☕ Good morning! It's Thursday, June 25th
Summer kicks off with the massive TASTE Northwest food festival, a Victorian farm-to-table dinner, and human slug races at Northwest Trek. Add live-scored classic cinema and lowriders under the Tacoma Dome, and you've got your ultimate South Sound weekend guide.
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The South Sound's massive food festival returns to the Washington State Fair Events Center this Friday through Sunday (June 26–28). Admission is free, and every vendor serves $6 "Tastes" so you can sample a bit of everything without breaking the bank.
Food & Drink: 65+ vendors with small plates, plus 5 bars pouring craft beer, cider, margaritas, and cocktails.
Entertainment: Live music, comedy, and chef demos across multiple stages all weekend.
Fun & Games: Axe throwing, mini-golf, bounce houses, a giant slide, and VR games.
Special Events: The Puyallup Paddle Battle Pickleball Tournament runs all weekend, and don't miss the 1st Annual Corgi Races on Sunday.
Entry is free, but you can save up to 36% on food vouchers and activity tickets by buying Taste Packs online ahead of time. They aren't sold at the gate, so grab them online before you go.
Hours: Friday & Saturday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM | Sunday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
📰 Community
New Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital Officially Opens
A big win for South Sound families: the new Mary Bridge Children's Hospital is officially open. The expanded facility features larger patient rooms, updated technology, and more capacity to meet the community's growing pediatric healthcare needs. It may not make daily headlines, but its impact on Tacoma families will be felt for generations.
🎭 Tacoma Events
Fri 26
Dine We Must | 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Fort Nisqually Living History Museum
Price: $25.99 (tickets)
Description: A farm-to-table outdoor dinner with Victorian flair — live music, period desserts, historic games, and a tour of the grounds. Upscale PNW or cocktail attire requested; living history dress welcome.
Motors & Movies: Ford v Ferrari | 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Location: LeMay – America's Car Museum, Tacoma
Price: Free
Description: Kick off summer drive-in season with Ford v. Ferrari under the stars. Bring any vehicle and set up for a night of cars, food, music, and community. Movie starts after sunset.
Sat 27
Mixology 100 with DJ Deadflip | 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Black Night Market (1001 S Yakima Ave, Suite 15)
Price: $15 (tickets)
Description: Open to the public, this hands-on workshop introduces the fundamentals of DJing, covering mixing, transitions, and equipment basics. Participants can try out a real DJ board and are welcome to bring their own tracks on a USB drive. Snacks are provided.
“L’Inferno” (1911) with Live Score | 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Location: Tacoma Art Museum
Date: Saturday, June 27th, 2026
Price: Free with registration
Description: Experience L'Inferno, Italy's first full-length feature film, with a live original score by acclaimed cellist Lori Goldston (formerly of Nirvana) and multi-instrumentalist Corey J. Brewer.
Pacific Northwest Night Market | 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Point Ruston Waterwalk
Price: Free admission (Free parking garage)
Description: An all-ages, pet-friendly market with local art, handmade treasures, and PNW-themed goods, including flash tattoos. Kids can enjoy free face painting and crafts.
A Journey to Oz | 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Tacoma Armory (Parade Floor)
Price: $22.00 (tickets)
Description: Follow the yellow brick road in this dance performance featuring dancers of all ages. Presented by the PNW Dance Foundation and ACE, the show celebrates storytelling through movement and supports inclusive arts opportunities in the Pacific Northwest.
Northwest Metaphysical Market | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: 916 Broadway (Between S 9th & S 11th), Tacoma, WA
Description: An eclectic outdoor market set across from Antique Row, with local vendors, unique crafts, and offerings centered on metaphysical interests.
Sun 28
Point Defiance Bird Walk | 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Location: Point Defiance Park
Price: Free
Description: Join a Park Guide for an all-ages bird walk through the forest, covering up to two miles of unpaved, uneven trail. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair on request. Registration required.
Owen Beach Low Tide Tour | 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Location: Owen Beach (Meet at the concession picnic tables)
Price: Free ($2 suggested donation appreciated)
Description: Join Harbor WildWatch biologists for a hands-on look at the intertidal zone during low tide. All ages can safely touch and discover sea stars, crabs, and anemones while learning about ocean conservation.
⏭ Outside Tacoma
55th Tacoma Highland Games | Friday 26 & Saturday 27 | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Location: Frontier Park, Graham
Price: $20 Adults | $17 Seniors, Kids & Military | Kids 3 & under free (tickets)
Description: Kick off the weekend Friday with a free Celtic concert and open beer garden from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Saturday features the main games celebrating Scottish heritage with traditional piping, drumming, Highland dancing, athletic competitions, and an evening ceilidh party.
Freedom Fest | Friday 26 & Saturday 27 | (full schedule)
Location: Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Price: Free admission (Carnival, Kids World, and vendors require payment)
Description: Celebrate America's 250th birthday with live music from American Authors, military displays, a carnival, a beer garden, and fireworks. June 26 is military-only; June 27 is open to the public (pre-registration and shuttle required for non-DoD ID holders).
2026 Gig Harbor Garden Tour | Saturday 10 am-5 pm and Sunday 11 am-3 pm
Slug Fest | Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 | 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Location: Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Eatonville
Price: Free with park admission or membership (tickets)
Description: The 43rd annual Slug Fest celebrates the Northwest's most iconic slime-makers with human slug races, tentacle crafting, and a look at the banana slug's vital role in the ecosystem.
Fircrest Strawberry Festival | Sunday 27 | 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Fircrest Park, Fircrest
Price: Free admission
Description: Kick off summer with live bands, local artists, makers, and food trucks. Grab fresh berries from Harbor Greens, strawberry-themed treats, and the famous Fircrest Kiwanis strawberry shortcakes, and keep an eye out for the Strawberry Princess.
18th Annual Fife Community Car Show | Sunday 28 | 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Location: Dacca Barn, Fife
Price: Free admission | $25 for car entries (register)
Description: A car show with all the trimmings, food, vendors, music, raffles, and awards.
🎸 Music
Events marked with ($) are paid events
Thu 25
Squeaky Feet | McMenamins Elk Temple - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
Avenue East with The Requisite and Less Than Three | Jazzbones - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
Sons of Zion | Airport Tavern - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
SweetKiss Momma | Cockrell - Puyallup | 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Open Mic with Chrissy Dykes | Kimball Coffeehouse - Gig Harbor | 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri 26
No More Enemies | McMenamins Elk Temple - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
Kings Kaleidoscope | Airport Tavern - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
Surferz vs Bikerz: Black Ends, Flesh Produce, Fatal Femmes, Capala | Real Art Tacoma | 6:30pm - 10:30pm ($)
Taylor Hunnicutt | Steel Creek - Tacoma | 5:00 pm ($)
In Cameo | Cockrell - Puyallup | 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sat 27
Girl Trouble, As Is Album Release Show | McMenamins Elk Temple - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
Ellis Bullard/Josh Weathers | Jazzbones - Tacoma | 8:00 pm ($)
Negative Creep, Outshined, Jar of Flies | Airport Tavern - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
The Rat Utopia Experiment, Kapslock, Beautiful Freaks, Visitor Coach | Real Art Tacoma | 6:30pm - 11:30pm ($)
Gin Creek | Rock the Dock Pub and Grill - Tacoma | 7:00 pm ($)
Tupelo | The Spar Tavern - Tacoma | 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm ($)
The Alice Party Rooftop Show | Bobs Java Jive - Tacoma | 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm ($)
Sun 28
Igor and The Red Elvises | Jazzbones - Tacoma | 8:00 pm ($)
Hank Shreve Band | The Spar Tavern - Tacoma | 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm ($)
⚽ Sports
Tacoma Rainiers
Tacoma Rainiers vs. Round Rock Express | Thursday 25 | 7:05 pm
Tacoma Rainiers vs. Round Rock Express | Friday 26 | 7:05 pm
Tacoma Rainiers vs. Round Rock Express | Saturday 27 | 6:05 pm
Tacoma Rainiers vs. Round Rock Express | Sunday 28 | 1:35 pm
Washington Wild Things
Washington Wild Things vs. Windy City Thunderbolts | Thursday 25 | 7:05 pm
Washington Wild Things vs. Joliet Slammers | Friday 26 | 7:05
Washington Wild Things vs. Joliet Slammers (G1) | Saturday 27 | 5:05
Washington Wild Things vs. Joliet Slammers (G2) | Saturday 27 | 7:35
Washington Wild Things vs. Joliet Slammers | Sunday 28 | 4:05
😆 Comedy
Rodney Carrington - Live 2026 | Thursday 25 - 7:00 pm (tickets)
Location: EQC Event Center - Tacoma
Description: Multi-platinum comedian Rodney Carrington brings his live act to the stage for a night of nonstop laughs, country-flavored comedy songs, and new material. Strictly 21+.
🧑🌾 Farmers Market
Tacoma Farmers Market | 9th & Broadway, Thursdays 10 am - 2 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
The Village Farmers Market | Frontier Park, Sundays 10 am - 3 pm
Haunted Farmers Market | S 54th St & S Tacoma Way, Sunday 24 11 am - 4 pm
☀ Weather
🖖 Before we go
The Super Show Pulls into the Tacoma Dome
The Tacoma Super Show takes over the Tacoma Dome this Saturday, June 27, with hundreds of the Pacific Northwest's cleanest lowriders, classic bombs, and custom builds. Hosted by Impalas Magazine, the day also features a live concert with West Coast hip-hop staples RBL Posse and Celly Cel, plus the fan-favorite hydraulics hop competition. Get tickets here.
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next Thursday.