire you to get out and into the world while the sun is still strong. Street fairs, arts fests, homeowner education, history pubs, kid markets, literary shenanigans, volunteering and camping in the great outdoors - you can’t go wrong if you just go.
July is all about celebration in Tacoma! We celebrate Tacoma Pride (yes, it’s finally time for the Tacoma Pride Festival!), We celebrate cultural diversity, food, music, art, history, and a brand new park; we celebrate summer. So here you go, over 21 ways to celebrate the Tacoma community this month.
We’ve compiled another list of 20 Tacoma community events that we absolutely hope will inspire you to reach out into the city we share. You’ll find an abundance of markets, chances to taste wine and beer, cooking classes, kids crafts, outdoor excursions, Japanese American Remembrance events, a food forest, a fix-it fair, and more!
It’s spring in Tacoma; the season of damp dirt, delicate blossom, deep digging, seed scattering, light jackets, unbuttoned cardigans (oh my!), the season of the Lincoln High School Plant Sale, the season when the daffodils go on parade. What else? How about the opening day of the McMenamins Elks Temple, a big Norwegian pancake feed, the Tacoma Sister City Film Festival, and the 4th Annual Black Earth Celebration. Take a look!
We’re back for the 9th month in a row to spread the Tacoma love all around! With over 30 events in this list there’s something for lovers of the indoorsy and outdoorsy, lovers of music, of film, lovers of peace and quiet, lovers of local makers, of discussion, of disruption, of justice, lovers of literacy, of gal pals, lovers of lovers (all kinds), lovers of Tacoma!
Here we go again! Plunge into the Salish Sea, visit the newest wing of the TAM, take a family nature walk, strengthen and calm with yoga, discover local makers at the Night Markets, repair at a Fix-it Fair, clean-up the beach with your community, and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with the City of Tacoma. There’s more. There’s a whole list to help you celebrate the start of 2019.
November is for curling up with a good book and a warm drink, but it’s also for getting out the door for community fundraisers, holiday markets, concerts, tree lightings, fix-it fairs, Tarot readings, and volunteer opportunities. There are so many ways to give back, get involved, and get to know Tacoma!
August has arrived. The final month of what constituted summer vacation when we were youngsters. Don’t despair. Just take each day at a time, and when the mood strikes, check our list of 21 August events all over Tacoma. Listen to music under the open sky, join the Native American Traditional canoe gathering, explore a street fair, or maybe enter a beard competition (seriously).
It’s July. What?! Yes, we can’t escape time moving forward, so let’s embrace it. Here’s our list of 15 July events all over Tacoma. Take a historical walking tour, celebrate the birthday of Tacoma's weirdest most beloved dive bar, enjoy story time with your kid, strengthen and focus with some outdoor yoga, or settle in for live music in the park. Or don’t. You’ll be just fine.
Summer is outdoor market season. Say goodbye to fluorescent lights, muzak, and plastic. Join the general delight created by people selling directly to people with dogs, strollers, weather, and live music in the mix. This is our list of Tacoma Markets (not just Farmers Markets, either!), plus 2 select out of town markets well worth a visit.
