Oct 26 Sunday
Sponsored by KNKX. October is Tacoma Arts Month, featuring a wide variety of arts and culture events, programs, and exhibits for all ages all around Tacoma, some of which are free. There is something for everyone to enjoy: music, dance, and theater performances; hands-on experiences; cultural events; visual art exhibits; literary readings; workshops; and film screenings.
All you have to do is choose what you want to enjoy. Take this opportunity to experience something new as we celebrate Tacoma’s cultural community!
Echoes of the Floating World features a striking collection of 18th, 19th and early 20th-century Japanese woodblock prints from the Tacoma Art Museum and others, displayed alongside works by contemporary Northwest artists. This exhibition honors the rich legacy of ukiyo-e while exploring its cultural impact on today’s artistic expressions.
Hours-
Monday CLOSEDTuesday CLOSEDWednesday 10 am – 5 pmThursday 10 am – 8 pmFriday 10 am – 5 pmSaturday 10 am – 5 pmSunday 10 am – 5 pm
We are protesting project 2025. TacomaRama marching band will join us for the next 4 years. We will meet each month on the Saturday closest to the 18th each month. Always 10am, always Reconciliation park. Feel loved and supported.
The period from the 1870s to the 1900s, known as the Gilded Age, saw the rise of the railroad, textile industry, and production. It also saw a rise in migration to US cities, providing workers to fill low paying jobs producing many of the fashions of the era. This era marked a turning point in fashion as new technologies and changing cultural norms transformed the ways in which people dressed.
Explore this history and enjoy the rare chance to see clothing, notions, and artifacts of the period from the Washington State Historical Society collections.
Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.
Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul embody the profound influence of African American music on culture and history. From the spiritual foundations and transformative movements of Gospel hymns to the revolutionary improvisations of Jazz, the Blues’ Southern roots rising from the Mississippi Delta, and Soul’s powerful amplification of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these genres have defined the unique sound and undying spirit of a nation that continues to echo through contemporary Black music today.
The annual Friday Harbor Documentary Film Festival (FHFF) presents a four-day festival filled with exciting special events. It showcases screenings of 15 feature-length documentaries and blocks of short films across four venues in the heart of town. Films fall into three thematic categories: Tales from the Heart, Explorers & Adventures, and Things to Consider. Most screenings include a Q&A session with the filmmaker. The Young Filmmakers Showcase highlights the work of students aged 13-17 and 18-26 years.
Special events include:• The Opening Night Gala Honoring Filmmakers is a not-to-be-missed festive evening that celebrates all filmmakers in attendance! Following time to enjoy food and drinks, the program includes a video introducing our filmmakers and showcasing all of their films that will be screened at the festival. A highlight of the evening is presentation of the Andrew V. McLaglen Lifetime Achievement Award honoring a person who has made outstanding contributions to raising the general public’s awareness of important issues, either through activism or filmmaking. The evening concludes with viewing one of the festival’s most intriguing feature films.• The Filmmakers Forum - The relaxed, informal Filmmakers’ Forum provides you with the opportunity to learn about the art of filmmaking -- how films are planned, filmed, and produced – from the people who made this year’s films. Visiting filmmakers participate in a lively discussion of their experiences creating the fabulous documentaries being screened at the festival. Audience members are welcome to enter the conversation, asking questions or offering comments. • Awards Ceremony - Join us to celebrate the Festival’s best films as determined by votes from the audience! Audience Choice Awards are presented for Best Overall Feature, Best Explorers and Adventures, Best Things to Consider, Best Tales from the Heart, Best Short Film, and Best Young Filmmakers Showcase in 2 age groups. The Local Hero Award will honor a local person or organization who has made a significant impact on life in the San Juan Islands. The Best Overall Feature winner will be screened following the awards ceremony.
Plan now to visit Friday Harbor and enjoy all FHFF has to offer. See you at the movies!
Celebrate fall with a bounty of family-friendly thrills and spooky treats at Boo Bash, Oct. 25–31. Enjoy Halloween-inspired delights without the fright!
Boo Bash Activities:
• Explore fluorescent fun in our Glow Zone.• Wander the straw bale maze and take farm-stand photos.• Press apples into cider with Farmer Flower. (Weekend Only)• Watch exciting science demos with our favorite mad scientist – Dr. Science. (Weekend Only)• Show off your spook-tacular style and strut your stuff in the costume parade. (Weekend Only)• and so much more!
This is a permanent exhibition. Since time immemorial, Tribal nations have existed in this place we call Washington. This Is Native Land invites visitors to understand Washington State through the lived experiences and voices of its Native people.
Tribal nations are sovereign nations. Today, Native history, culture, and community thrive in our state. Through everyday acts of sovereignty – big and small – Indigenous peoples demonstrate they are still here, they have persevered, and they will always be here.
This Is Native Land is guided by three teachings:We are of the land and watersWith knowledge comes responsibilitySovereignty protects people, lands, and waters
These teachings are shared through multimedia, artwork, and interactive objects designed for guest engagement. They represent a contemporary continuation of Tribal stories and traditions.
Over 100 Native contributors from more than 60 Tribes shaped the exhibition’s stories and content. We thank the Native Advisory Committee and all community participants for their contributions.
Stories are shaped by the ways we tell them. In Shaping the Story: Designs for the Theatre by Carey Wong, go behind the scenes to see how theatre sets bring stories to life. During a career spanning over 50 years, Carey Wong has designed sets and costumes for more than 300 productions, including operas, plays, musicals, and ballets.
This exhibition features scale models of his designs in addition to costumes, set pieces, and stories of Washington’s rich entertainment history. From sketches of an idea to fully realized sets, explore how a designer’s decisions craft the world of a story.
LeMay – America’s Car Museum proudly presents The Birth of the American Supercar, a groundbreaking exhibition guest curated by renowned automotive innovator Steve Saleen. This one-of-a-kind display invites guests on an exhilarating journey through the evolution of American supercars. From early speed pioneers to cutting-edge modern marvels, visitors will experience a stunning lineup of vehicles that have redefined engineering, speed, and style, built by a wide range of American automotive manufacturers like Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Saleen himself, and even some more obscure ones like Vector, Cunningham, and Hennessey. From roaring V8s to sleek carbon-fiber bodies, discover how American automakers pushed boundaries, challenged European rivals, and redefined what a supercar could be. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see some of the most thrilling and historically significant American-made performance vehicles ever built—all under one roof.
