Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings: Chum Fest is a Chum Walk this year

Posted on November 14th, 2023 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

The Chum Walk on Saturday, Nov. 18, is not just a celebration of the annual return of salmon to Donkey Creek. It’s also is a reminder that the quality of our water, and the habitat it supports, connects us all.

That’s according to Lindsey Stover, executive director of Harbor WildWatch, the event’s organizer.

The Chum Walk takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. along the trail that winds through txʷaalqəł Estuary from Austin Park, behind Harbor History Museum and to Donkey Creek Park. Highlights include face painting, art projects and other salmon-related activities.

Festival-goers can pick up a Salmon Passport in Austin Park and get it stamped at information and activity booths along the trail. Completed passports should be turned in at the front desk at the museum by 2 p.m. Saturday to be entered into a drawing for a salmon-themed prize.

All activities are free and family-friendly.

The goal is to bring people together to promote sustainability, sound environmental stewardship, preservation of Gig Harbor’s maritime history and culture, responsible recreation, habitat preservation and shoreline restoration — one salmon at a time, Stover said.

This year’s event is a scaled-down version of the usual Chum Festival. No food vendors are planned and kayak and Dragon Boat teams will not participate.

Construction at the history museum and lack of funding forced the changes, Stover said.

Fundraiser supports Senior Center effort

A group that hopes to build a senior center in Gig Harbor will host a fundraiser they’re calling “Indulge” on Saturday, Nov. 18. The event starts at 6 p.m. at The Vintage Aero Museum, 1108 26th Ave.

It includes live music, games, auctions and more. Olalla Vineyards, Wet Coast Brewing and Locust Cider will provide beverages while The Hub, Table 47, Dave’s Paella Party and other restaurants will feed the crowd.

Tickets range from $30 to $150. The Gig Harbor Senior Center hopes to raise $25,000 through the event. Buy tickets here.

Basket Brigade

The Greater Gig Harbor Foundation’s Basket Brigade needs volunteers to gather donations and make and deliver baskets filled with all the fixins’ for a Thanksgiving meal.

A volunteer stacks food during the Basket Brigade campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. Vince Dice

The foundation hopes to put together 1,500 baskets that will go to families-in-need in the Gig Harbor/Key Peninsula area.

Basket-filling takes place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, and 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 22, at Latitude 47 Commerce Center, 9672 Bujacich Road. Click here for more information.

American as Apple Pie

The Gig Harbor High School bands will play a fundraising concert-cum-pie extravaganza at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, in the school commons. The “American as Apple Pie” program features performances by the concert band, symphonic band and the award-winning wind symphony playing a variety of classic American tunes. The concert is free and donations are welcome. GHHS is located at 5101 Rosedale St NW.

Locals play in Tacoma Youth Symphony season opener

Gig Harbor and Fox Island will be well-represented when the Tacoma Youth Symphony Orchestra plays its season-opening concert on Sunday, Nov. 19.

Former Gig Harbor resident Janelle Janovich is the guest soloist. And 10 TYSO musicians hail from this side of the Narrows bridges: Leah Everling, cello; Henry Davis, trumpet; Jackson Davis, bassoon; Kellen Gonsalves, cello; Kindra Gonsalves, viola; Gabriel Kim, violin; Alexa Kotansky, oboe; Matthew Moffat, trombone; Clio Ramlal, violin; and Taylor Robinson, flute.

The orchestra will perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor, sometimes called the ‘Victory” symphony because the rhythm of the first four notes resembles Morse code for the letter V. Also on the program are Richard Wagner’s “Prelude to Die Meistersinger” and Charles Tomlinson Griffes’ “Poem for Flute and Orchestra.”

The concert takes place at 3 p.m. at Tacoma’s Rialto Theater. Click here for tickets.

Music

Angelic Noise plays in the loft at Olalla Winery Friday, starting at 6:30 p.m. Limited seating; click here for reservations.
Ante Up – with special guest Sheena Denney – plays a free gig at Kimball Coffeehouse at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17. All ages are welcome. No cover. Kimball is at 6659 Kimball Dr.

Theater

“Almost, Maine,” the critically acclaimed play by John Cariani, continues at Peninsula High School with performances at 7 p.m. Nov. 16, 17 and 18 and a matinee performance at 1 p.m. on Nov. 18. Tickets cost $20 for adults; $15 for students. Buy tickets here.

At the library

Graphic novelist Jose Alaniz shares his experience and advice on writing comic books at noon Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Gig Harbor Library, 4424 Point Fosdick Dr. Alaniz is the author of “Phantom Zone and Other Stories: Comics and Prose,” and his latest “Puro Pinche True Fictions: Prose and Comics.”

At the movies

The Flashback Cinema movie on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at the Galaxy Theatres Uptown is “Gremlins,” showing at 12:30 and 6 p.m. The Flashback movie at 12:45 p.m. and 6 p.m. is “The Polar Express.” Flashback movies are just $5.

Civic engagement

The Gig Harbor City Council will meet for a study session at 3 p.m. Thursday via Zoom. The agenda includes a presentation by Police Chief Kelly Busey on police department accreditation, prioritization of capital improvement projects and unbudgeted items, and discussion of General Fund priorities. The meeting can be accessed here or by calling (253) 215-8782 and entering Meeting ID 932 1605 6382.