Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings: Launch your weekend with Scarecrow Fest

Posted on September 27th, 2022 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

The reemergence from COVID continues with several in-person events returning this week, starting with the Scarecrow Festival at Sehmel Homestead Park on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Sponsored by PenMet Parks, the festival features a pee-wee rodeo with stick horse barrel racing, hula hoop lassos and “hog” tying. And, of course, a scarecrow contest.

The free, family-friendly event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offers a full day of activities. Try your skills at the pumpkin launch using a giant slingshot. Shop at the local makers market. Nosh at one of the food trucks. Enjoy live entertainment and vote for your favorite scarecrow.

Bring a non-perishable food item for the Kiwanis food drive.

The pumpkin launch is one of the prime attractions at PenMet Parks’ Scarecrow Festival.

Pier Into the Night

Also on Oct. 1, the season’s first Pier Into The Night takes place at Skansie Park.

Divers use an underwater video camera to live stream the flora and fauna they encounter, while Harbor WildWatch biologists and volunteers identify the plants and animals as they appear on the big screen. Watch for feather-duster tube worms; sculpin and gunnel; several varieties of crabs; stubby squid and maybe even a giant Pacific octopus.

The free event starts at 7:30 p.m., rain or shine.

Ongoing exhibits at TCC, Harbor History Museum

An exhibit of artwork by Tacoma artist Yuke Petz is on display in the Tacoma Community College-Gig Harbor gallery through Dec. 8.

Tacoma artist Yuka Petz’s work is currently on display at TCC’s Gig Harbor campus. Petz will discuss her work at a free event Sept. 29.

Petz’s creative practice centers around paper, language and text and includes printmaking, drawing, books, and one-of-a-kind and limited edition works. She will be on hand to talk about the exhibit at a special event at 6 p.m. Sept. 29. The TCC gallery is located on campus at 3993 Hunt Street.

Also on-going through Oct, 28 is Peninsula Art League’s open juried art show at Harbor History Museum. The juror has selected 100 paintings for the exhibit and 20 of the artworks have received special awards.

Woodinville artist Brandy Agun’s oil painting – “Making Frames”- won the Best of Show award at Peninsula Art League’s 2022 Open Juried Show. The show continues at the history museum through Oct. 28.

City dedicates new park land

The city of Gig Harbor will celebrate acquisition of the North Creek Salmon Heritage Site at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

The city bought the property from the Lyons Family Trust with help from a $430,000 Pierce County Conservation Futures Grant. The Puyallup Tribe of Indians provided $50,000 and the city $20,000 for the purchase.

The 11.5-acre property is north of the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (4426 Harborview Dr.) and across from Donkey Creek Park (8714 N. Harborview Dr.). It will preserved in its natural state, potentially with a trail running through it to connect Harborview Drive to Cushman Trail.

About 40 homes could have been built there under current zoning. Instead, it will become part of the Gig Harbor Parks system.

Mayor Tracie Markley, representatives from the Puyallup Tribe and the Lyons family will be on hand for the ceremony.

Looking ahead

The Gig Harbor Yacht Club’s live auction takes place Oct. 7. The online auction is accepting bids through Oct. 7. Proceeds support the club’s Junior Sail program, which hosted more than 600 kids this year at the summer camp.

Oct. 8 promises a full day of activities, including the Autumn Sip and Stroll wine tasting at shops and restaurants all along the waterfront. The event is sold out.

Also on Oct. 8, the Narrows Challenge returns. Sponsored by the Gig Harbor Canoe and Kayak Racing Team, the challenge is open to paddlers who are familiar with tides and open-water conditions. All types of human powered watercraft are eligible.

The event starts and finishes just outside the entrance to the harbor, heading south toward the Narrows Bridge. Click here for advance registration. There is no day-of-race registration.

Sunday, Oct. 9, brings the annual Gig Harbor Poetry Workshop to Ocean5. The workshop will be led by poets Nicole McCarthy, Lynda K. Valentine and Christina Vega. Poets and poetry-lovers alike are welcome at the free event, sponsored by the Greater Gig Harbor Literary Society.

For information on more local events, visit Gig Harbor Now’s Calendar page. To submit an event to our calendar, click here or email [email protected].