☕ Good morning! It's Thursday, October 1st
Over 25 brass bands and street ensembles take over McKinley Hill this Saturday for the free, high-energy Tacoma HONK! Fest. Plus, this weekend brings candlelight tours at Fort Nisqually, the Fife Harvest Festival, Gig Harbor's Scarecrow Festival, and live wrestling at the Armory.
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🎺 Tacoma HONK! Fest
Energetic brass bands, street performances, and dancing take over McKinley Hill
Tacoma HONK! Fest brings a blast of high-energy street band music to the McKinley Hill business district this Saturday, October 3, from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The festival is completely free, non-stop, and trades formal concert halls for sidewalks, cross streets, and alleys where moving and dancing are encouraged.
Over 25 Pacific Northwest brass bands, drum lines, and street ensembles, including host band Tacomarama, 8-bit Brass Band, and Filthy Fem Corps; performing outdoors in public spaces.
Continuous live sets rotating across four designated neighborhood performance areas: Beware Bear, Harrison Honker, Morton St Snail, and Library Lil’ Guys.
Head to the Harrison Honker area at 6:30 PM for a community-wide "THONK! Karaoke" wrap-up.
Skip the hassle of street parking—walk, bike, or take Pierce Transit directly into McKinley Hill so you can wander freely between performance spots.
📰 Community / News
Tacoma: Berliner Beerhall Under New Ownership
Downtown’s Berliner Beerhall has new stewards: Daniel and Jennifer Espinosa, owners of Over the Moon Cafe. The German menu, pretzels, beer list, and Oktoberfest festivities aren't going anywhere; expect the same beloved vibe, now updated with takeout, phone ordering, and table reservations.
Tacoma: Upcoming Lane Closures on Westbound Narrows Bridge
Heads up for Gig Harbor commuters: WSDOT is closing the two right westbound lanes of the 1950 Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the Jackson Avenue on-ramp around the clock for two weeks this October to install a temporary expansion joint. The $140,000 fix is designed to keep traffic moving until a full replacement in 2027. Exact dates to be announced soon.
Tacoma: Pizzeria Fondi Closing Proctor Location (Oct 3)
Pizzeria Fondi is officially closing its Proctor District restaurant on Saturday, October 3. Fans of their wood-fired pies can still visit their Gig Harbor location across the bridge, where Proctor gift certificates and reward points will continue to be honored.
Tacoma: Anaïs Coffee Grand Opening at Edison Square (Friday, Oct 2)
Celebrate the grand opening of Anaïs Coffee inside Edison Square this Friday, October 2. Regular coffee service starts at 7:00 a.m., with neighborhood festivities running from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Stop by to check out pop-up tables from local makers plus afternoon raffles and giveaways.
🎟 Events
Thursday 1
Free Thursday Neighborhood Nights | 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma
Price: Free
Description: Free evening museum admission featuring open gallery access, hands-on artmaking in TAM Studio, and programming with local community partners.
Watson’s Twilight & Tales | 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Watson's Greenhouse & Nursery, Puyallup
Price: Free (RSVP)
Description: An after-hours greenhouse shopping evening featuring Halloween displays and a 6:00 pm local ghost storytelling session by Pretty Gritty Tours.
Friday 2
Candlelight Tour | 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, Tacoma
Date: Friday, October 2nd to Saturday, October 3rd
Price: $26 adults / $19 youth (ages 4–17) / Free for ages 3 and under (tickets)
Description: An outdoor evening walking tour illuminated by campfires and candlelight, featuring over 100 historical interpreters recreating 1859 Hudson’s Bay Company life with period music, games, and trades.
Adult Pickleball | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Tacoma
Price: Free
Description: Open-play community pickleball evening welcoming adult players of all skill and experience levels.
Saturday 3
Tacoma HONK! Fest | Click here for schedule and performers
Location: McKinley Hill Business District, Tacoma
Price: Free
Description: An energetic, interactive street band festival taking over the sidewalks and alleys of McKinley Hill with live brass, percussion, and cultural music performances.
Tacoma Uke Fest | 9:30 am – 4:45 pm
Location: Ted Brown Music (6228 Tacoma Mall Blvd), Tacoma
Price: Free
Description: An all-day celebration of the ukulele featuring open jams, beginner chord workshops, string demos, raffles, and live performances by Del Rey and The Flea Circus.
Fife Harvest Festival | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: Dacca Park, Fife
Price: Free admission
Description: An autumn community festival with live music, food trucks, motorcycle stunts by the Seattle Cossacks, extreme trampoline shows, a beer garden, bounce houses, and free corn on the cob while supplies last.
Scarecrow Festival | 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: Sehmel Homestead Park, Gig Harbor
Price: Free
Description: An all-ages fall community festival featuring a scarecrow contest, pumpkin launcher, petting zoo, inflatables, live music, local vendors, and food trucks.
Grit City Championship Wrestling: Trick or Beat | 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: Tacoma Armory (100 S Yakima Ave), Tacoma
Price: $31.95 (tickets)
Description: Live indie pro-wrestling showcase at the historic Tacoma Armory featuring Steve Migs, Astro Imperial, and Diafullah “The Butcher” Dobashi.
Steel Creek Oktoberfest Party | Stein Holding at 10:00 pm, Costume Contest at 11:30 pm
Location: Steel Creek, Tacoma
Price: Free cover before 10:00 pm in traditional Lederhosen/Dirndl attire; standard cover applies otherwise (21+)
Description: An Oktoberfest party featuring a German-inspired menu, a Sam Adams stein-holding competition, and a crowd-judged Lederhosen and Dirndl costume contest awarding $500 in total cash prizes.
Sunday 4
Titlow Centennial Celebration | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Titlow Park & Lodge, Tacoma
Price: Free
Description: A 100-year park celebration with a ceremonial tree planting, history talk, community mural painting, photo scavenger hunt, and an Agents of Discovery mobile mission.
Pumpkin Painting at McMillin Farm | 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Location: McMillin Farm (12517 WA-162), Puyallup
Price: $49 (tickets)
Description: An instructor-led autumn painting session hosted by Artvana where guests use real pumpkins as their canvas, with all paint, tools, and guidance provided.
2026 Annual Meeting & Salmon Bake | 3:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Nisqually Tribe Culture Center & Longhouse, DuPont
Price: $25 suggested donation per adult (register)
Description: A family-friendly community gathering honoring local salmon recovery efforts, featuring a traditional salmon dinner prepared by the Nisqually Indian Tribe, scenic river delta views, and lawn games.
🎸 Music
☀ Weather
🖖 Before we go
🎃 Free-Admission Pumpkin Patches for Fall
Skip the hefty gate fees this autumn! While many regional farms charge steep prices just to walk in, several beloved family farms across Washington still offer free admission and free parking, meaning you only pay for what you pick.
Right in Pierce County, two Puyallup Valley staples lead the pack:
Picha Farms (Puyallup): Open October 3–30 with free entry, free parking, dog-friendly grounds, an easy corn maze, weekend hayrides, and pumpkin slingshots.
Spooner Farms (Puyallup): Open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM along SR-162, offering free admission, free parking, animal viewing, a u-pick patch, and a farm store.
Heading slightly farther out? Olympia’s Rutledge Family Farm offers free patch access daily from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, while Snohomish favorites Craven Farm and Bailey Farm keep their u-pick grounds free to roam. Grab a wagon, bundle up, and enjoy a budget-friendly fall tradition!
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next Thursday.