Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Take some time for stories

Posted on January 7th, 2025 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

Books and storytelling lead off this week’s happenings.

The Gig Harbor Literary Society meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, at the Harbor History Museum, 4121 Harborview Drive, to discuss “Stick Figures: A Big Brother Remembers” by Gig Harbor author DJ Quinn. It’s a memoir of Quinn’s 13-year relationship as Big Brother to Mike, an energetic kid burdened with disabilities, and how they used stick figure drawings on a calendar to record what happened on their shared adventures. Reading the book is not a prerequisite for participating in the conversation.

Harbor WildWatch hosts Salish Sea Storytime on Wednesdays at the Marine Life Center, 3207 Harborview Drive. The free, half-hour get-togethers start at 11:30 a.m. with stories geared to kids ages 2 to 6.

Meet best-selling author Rick Bleiweiss and learn about the publishing business at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Gig Harbor Library, 4424 Point Fosdick Drive.

Marlinspike seamanship class at the BoatShop

Marlinspike seamanship involves working with fiber or wire rope, tying knots, splicing and making decorative items like dog leashes and other useful objects. Learn more about it Monday, Jan. 13 at Eddon BoatShop.

Instructor Brent Wagner will talk about the history of splicing and show how to make double-braid splice, basic three-stand splice, whipping and other techniques. The class takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. and is limited to six students, ages 12 and up. The cost is $40 for BoatShop members or $45 for non-members. Register here.

Friends of the Library annual meeting

Friends of the Library is a volunteer group that helps with a variety of tasks and sponsors classes, poetry readings and other events at the Gig Harbor library. Its mission is to promote knowledge of the services and resources available at the library and foster public support so the library can serve the needs of the community. The group will hold its annual meeting at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, in the library’s main meeting room. The meeting is open to everyone. For information email FOL president Steve Vittori at [email protected].

TCC art show

The Gig Harbor branch of Tacoma Community College hosts an exhibit of artwork by Sabreenah Essien titled “Cognitive Dissonance: Living While Black.” Essien uses paint, mixed media, collage and graffiti symbology to express words and ideas. An artist reception is from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays. The show runs through March 14. Location is 3993 Hunt Street.

Live music

The Beer Vault, 14004 Purdy Drive, hosts an open mic from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8.

Kimball Coffeehouse hosts an open mic starting at 6 p.m. Thursdays.

Friday, Jan. 10 is Vinyl Night at the Olalla Winery. Bring your favorite vinyl records to play on the Winery’s record player. Tickets are $5 here.

At the movies

The Flashback Cinema movie at the Galaxy Uptown Theatres on Wednesday, Jan. 8. is “Clue,” the 1980s comedy based on the popular board game, showing at noon and 6 p.m. The Flashback movie pn Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 11 and 12, is “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” Showtimes are 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Flashback movies are just $5.

Civic engagement

The Gig Harbor City Council meets for the first time in 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, at the Civic Center on Grandview Street. Council meetings can also be accessed via Zoom.

Attorneys from tacomaprobono will be on hand from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, at the Civic Center to answer questions and offer free legal advice on issues such as eviction, landlord-tenant relationships and other civic- and family law concerns at the next Legal Aid Popup. The Civic Center is located at 3510 Grandview St.