Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | The calendar says spring, but summer events start now

Posted on June 4th, 2024 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

Farmers Market season starts this week and runs from 1 to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 29 (except July 4) at Skansie Park. This year there will be more farmers and fewer craft vendors, according to the Waterfront Alliance.

Market-goers will find flowers, herbs, veggie starts and all manner of seasonal fruits and vegetables, fish, honey, mushrooms and more.

Spare Thyme, a popular fiddle-duo featuring Charli Meacham and Laurel Stone, and local rockers The Gigsters provide the music for opening day. There are also kid-focused activities and, weather-permitting, the splash pad will be flowing every week.

Click here for a full story on this year’s market.

The Gig Harbor Waterfront Farmers Market on June 1, 2023.

Beach monitoring

Harbor WildWatch’s summer beach monitoring sessions kick off from 8:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 5, at the DeMolay Sandspit Nature Preserve on Fox Island. Meet at the park entrance gate.

Thursday’s beach monitoring takes place at the Old Ferry Landing on Harborview Drive. Meet on the viewing platform at 9 a.m.

Beach monitoring activities occur in summer and winter and are open to everyone. Participants learn to protect local beaches, and a science background isn’t necessary. Summer monitorings include instruction about how to conduct a “molt search” to detect European green crabs, an invasive species that damages our marine environment. Find more information here.

Waterfront walking tours

Harbor WildWatch, the Harbor History Museum and the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance are partnering in this summer’s waterfront walking tours, starting Saturday, June 8, with a walk from Donkey Creek Park (across from the museum) to the Maritime Pier.

WildWatch and museum volunteers will lead the free walks and talk about the natural and cultural history of Gig Harbor. Saturday’s walk goes from 10 a.m. to noon. The walk is about a mile and a half.

Live music

The Gig Harbor High School jazz band presents a Jazz Night concert Wednesday, June 5. On Thursday, June 6, the band plays their final concert of the year. Both concerts are free and take place in the school’s auditorium at 7 p.m. GHHS is located at 5101 Rosedale St.

Nashville legend Gail Davies launches Olalla Winery’s summer music series at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 7. In addition to being an award-winning musician, Davies was country music’s first female record producer. Tickets are $25 here.

Billy Stapleton’s Powerhouse Band plays at Kimball Coffeehouse on Friday, June 7. Stapleton is a member of the Washington Blues Hall of Fame and has been voted Best Guitar and Best Slide Guitar player. He’s joined by bass player Don Wilhelm (a founding member of The Daily Flash) and drummer Steve Peterson (of the Kingsmen). The trio plays a variety of jazz standards, rhythm and blues, pop and ballads. Doors open at 6 p.m. Music starts at 7 p.m. Free; all ages are welcome.

The Gig Harbor Peninsula Civic Orchestra presents its season finale – “20 Years and Still Having Fun” – at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at Peninsula High School, 14015 62^nd Avenue NW.

Also on June 8, Spectrum Choral Academy’s annual spring gala takes place at Ocean5 with music, dinner and a silent auction. Proceeds from the auction support the Academy’s summer music and art camp and other creative activities. Tickets are $75 here.

On Sunday, June 9, the Narrows Music Society and Harbor Winds present “Lights, Camera, Action” featuring music from “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Aladdin,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” James Bond movies and more. Music starts at 3 p.m. at the Gig Harbor High School auditorium. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

At the movies

The SumFest movie June 5 and 6 at the Galaxy Theatres in Uptown is “Despicable Me 2.” Showtimes are 11 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. both days. SumFest movies are just $2.
The Flashback Cinema movie at Galaxy on Wednesday, June 5, is “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” showing at noon and 6 p.m. The Flashback movie June 7 through 9 is “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Showtimes are 7:35 p.m. Friday, 7:20 p.m. Saturday and 12:15 and 6 p.m. Sunday. Flashback movies are just $5.

Civic engagement

The city of Gig Harbor hosts an information open house about this summer’s Soundview Drive watermain replacement project at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at the Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St. City staff will answer questions about project design, timeline and impacts. For more information go here.

The Gig Harbor City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 10, at the Civic Center. Tentative agenda items include an update from the Pierce County Library System, and mayoral proclamations for Police Appreciation Week and Ride Transit Month. At 6:30 p.m. the council will hold a joint meeting with the Planning Commission to discuss the 2024 mandatory update of the city’s comprehensive plan.