Holiday events begin this weekend along with a glass exhibit, weed-themed comedy show
The holiday season is fast approaching, whether you’re ready or not.
If you are ready, “A Hilltop Holiday” and a holiday light show in Spanaway debuts this weekend. If not, we found other things for you to do in Tacoma, including a weed-themed comedy show, a bilingual tree walk through the Lincoln District, a new exhibit at the Museum of Glass and a youth symphony performance.
Friday: A Hilltop Holiday and light show in Spanaway
▪ Friday kicks off the first weekend showing of “A Hilltop Holiday,” a 1980s musical adaptation of the classic “A Christmas Carol” at the Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center. “Get ready to be transported to the vibrant and colorful Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington in years gone by,” according to the news release. The show will feature festive soul-stirring melodies and “a festive celebration of love, compassion and the power of redemption.” The show runs at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. There are also shows at the same times Nov. 24, 25 and 26. Tickets range from about $18-$45. Address: 1105 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma.
▪ Also beginning this weekend is the largest drive-through holiday light display in the Pacific Northwest. The Fantasy Lights show at Spanaway Park will run every night, including holidays, from Nov. 24 through Jan. 1 from 5:30-9 p.m. The two-mile route will feature over 300 animated displays and thousands of holiday lights. Tickets are $15-$20 per vehicle and $45 for each bus with 25 or more passengers. Address: 14905 Bresemann Blvd. S., Spanaway.
Saturday: Bilingual tree walk and weed-themed comedy show
▪ On Saturday, the Tacoma Tree Foundation and Tacoma Public Library are partnering to offer a free bilingual tree walk through the Lincoln District from 11 a.m. to noon. Experts Sarah Low and Alejandro Fernández will provide commentary in English and Spanish about the variety of trees in the Lincoln International District and historic Lincoln Park, as well as how a lack of trees affects our lives. The group will meet in front of the Lincoln Park entrance at South Yakima and South 37th Street. Address: 801 S. 37th St., Tacoma.
▪ A popular 21+ comedy showcase is back at Tacoma Comedy Club on Saturday. The Dope Show features comedians who perform a sober set, take a short intermission to “toke up” and then return to the stage to perform stoned. The show will be “Featuring a variety of nationally touring comics — many of whom have never toked before, and others who know it all too well. Guaranteed to be hilarious in any case!” the club advertised on Facebook. The event goes from 4-6 p.m. and doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets are $22-$30 and attendees must purchase two items off the menu. Address: 933 Market St., Tacoma.
Sunday: New glass exhibit and youth symphony performance
▪ This Sunday check out a new mirrored glass exhibit called, “The Salmon School,” at the Museum of Glass. Mirrored-glass fish, about 600 of them, are suspended in the air and shimmer. The exhibition involved collaboration with a number of agencies, including Hilltop Artists, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and tribal elders from the Upper Skagit Tribe. It also offers commentary on the sustainability issues facing wild salmon today and the fragile environment on which the fish depend. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult tickets to the museum are $20, with discounts for children and seniors.
▪ The Tacoma Youth Symphony opens its regular season on Sunday with a musical exploration of fate. “Igniting Fate!” at the Rialto Theater from 3-5 p.m. will feature Richard Wagner’s “Meistersinger Overture,” Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” and alumnus Janelle Janovich performing the “Poem for Flute and Strings” by Charles Tomlinson Griffes. Tickets are about $20-$25. Address: 310 S. 9th S., Tacoma.
This story was originally published November 16, 2023 at 1:56 PM.
