☕ Good morning! It's Thursday, July 23.
After a couple of hot days, Tacoma is cooling down with a packed weekend. From the 16th Annual Samoa Cultural Day and Parkway Tavern’s 90th anniversary block party to outdoor movies, live music, and local markets, here is everything happening around town.
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🌺 16th Annual Samoa Cultural Day
Three days of traditional food, live music, dance, and island culture in Tacoma
The Asia Pacific Cultural Center is hosting its 16th Annual Samoa Cultural Day this Thursday through Saturday (July 23–25), with three days of music, food, dance, and community celebration featuring Jerome Grey & Sons and The Jets.
Thursday, July 23 (6:30 pm): Samoa Community Banquet at the APCC (4851 S Tacoma Way) with traditional food, cultural sharing, and fellowship.
Friday, July 24 (6:30 pm): Youth Gospel Night at the APCC, with music and performances led by local youth.
Saturday, July 25 (All Day): The Tanoa Festival at Mt. Tahoma High School Baseball Field, hosted by BIG UCE Radio, with live music, cultural dance, local vendors, and island flavors.
📰 Community
Tacoma: Parkway Tavern 90th Anniversary Celebration (Saturday, July 26)
Historic North End landmark Parkway Tavern is turning 90! Drop by this Saturday, July 26, for an all-day block party from 11 a.m. to close. Enjoy live music and DJs in the back beer garden starting at 1 p.m., special drinks, cocktails, and commemorative gear.
Tacoma: Free BIPOC Health and Wellness Fair (Saturday, July 25)
Celebrate community, culture, and health at the Eastside Community Center (1721 E 56th St.) this Saturday, July 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hosted by Abundance Health LLC, this free event features guest speakers, local food, special giveaways, and hourly raffle prizes. No RSVP required to attend, though attendees can register online ahead of time for prize draws.
🎟 Tacoma Events
Thursday 23
Free Thursday Neighborhood Nights | 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Tacoma Art Museum (TAM), Tacoma
Price: Free admission
Description: Experience the museum after hours with free admission, community partner programs, live entertainment, hands-on artmaking in the TAM Studio, and bites or drinks available at the TAM Cafe.
West Coast Swing Classes | 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Tacoma Dance Studios (1127 Broadway)
Price: $15 per class ($10 for seniors and military)
Description: An open-level West Coast Swing lesson with instructor Steven Chith, covering footwork, coordination, and technique. No partner required.
Friday 24
Tipsy Portraits | 5:00 pm
Location: Steel Creek, Tacoma
Price: Tickets $56.16
Description: A fun partner painting event where you paint each other's portraits, badly, hilariously, on purpose. Includes all supplies and two drink tokens. No skills required.
Motors & Movies: Disney and Pixar's Cars | 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Location: LeMay – America’s Car Museum
Price: Free admission
Description: An outdoor screening of Cars on a 40-foot screen under the stars. Bring lawn chairs or blankets; concessions and food trucks on site.
No Show! All Play | 7:00 pm
Location: Airport Tavern
Price: Free admission
Description: A casual game-night lounge event when the stage is dark. Enjoy free entry, classic arcade cabinets, pinball, darts, drinks, and a crowd-curated jukebox.
Saturday 25
Model T Experience | 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Location: LeMay Collections at Marymount
Price: $175 (tickets)
Description: Learn to drive a Model T, including its unique three-pedal mechanics and history. Includes 1-on-1 instruction through the Marymount grounds, a tour, t-shirt, and graduation certificate. Must be 18+ with a valid license and insurance.
I Respect Black Festival | 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Location: Wright Park
Date: Saturday, July 25th – Sunday, July 26th, 2026
Price: Free admission
Description: A two-day community celebration of unity, culture, and healing, with live entertainment, Black-owned vendors, food trucks, youth activities, and community resources.
Forged in Fire: Early American Glass | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: Museum of Glass
Price: Free (RSVP requested)
Description: Kick off a six-part series celebrating America's 250th with a glass history lecture on colonial Jamestown at 1:00 pm, followed by a live Hot Shop demo recreating period pieces at 2:00 pm.
Korean Pellet Drum Youth and Family Workshop | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: The Remakery (1102 Tacoma Ave S, Suite 206), Tacoma
Price: Free
Description: A free, family-friendly workshop hosted by Tacoma Arts Live where participants build and decorate their own traditional Korean pellet drum. All ages and skill levels welcome.
Sunday 26
Tour de Donut 2026 | 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Location: 2nd Cycle (1205 Martin Luther King Jr Way)
Price: Free ($40 suggested donation)
Description: A casual, ~20-mile community bicycle ride stopping at four of Tacoma’s best local donut shops. Starts and ends at 2nd Cycle, with all proceeds directly supporting youth and community bike programs.
Salsa & Bachata: Beginner Lesson & Social Dance Party | 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: The Avelon Ballroom (2315 6th Ave), Tacoma
Price: $15 cover at the door (includes lesson and social dance)
Description: An intro Latin dance night with a Salsa and Bachata lesson from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, followed by open social dancing until 9:00 pm. No partner or experience needed.
🎟 Outisde Tacoma
Thursday 23
FSB Book Club: Dungeon Crawler Carl | 7:00 pm
Location: Fircrest Bottle Shop, Fircrest
Price: Free
Description: A casual community book club meetup dedicated to Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Readers at all points in the series are welcome for spoiler-conscious discussion, drinks, and snacks.
Friday 24
Goodguys 38th Pacific Northwest Nationals | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup
Date: Friday, July 24th – Sunday, July 26th
Price: $27 advance / $30 at gate (Adults), $10 advance / $11 at gate (Kids 7–12), Free for kids 6 & under (tickets)
Description: The region’s largest hot rod event featuring over 2,500 classic cars, trucks, and muscle cars. Includes a swap meet, car sales corral, vendor marketplace, live music, and twilight cruising.
Fridays in July: Open Late | 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Location: Pacific Bonsai Museum, Federal Way
Price: Free admission
Description: Extended evening hours until 7:00 pm with a guided "Breathing with Bonsai" walking meditation (5:30–6:30 pm), live sketching with Urban Sketchers Tacoma, and access to the Bonsai United exhibition.
Saturday 25
University Place Twisted Cider 5K, 12K & 1K | 8:00 am
Location: Curran Apple Orchard Park, University Place
Price: $65–$70 for 5K/12K; $10 for Kids 1K (register)
Description: A scenic run/walk through University Place with views of Puget Sound and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Gentle rolling hills, flat sections, post-race snacks, and an optional 1K kids' course.
6th Annual Hot Sauce Festival | 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Location: McMillin Farm, Puyallup
Date: Saturday, July 25th – Sunday, July 26th
Price: Free admission (registration required)
Description: A two-day festival featuring over 30 Pacific Northwest vendors offering sauce tastings, food trucks, craft beverages, live music, and a hot wing eating competition.
Wilkeson Days Parade and Handcar Races | 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Location: Historic Coke Oven Park, Wilkeson
Date: Saturday, July 25th – Sunday, July 26th
Price: Free admission ($5 per person to enter handcar races)
Description: A town festival honoring local railroad and coal mining heritage, with a grand parade at 11:00 am, competitive handcar races at 12:45 pm, a beer garden, vendor markets, food, and live music.
6th Annual Blues Show | 5:30 pm
Location: Johnson Farm Stage (9306 Otso Point Rd), Anderson Island
Price: Free (donations welcomed)
Description: The 6th annual outdoor blues concert hosted by Anderson Island Arts, featuring the Stacy Jones Band and Nick Vigarino. Proceeds support local arts programs.
Sunday 26
Pride 5K | 9:30 am
Location: Bradley Lake Park, Puyallup
Price: $40 registration fee (includes custom bib and commemorative finisher medal)
Description: A family-friendly, non-competitive run/walk centered on community unity, equality, and visibility. The course loops through Bradley Lake Park and the adjacent Pierce College Puyallup campus.
Intro to Shibori with Indigo Dyeing | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Dream Maker Creative, Gig Harbor / Key Peninsula
Price: $60 (registration required)
Description: A hands-on workshop covering traditional Japanese resist-dyeing techniques using indigo and fiber-reactive dyes. Learn folding, binding, and clamping methods and take home three dyed cotton tea towels. Ages 12+.
🎸 Music
Events marked with ($) are paid events
Thursday 23
Garret T. Willie | McMenamins Elk Temple - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
The Ante Up Band | Cockrell Cider Farm - Puyallup | 5:00 pm (free)
Infinite Project (Journey Tribute) | Pioneer Park - Puyallup | 6:30 pm (free)
James Lee Murray Band | Curran Apple Orchard Park - University Place | 6:30 pm (free)
Friday 24
Grieves | McMenamins Elk Temple - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
Cockaphonix- Vinyl Release Party with Los Mal Hablados, Those Damn Animals and Swedey | Jazzbones - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
2 The Teeth, Infight, MMA, Madddawg | Real Art Tacoma | 6:30 pm ($)
Dain Norman | Prohibition Cellars - Tacoma | 6:00 pm ($)
Southern Rootz Band | Zesty Steakhouse - Lakewood | 8:00 pm (free)
Tam Cureaux | Cockrell Cider Farm - Puyallup | 5:00 pm (free)
Nick Givarink l Kimball Coffeehouse - Gig Harbor | 7:00 pm (free)
Lexi Nguyen & Band | Heritage Park - Sumner | 6:30 pm (free)
Alabama Shakes | Dune Peninsula - Point Defiance | 6:00 pm ($)
Saturday 25
Parabola (Tool tribute), Sugar Of A Down (System of a Down tribute) | McMenamins Elk Temple - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
Fighting Foos, Business Of Misery, Mass Nerder | Airport Tavern - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
Evangeline Rae's Album Release, Collin Salcido, Lili | Real Art Tacoma | 6:30 pm ($)
Sunday 26
About Jerry Miller: Commemorative Plaque Dedication | McMenamins Elk Temple - Tacoma | 4:00 pm (free)
Cyanate, Defier, Vanished, Psyclops | Real Art Tacoma | 6:30 pm ($)
ENHYPEN World Tour ‘Blood Saga’ | Tacoma Dome | 7:30 pm ($)
😆 Comedy
Jeff Dunham: Artificial Intelligence Tour | 8:00 pm (Doors at 7:00 pm)
Location: EQC Event Center (2920 East R St), Tacoma
Date: Friday, July 24th, 2026
Price: Tickets start around $72
Description: Stand-up comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham brings his "Artificial Intelligence" tour to Tacoma, with his iconic cast including Walter, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, Peanut, and Bubba J for a night of sharp laughs.
🛍 Local Markets
Broadway Farmers Market | 9th & Broadway, Tacoma, Thursdays 10 am - 2 pm
University Place Farmers Market | Curtis High School Stadium, UP, Thursday 23, 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Waterfront Farmers Market | Skansie Brothers Park, Thursdays 1 - 6 pm
DuPont Farmers Market | Clocktower Park, Thursdays 3 - 7 pm
Tacoma Proctor Farmers' Market | Corner of N. 27th St. &, N Proctor St, Tacoma, Saturdays 9 am - 2 pm
Northwest Metaphysical Market | 916 Broadway, Tacoma, Saturday 25, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Pacific Northwest Night Market | Point Ruston, Tacoma, Saturday 25, 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The Village Farmers Market | Frontier Park, Sundays 10 am - 3 pm
Gothic Curios: Real Art Tacoma 2026 Artist Market Series | Real Art Tacoma, Sunday July 26, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Haunted Farmers Market | S 54th St & S Tacoma Way, Tacoma, Sunday 26, 11:00 to 4:00 pm
☀ Weather
🖖 Before we go
Junk in Your Trunk Community Garage Sale
If you love hunting for unique finds and hidden bargains, head over to the Fruitland Grange in Puyallup this Saturday, July 25 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Now in its fourth year, this community-wide trunk sale brings together local neighbors and flea market sellers in one place.
Admission and parking are completely free for shoppers. Plus, if you have a garage full of stuff you've been meaning to clear out, you can still reserve an 18' x 18' spot for $25 to pull up your vehicle and sell. Details and vendor registration are up at FruitlandGrange.org.
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next Thursday.