Events for the week ahead: Buffalo Soldier Music festival in Tacoma, Bremerton Blackberry Festival, Ellensburg Rodeo and more

Widely associated with the Hawaiian Islands, Jake Shimabukuro is billed as the undisputed master of Hawaii’s most classic instrument, the ukelele. Come out for a night of “island time” when he performs in a 7:30 p.m. concert Wednesday at the Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway, Tacoma. Tickets are $29-$85 and are available at 253-591-5894 or broadwaycenter.org.

Get a sense of local history and current affairs by joining Councilman Keith Blocker on the guided Step Into Hilltop Walk on Wednesday as part of the Walk Tacoma series. Meet at 5 p.m. at the corner of South 11th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way. There will be a social after the walk. For information, see tinyurl.com/zpdk54m.

Close out summer and join in the fun of free swimming day sponsored by Metro Parks Tacoma on Monday. It will be noon-5 p.m. at Kandle Pool, 5302 N. 26th St., and Stewart Heights Pool, 402 E. 56th St., Tacoma. Arrive early as pool capacity is limited. Learn more at metroparkstacoma.org.

Delve into history when the Buffalo Soldiers Museum hosts its Labor Day Festival at Heidelberg Field, 1902 S. Tyler St., Tacoma. With a theme “Honoring the Past and Embracing the Future,” there will be history education, food vendors, arts and crafts, plus a rousing baseball game with the Army (representing the Buffalo Soldiers) vs. Air Force (representing the Red Tail Hawks). Hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, free and open to the public. For information, call 253-272-4257.

Earning its place as one of the country’s top 10 professional rodeos, the Ellensburg Rodeo started in 1923 as a local competition among ranch hands. Now in its 93rd year, it hosts the world finale of PRCA’s Xtreme Bulls Tour, along with the traditional competitions. The four-day event culminates with the Labor Day Monday championship finals. The rodeo runs in conjunction with the Kittitas County Fair, already in full swing. Times are 6:45 p.m. Friday (Sept. 2), 12:45 p.m. Saturday, 11:45 a.m. Sunday and Sunday. See ellensburgrodeo.com for the events, including the fair.

Iconic hip-hop rapper Snoop Dogg will be joined by Wiz Khalifa in a 7 p.m. concert Friday (Sept. 2) at White River Amphitheater, 40601 Auburn Enumclaw Road SE, Auburn. The duo are on “The High Road Tour” making a stop locally. Get your tickets, $26-$70.75, through Ticketmaster.

The annual Bremerton Blackberry Festival celebrates the sweet, abundant blackberry, an icon of the Pacific Northwest. The three-day event takes over Louis Mentor Boardwalk in downtown Bremerton with a car show, vendors, live entertainment on two stages, arts and crafts and everything blackberries. Hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday. Admission is free. For information, see blackberryfestival.org.

Starting her climb to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, Carrie Underwood has since been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and won numerous awards, including seven Grammy Awards, 17 Billboard Music Awards and many more accolades. She will be performing in a 7 p.m concert Thursday at KeyArena in Seattle. Tickets are $45.50-$75.50, available through Ticketmaster.

This story was originally published September 2, 2016 at 7:40 AM with the headline "Events for the week ahead: Buffalo Soldier Music festival in Tacoma, Bremerton Blackberry Festival, Ellensburg Rodeo and more."