☕ Good morning! It's Thursday, May 28th
SEVENTY48 is back, with human-powered vessels racing 70 miles from our waterfront to Port Townsend. We've also got a new coffee drive-thru opening in North Tacoma, recent orca sightings at Owen Beach, and a packed weekend lineup.
Let's dive in.
⛵ Seventy48
70 Miles. 48 Hours. No Motor.
A human-powered boat race launches from our waterfront this month
On the evening of May 29th, a fleet of kayaks, rowboats, and paddleboards will push off from Tacoma's Thea Foss Waterway and head north — 70 miles north, to Port Townsend. No engines, no support crews, 48 hours on the clock. That's SEVENTY48.
The rules are almost insultingly simple: human power only. Teams (or solo competitors) must reach Port Townsend by 7 PM on May 31st or they're out. What they're really racing against, as the organizers put it, is themselves.
If you're near the waterfront on the 29th, go watch the start or follow it here. It's the kind of thing you don't forget.
📰 Community
Bob’s Brown Night Fundraiser at Parkway Tavern
The Parkway Tavern is teaming up with Georgetown Brewing this Thursday, May 28 (5:00 pm – 8:00 pm), for their annual Bob’s Brown Night. Stop by to buy raffle tickets benefiting the Ronald McDonald House. Prizes include Mariners, Sounders, and Seahawks tickets (with pre-game field passes), local golf packages, and a massive "Experience Tacoma" basket packed with gift cards and swag from neighborhood spots like The Red Hot, E9, and King's Books.
New Drive-Thru "The Coffee Spot" Opening June 1
North Tacoma just gained a fresh morning fuel stop. The Coffee Spot is launching its soft opening at 2518 N. Stevens St. This new neighborhood drive-thru features a full menu of espresso, custom energy drinks, and a variety of breakfast and lunch sandwiches.
🎭 Tacoma Events
Fri 29
Game Night with the Park Guides | 4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Center at Norpoint – 4818 Nassau Ave NE
Description: Free drop-in tabletop gaming with a diverse library of casual and competitive games, including options with Braille components. Bring your own to share.
Sat 30
Spring Mud Mountain Dam Marathon | 8:00 am (tickets)
Location: SCERA – 2115 S C Street
Description: Fully paved downhill marathon and half marathon running along the Carbon River to the historic McMillin Bridge. The marathon drops 1,201 feet from Mud Mountain Dam; the half drops 339 feet from South Prairie. USATF certified and Boston Qualifier eligible with no downhill time penalty.
Discovering Defiance: Drop-in Hikes | 9:00 am
Location: Fort Nisqually Picnic Shelter – Point Defiance Park
Description: A free weekly guided hike every Saturday morning, about 3 miles at a leisurely pace. No registration needed. Dogs on leash and kids with an adult welcome.
Maker's Table Local Art Market | 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location: Tacoma Armory (Roosevelt Room) – 1001 Yakima Ave
Description: A free all-ages art market with a dozen-plus South Sound artists selling affordable originals: ceramics, textiles, jewelry, letterpress prints, glasswork, and handmade books.
Tacoma Community College Art Market | 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location: Tacoma Community College (Parking Lot A) – 6501 S 19th St
Description: A free outdoor market with art and handmade goods from TCC students and local makers, plus food trucks and campus community clubs.
US Open Karaoke: WA Rock Finals | 11:00 am (tickets)
Location: Airport Tavern – 5406 S Tacoma Way
Description: Washington State's regional finals for the US Open Karaoke Championship, rock genre. Finalists compete for a national championship spot, judged on vocals and stage presence. Tickets online or at the door.
Sun 31
Sunday Open Skate | 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Tacoma Armory – 1001 S Yakima Ave
Description: A bi-monthly community skate on the largest flat floor in the Pacific Northwest. All ages and skill levels welcome, with a lively music backdrop. Tickets are $11.50; skate rentals available for $5.
⏭ Outside Tacoma
Waterfront Farmers Market | Thursday 28 - 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Skansie Brothers Park – 3211 Harborview Dr, Gig Harbor
Description: The waterfront market returns for its 2026 season this Thursday, May 21, with fresh produce, baked goods, artisan crafts, and live acoustic music.
Lakewood Street Festival | Friday 29 - 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Motor Ave, Lakewood
Description: Free street festival in the heart of Lakewood this Friday evening, with live music, street dancing, local food, and neighborhood vendors.
Stamp & Scrapbook Expo | Friday 29 and Saturday 30 - 9:00 am
Location: Washington State Fair – 110 9th Ave SW, Puyallup
Description: A weekend expo for paper crafters, card makers, and stampers at the fairgrounds (May 29-30), with vendor booths, new product releases, hands-on workshops, and project swaps. Admission is $12.
6th Annual Community Fishing Tournament | Saturday 30 - 6:00 am to 2:00 pm (tickets)
Location: American Lake Park – 9222 Veterans Dr SW, Lakewood
Description: An all-ages, in-person community fishing tournament open to both seasoned anglers and casual hobbyists. The event features friendly competition, outdoor networking, and prizes for the biggest catch.
🎸 Music
Events marked with ($) are paid events
Thu 28
Live Music: Billy Stoops and The Dirt Angels | Cockrell Cider - 6613 114th Ave. Ct. E. Puyallup - 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm (free)
Snakefoot | McMenamis Spanish Ballroom - Tacoma - 6:00 pm ($)
Good Thursdays: Sounds by DJ Taz and DJ Kure | Jazzbones - Tacoma - 9:30 pm ($)
Seditious Activity, Burnt Out, Meat Beaters, Good For Now | Real Art Tacoma - 7:00 pm ($)
Wesley & The Boys, The Cold Sweats, Ponty's Revenge | New Frontier Tacoma - 9:00 pm ($)
Fri 29
Live Music at Kimball Coffeehouse | Kimball Espresso Gallery - 6659 Kimball Drive Gig Harbor - 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm (free)
Live Music: 3 Trick Pony | Cockrell Cider - 6613 114th Ave. Ct. E.
Puyallup - 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm (free)
Petty Theft (San Francisco tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) | McMenamis Spanish Ballroom - Tacoma - 7:00 pm ($)
Wild Rumours- A Fleetwood Mac Experience | Jazzbones - Tacoma - 8:00 pm ($)
Burial Cloud, Tar Pit, Maggot Sorcerer | Real Art Tacoma - 6:30 pm ($)
2000’s Party: With DJ Indica Jones | Airport Tavern - Tacoma - 9:00 pm ($)
Serpentfoot, Primitive Ring, Pyrex, Endless Joy | New Frontier Tacoma - 7:00 pm ($)
Sat 30
Good Times Roll (The Cars tribute) + Barracuda (Heart tribute) | McMenamis Spanish Ballroom - Tacoma - 7:00 pm ($)
Leah Justine: Album Release Party | Jazzbones - Tacoma - 8:00 pm ($)
4th Annual World Goth Day Celebration | Airport Tavern - Tacoma - 5:30 pm ($)
Sun 31
3 Track Mind | McMenamis Spanish Ballroom - Tacoma - 4:00 pm ($)
⚾ Sports
Tacoma Rainers
Tacoma Rainers vs Las Vegas Aviators | Thursday 28 - 7:05 pm
Tacoma Rainers vs Las Vegas Aviators | Friday 29 - 7:05 pm
Tacoma Rainers vs Las Vegas Aviators | Saturday 30 - 6:05 pm
Tacoma Rainers vs Las Vegas Aviators | Sunday 31 - 1:35 pm
☀ Weather
🖖 Before we go
Owen Beach is Teeming with Wildlife This Week
It’s been a busy few days on the Tacoma shoreline. On Monday, beachgoers got a clear view of a transient orca pod (the T124A1 group) swimming close to the coast alongside a brand-new calf. Check out all the incredible orca photos from ProjectBokehPhoto on Reddit.
ProjectBokehPhoto
Down on the rocks, recent extreme low tides have exposed an unusual number of sea stars, crabs, and octopuses in the tide pools. If you head out to look for them, experts from the Tacoma Nature Center remind beachgoers to give the octopuses space to crawl back to the water on their own and to always use wet fingers when handling any marine life.
Trevor Ducken/Trevor Ducken
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next Thursday.