Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Paddlers Cup, Dragon Boats are on the water this weekend

Posted on April 22nd, 2025 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

Gig Harbor’s status as The Maritime City will be highlighted this weekend at the 12^th annual Paddlers Cup at Skansie Park.

The two-day event features individual races for kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards and surfskis.

The Inner Harbor Races on Saturday, April 26, features races of various lengths for all ages and skill levels, including competitive and recreational paddlers. Racing starts at 9 a.m. and continues through an awards presentation at 2 p.m.

Stand-up paddleboarders compete during the 2024 Paddlers Cup on Sunday, April 21. Photo by Chapin Day

Dragon Boat racing — 20-person teams from local businesses and institutions racing in boats provided by the Gig Harbor Dragons — starts with the Awaken the Dragon ceremony at 12:15 p.m. Sunday, April 27. Racing wraps up with a closing ceremony around 3:30 p.m.

Sunday also features exhibition SUP technical racing from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Ancich Waterfront Park.

In addition to boats on the water, there will also be craft and food vendors, water safety demonstrations and more. Proceeds from the Paddlers Cup support the Gig Harbor Canoe and Kayak Racing Team. Register here.

Dragon boats compete during the 2024 Paddlers Cup on Sunday, April 21. Photo by Chapin Day

Poetry readings

In celebration of April, which is National Poetry Month, Tacoma Community College presents Poetry in the Harbor from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at the Gig Harbor campus, 3993 Hunt Street NW. Four local poets — Quenton Baker, Ansley Clark, Robert Lashey and Erin Malone —will read and discuss their work. It’s free and light refreshments will be served. Register here to reserve your seat.

Maritime Gallery grand opening

Harbor History Museum’s renovated Maritime Gallery officially opens Saturday, April 26, with festivities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A ribbon-cutting on the new gallery is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

The event includes tours of the 100-year old purse seiner Shenandoah, live music, blacksmithing demonstrations, food vendors and a raffle of a glass float commemorating the Shenandoah’s restoration. The museum is located at 4121 Harborview Drive. Activities are free and family friendly.

Shipwright Riley Hall, left, and a volunteer consult under the stern of the Shenandoah in the Maritime Gallery. Photo by Chapin Day

Learn to use a hand plane

Learn to set up, sharpen and use a hand plane in one-on-one classes Wednesday, April 23 at the Gig Harbor BoatShop. Limit to two people per class. The cost is $95 for BoatShop members; $145 for non-members. The classes will also be held April 30, May 7 and May 14. Sign up here.

Wine tasting

Two Loons Winery will sample four locally produced wines from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 27. Stop by and try the winery’s 2022 viognier, 2018 Cabernet Franc, 2018 merlot and 2019 Sheryl’s Syrah. The winery is located at 9422 22^nd Ave. N.W.

Dragonflies

Want to learn more about dragonflies? On Sunday, April 27, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. the Evergreen State Brewing Company (formerly Gig Harbor Brewing Company) presents a Conversation and Cocktails event featuring odonatologist Karen Conniff, PhD, who has done research and field work about dragonflies all over the world. The event is sponsored by the Gig Harbor Land Conservation Fund. The brewery is located 3115 Harborview Drive.

Low tide beach walks

Harbor WildWatch staff will be on hand to identify the flora and fauna that inhabit local beaches during this week’s low tide beach walks. Here’s the schedule:

April 27: 11 a.m. – Purdy Sand Spit. Meet at the top of the boat launch
April 28:11 a.m. – Manchester State Park. Meet on the picnic tables (Discover Pass required)
April 28: 11:30 a.m. – Owen Beach in Tacoma. Meet at the picnic tables
April 29: 11:30 a.m. – Dash Point Park & Pier in Tacoma. Meet at the pier entrance
April 29:12:30 p.m. – Penrose Point State Park. Meet near the restrooms (Discover pass required)

Wes, right, sniffs the leather star Racine, left, holds out. Racine has just gently rubbed the surface of the star to induce his chemical defense response, which reads to human noses as a black garlic-like odor. The leather star’s chemical defense, rather than a mechanical defense, may be part of the reason leather stars have not been as badly impacted by sea star wasting disease. Photo by Carolyn Bick. © Carolyn Bick.

Find the sasquatch

PenMet Park’s sasquatch hunts conclude this week at McCormick Forest Park, 10301 Bujacich Road. Pick up a passport book at the park’s kiosk, then record all the bigfoots you find. If there aren’t any passport books, take a photo of each sasquatch, then take your completed book – or your photos – to PenMet headquarters at 2416 14^th Avenue N.W. to collect a prize. This is a free, family friendly activity. Click here for information.

Live music

Christopher Hasbrook plays country-inspired tunes at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 25, in the loft at the Olalla Winery. On Saturday, April 26 from 6 to 8 p.m., it’s country line dancing led by Dancing Danielle. Admission includes a glass of bubbly. Reserve tickets for events here.

At the movies

The Gig Harbor Film Festival’s Monday Movie for April is “Bring them Home” playing at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 28. It documents the decades-long struggle by members of the Blackfoot Confederacy to bring wild buffalo back to the Blackfeet Reservation. Buy tickets here.

The Spring Fest movie at the Galaxy Theatres in Uptown on April 23 and 24 is “The Cat in the Hat.” Show times are 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23, and at 11:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 24. The Spring Fest movie starting Friday, April 25, is “The Flintstones.” Showtimes are 11:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27; and 11:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 28 and Tuesday, April 29. Spring Fest movies are just $2.

Also at the Galaxy, Wednesday’s Flashback Cinema movie is “Pride and Prejudice” playing at 12:30 p.m. The Flashback movie on Sunday, April 27 is “Happy Gilmore” at 12:30 and 6 p.m. Flashback movies are just $5.

Civic engagement

The Gig Harbor City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 28, at the Civic Center on Grandview Street. Tentative agenda items include a public hearing on accessory dwelling units and the first reading of an ordinance regarding multi-family property tax exemptions.