Food, music, art, beer. Here are two festivals happening in Tacoma this weekend
Tacoma will yet again be taken over by family-friendly festivals this weekend.
Here are two festivals to consider if you’re looking to get out and enjoy the nice weather while shopping from local vendors and listening to live music.
Proctor Arts Fest
The Proctor Arts Fest will return to the Proctor District on Saturday, Aug. 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The community-based street fair is free and will feature over 100 arts-and-crafts vendor booths where people will be able to purchase original artwork from the artist.There will be three stages for live music and performances from various performers such as PLU Steel Drum Band, Irish folk singer Emmet McElhinney and All Funk N’ Games, a band made up of musicians from Tacoma.
The festival will have a beer garden and six food locations that include local restaurants such as The Waffle Stop and Olympia Coffee as well as a food truck and the Proctor Farmers Market.
Proctor Arts Fest partnered with Cascade Regional Blood Services to host a blood drive at the event.
Downtown Tacoma Block Party
The first ever Downtown Tacoma Block Party will be held on Sunday, Aug. 6, from noon to 8 p.m. at 9th Street and Broadway.
This free summer event was created to “showcase the vibrant culture and diverse community that make Downtown Tacoma special,” according to a post on Downtown Tacoma Partnership’s Facebook.
The event will feature the Tacoma Sunday Market, 11 local food vendors, a beer garden, live musical, dance and comedy performances, art, line dancing and a kid’s area.
Alchemy Skateboarding will be providing free skateboarding lessons to youth and adults. There will also be a skateboarding competition.
The block party will end with a one hour live performance from Black Belt Eagle Scout, a Swinomish/Iñupiaq singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community in Washington.
There will be free street parking throughout Downtown Tacoma and there will be complimentary parking at the Park Plaza North garage, 923 Commerce St.
This story was originally published August 4, 2023 at 5:15 AM with the headline "Food, music, art, beer. Here are two festivals happening in Tacoma this weekend."
