Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Maritime Gig Festival and so much more this weekend

Posted on May 28th, 2024 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

The Maritime Gig Festival happens this weekend on the downtown waterfront. Saturday’s lineup starts with a pancake breakfast in Skansie Park at 8 a.m. (sponsored by Kiwanis), and also features a parade at 10 a.m., a fun run, vendor booths, a car show and live musical entertainment.

The festivities continue Sunday and include the annual Blessing of the Fleet, in which the boats of the city’s commercial fishing fleet will be blessed by the priest from St. Nicholas Catholic Church at 1 p.m.

Find a complete schedule of Gig Fest events here.

At the BoatShop

Artist and commercial fisherman Tom Crestodina will present “An Artist’s View of How Fishermen Catch Our Seafood” at noon and 3 p.m. Saturday, June 1, at the Boatyard House at Eddon Park.

Crestodina will discuss the methods and types of gear — such as nets, pots, and hook-and-line gear — used to catch seafood. Crestodina has worked as a fisherman in Alaska for more than 20 years.

He began making cutaway drawings of the boats he was working on as a way to communicate with children. Soon friends and acquaintances were asking for drawings of their commercial boats, and that led Tom down the path of illustrating the Northwest’s maritime trades. Presentation tickets at: https://www.gigharborboatshop.org/events

Crestodina will be on hand for a “Meet the Artist” get-together between the presentations. The Boatyard House is at 3805 Harborview Dr.

Art Walk

Works by more than 50 local artists will be on display in downtown galleries from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 1, during the June Art Walk. Participating galleries include:

At Ebb Tide Gallery, 7909 Pioneer Way, Olalla artist Josi Callan will show her oil and watercolor paintings.
Woodstock Gift Gallery, 3120½ Harborview Drive, has Northwest photography, digital art, fused and blown glass and Houston Liew’s Spiritiles.
Abstract painter Barbara Bleich is the featured artist at Mavi Contemporary Art Gallery, 3126 Harborview Drive.
Kathleen van der Speck’s repurposed clothing is available at Harbornest Décor and Designs, 3311 Harborview Drive.
Mola-inspired paintings by Sue Kopps Casillas are featured at Harbor History Museum, 4121 Harborview Drive.
Waters Edge Framery and Gallery, 7808 Pioneer Way, will offer a 20% discount on all framing projects during Art Walk.

Community college art show

An exhibit of photographs by Tacoma Community College-Gig Harbor art professor Alice Di Certo runs through June 7 in the campus gallery. Di Certo titled the show “Home Away from Home: Immigrants, Refugees and Undocumented Citizens.” It features Di Certo’s photographic portraits of people who, like her, came from other countries to make their homes in the U.S.

Live music

Steve Pontius brings his finger-style guitar playing to the Olalla Winery Friday, May 31. His set list spans a range of musical genres from classical to pop and rock, plus original tunes. Music starts a 6:30 p.m. Reserve tickets here.

Steve Pontius

At the movies

The Flashback Cinema movie at the Galaxy Theatres in Uptown on Wednesday, May 29, is “Back to the Future” showing at noon and 6 p.m. Sunday’s Flashback movie is “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” It’s the off-the-wall comedy about slacker musician Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) who falls for enigmatic Amazon delivery girl Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). But there’s a problem: to win her love he must first defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends. Mayhem ensues. Showtimes are noon and 6 p.m. Flashback movies are just $5.

The Galaxy’s SumFest movie series kicks off Friday, May 31 with “Despicable Me” playing at 11:30 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. The movie also plays June 1 at 10 a.m. and 12:40 p.m.; Sunday, June 2 at 10 a.m. and 12:40 p.m.; Monday, June 3 at 11 a.m. and 4:40 p.m.; June 4 at 11 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. SumFest movies are just $2.

Civic engagement

A new monthly city-sponsored event called Conversation with Council launches from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, at Heritage Distilling, 3118 Harborview Dr. It’s billed as an opportunity to connect with city council members on a more personal level.