☕ Good morning! It's Thursday, October 22nd
The Tacoma Film Festival celebrates 20 years this weekend with opening night parties, global music videos, and indie screenings across the city. Plus, this weekend brings the Washington State Horror Con, the Boo 253 beer fest at the Armory, and the annual Witches Brew paddle.
Here is your quick guide.
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📽 20th Annual Tacoma Film Festival
Independent cinema, global music videos, and opening night parties across Tacoma
The Tacoma Film Festival celebrates 20 years of independent filmmaking with screenings, filmmaker Q&As, and parties across the city.
Opening Night Film & Party (Thursday, Oct 22): Washington premiere of Time Warp, a documentary following an inaugural Rocky Horror shadow cast in Wyoming, with a Q&A from director Allison Berg. After-party at The Poet with the Blue Mouseketeers shadow cast. Transylvanian attire encouraged.
Centerpiece: Track 20 (Friday, Oct 23): A music video showcase at the Blue Mouse Theatre featuring Aphex Twin, Charli xcx, Kendrick Lamar, Talking Heads, and local PNW bands, followed by live encore performances.
Anniversary Archive Screening (Sunday, Oct 25): A 10-year retrospective of Everything Beautiful Is Far Away, starring Julia Garner, with a live Q&A from director Pete Ohs.
Screenings take place at The Grand Cinema and the Blue Mouse Theatre. Festival merch designed by local artist @oh_mygeegee.
📰 Community & News
Tacoma: Pierce Transit Route 100 Detour (Oct 24–Nov 8)
Westbound Pierce Transit Route 100 will detour from Oct. 24 through Nov. 8 during the Narrows Bridge expansion joint repairs. All westbound stops on 6th Avenue between Mildred and Jackson—including the Narrows Park & Ride—will remain closed. Expect significant transit delays heading west toward Gig Harbor.
Tacoma: Zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo (Nov 27–Jan 3)
Point Defiance Zoo’s 39th annual Zoolights returns Nov. 27 through Jan. 3, featuring 1.5 million lights and nighttime views of Thomas Dambo’s wooden trolls. Select Dog Nights and a Jan. 9 Sensory-Friendly Night are also scheduled. Advance timed tickets are available at pdza.org/zoolights.
Tacoma: Credit Unions Donate $15K+ to Public Schools
Five local credit unions—TAPCO, BECU, Gesa, O Bee, and Sound—collaborated on International Credit Union Day to donate $15,385 to Tacoma Public Schools. The contribution funds after-school snacks, program radios, and graduation costs, paired with staff volunteer projects at the STAR Center and Lakewood Boys & Girls Club.
Tacoma: North Slope Park Playground Reopens (Oct 24)
The renovated playground at North Slope Historic Park (N. 8th & N. K streets) has officially reopened with new climbing structures, covered swings, and ADA-compliant surfacing. A community reopening celebration and volunteer planting party is set for this Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
🎟 Events
Thursday 22
Neighborhood Nights | 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Tacoma Art Museum
Price: Free
Description: Explore museum exhibitions with free evening admission, participate in hands-on artmaking in TAM Studio, and enjoy bites and drinks at the cafe.
Arsenic and Old Lace | 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: Tacoma Little Theatre
Date: Friday, October 16th – Saturday, October 31st
Price: $31 adults; $29 students, seniors, and military; $23 children 12 and under
Description: Watch this dark comedic classic unfold as drama critic Mortimer Brewster uncovers his sweet elderly aunts' homicidal habits and scrambles to conceal escalating family antics.
Michael Franti Trio: The Wheeland Brothers (acoustic) | 8:00 pm
Location: Pantages Theater, Tacoma
Price: $59 - $239 (tickets)
Description: Experience an acoustic live performance by the Michael Franti Trio with special guests The Wheeland Brothers on the Heartstrings & Dynamite Tour.
Friday 23
Dog Days | 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
Location: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Price: $25 adult, $20 dog (tickets)
Description: Stroll designated zoo paths with your dog, take photos, and enjoy Halloween-themed fun with dog costumes encouraged.
Washington State Horror Con | Friday: 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm; Saturday: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm; Sunday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: Washington State Fair and Events Center, Puyallup
Date: Friday October 23rd to Sunday October 25th
Price: $35 - $100 (tickets)
Description: Meet horror celebrities for autographs and photo ops, attend panel discussions, and explore over 9,000 square feet of tabletop and video gaming alongside vendor exhibits and fair food.
Bear Grease | 8:00 pm
Location: EQC Event Center, Tacoma
Price: $15 - $21 (tickets)
Description: Experience an all-Indigenous musical parody of Grease blending comedy, hip-hop, powwow-inspired music and dance, and Cree language in a high-energy stage performance.
Saturday 24
Bike and Everyday Science Series #1: Mechanical Science Focus | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: 2nd Cycle, Tacoma
Price: Free (Pre-registration required)
Description: Explore the physics behind friction, leverage, and tension through hands-on bicycle repair mentorship, interactive diagnostics, and essential maintenance checks.
Pumpkin Decoration Printing | 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Write253, Tacoma
Price: Free (All ages)
Description: Craft custom pumpkin decorations in a beginner-friendly letterpress studio printing session.
4th Annual Witches Brew Paddle | 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Gig Harbor Public Boat Launch, Gig Harbor
Price: Free
Description: Dress in witch costumes and paddle kayaks or paddleboards across the harbor to the lighthouse for a group toast and photo before returning to dock.
All Hallows: Creepy Creatures | 6:00 pm
Location: Lakewold Gardens, Lakewood
Price: $10 - $20 (tickets)
Description: Wander candlelit garden paths to find hidden spooky creatures, shop themed vendor booths, and enjoy family craft activities.
Northwest Sinfonietta: The Planets | 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Location: Rialto Theater, Tacoma
Price: $28 - $55 (tickets)
Description: Conductor Mei-Ann Chen leads a live orchestral performance featuring Jessie Montgomery's Starburst, virtuoso theremin, and Holst's The Planets accompanied by projected visuals by Adrian Wyard.
Tacoma Concert Band: Thriller! | 7:30 pm
Location: Pantages Theater, Tacoma
Date: Saturday, October 24th, 2026
Price: $33 - $107 (tickets)
Description: Kick off the concert season with a Halloween-themed performance featuring iconic film scores and haunting classics, with guest costumes encouraged.
Sunday 25
The Last Hand – Swan Creek Haunted Passport Ride | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Swan Creek Mountain Bike Park, Tacoma
Price: $30 (tickets)
Description: Navigate a designated mountain bike trail route to collect stamps across five themed checkpoints, vote on community decorations, and enter prize raffles, with costumes encouraged.
Haunted Farmers Market | 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: S 54th St & S Tacoma Way, Tacoma
Price: Free
Description: Browse over 150 vendors offering oddities, crystals, horror collectibles, flash tattoos, tarot readings, art, macabre fashion, and apothecary goods at this supernatural-themed outdoor street market.
Tacoma Sister Cities Aki Matsuri | 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Eastside Community Center, Tacoma
Price: Free
Description: Celebrate Japanese and global cultures with hands-on Sister City crafts, Japanese dance, taiko drumming, and a live performance by Rakugo storyteller Katsura Sunshine.
A Night at the Movies Costume Concert | 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Location: Pantages Theater, Tacoma
Price: $21 - $51 (tickets)
Description: Young musicians in movie costumes perform iconic cinema scores live, with audience members invited to wear costumes of their own for this family-friendly concert.
🎸 Music
☀ Weather
🖖 Before we go
Boo Five Three Beer Festival at the Armory
Tacoma’s longest-running beer festival returns to the historic Tacoma Armory this Friday, October 23 (6:30–9:30 pm, early entry at 5:30 pm). Regional favorites like 7 Seas, Narrows, Sig Brewing, Great Notion, and Yonder Cider take the parade floor alongside Food Truck Alley, a brewery booth decorating battle, and a costume contest with prizes.
Both GA and early entry passes include 8 tasting tokens, plus a commemorative glass for the first 800 arrivals. Designated driver tickets available. Strictly 21+.
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next Thursday.