5 food festivals around Tacoma, Puyallup this weekend turn up the heat — literally

A busy weekend of food-focused, family-friendly festivals takes over Tacoma this weekend, following the full-fledged return of Sixth Avenue’s Art on the Ave last Saturday and Sunday.

If you’re not headed to the mountains for a hike or a lake for a dip, consider these five outdoor events, each with free admission.

The fun begins Friday night with Lincoln Food Walk and the Black Night Market. On Saturday, swing by Wright Park for the multicultural MOSAIC and then Tacoma Buddhist Temple for its annual Bon Odori fundraising spectacular. In Puyallup on both days, tease your taste buds with McMillin Farms’ Hot Sauce Fest, where 14 brands will dole out their spiciest concoctions.

Here’s a look at what to expect at each food-laden festival, to be savored in what is forecast to be sunny and 70s.

LINCOLN FOOD WALK

▪ Where: Yakima Avenue at South 38th Street, Tacoma, lincolndistrict.org/events, instagram.com/lincolndistricttacoma

▪ When: July 28, 4-9 p.m.

Lincoln District Food Walk debuted in August 2022 with a one-night-only takeover of South Yakima from 38th to 39th streets. It was bustling, with nearly every food vendor selling out before the gates closed at 9 p.m. For 2023, the Lincoln District Neighborhood Association — in partnership with Tacoma Sunday Market, anchor restaurant Vien Dong and VK Viet Kitchen — planned three editions of the street fest, which kicked off the last Friday in June. It returns this Friday, July 28, for Part 2 and again Aug. 25.

Explore 25 food vendors, both pop-up tents and trucks. The backbone of this particular event aims to celebrate not only the diversity of Tacoma’s international district but also of the region’s food scene more broadly, and the food available reflects it. Names include Jan Parker Cookery, who is stir-frying her famous chili garlic noodles, Seoul Bowl and Big Island Poke; Komadre Kombucha, Chill Paletas and Little Miss Sweets NYC, which recently hosted Savor Fest in Ruston. Neighborhood restaurants, from Bambu to Tho Tuong BBQ, will offer specials, too.

DJs and musicians will set up on a stage on the southwest corner of 38th and Yakima, and vintage vendors will sell their wares. There will be photo booths, a “yardART” sale, various games and a michelada beer garden with well-known faces of Tacoma, including the owners of Vien Dong and Buddy’s Chicken and Waffles. It’s free to enter and family-friendly — but get there early for best selection from the food vendors, especially.

BLACK NIGHT MARKET

▪ Where: Haub Family Field at LeMay — America’s Car Museum, Tacoma, blacknightmarket.com

▪ When: July 28, 4-10 p.m.

Following successful iterations in South Tacoma and at Tacoma Armory, Black Night Market debuted in June at its summertime location: outdoors at Haub Family Field near Tacoma Dome. Organizers encourage guests to BYO-lawn chair and blanket to relax in the grass while soaking in the sunset and the night’s performers — the July event features comedian Boe Blast, but performances begin at 4 p.m. with a DJ set and two performers on either side of the comedy session. (In August, catch Poetic Justice, a mix of ‘90s music and live poetry.) There will also be a station for kids activities.

Born of a desire to highlight local and regional makers and artists of color, BNM hosts dozens of vendors selling clothing, jewelry, candles, greeting cards and more. To eat, dig into Filipino food from Lumpia Love, gourmet dogs from Big Dawgs or sip a juice from Infinite Goodness. Finally, cool off with a fruit pop from Chill Paletas. The event is all ages and free to enter.

TACOMA BON ODORI FESTIVAL

▪ Where: Tacoma Buddhist Temple, 1717 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, tacomabt.org/obon-odori-2023

▪ When: July 29, 4-8 p.m.

Returning to its full in-person self this year is Tacoma Buddhist Temple’s annual Bon Odori Festival Saturday night. Previous iterations have drawn hundreds to this block of Fawcett for this traditional Buddhist celebration commemorating the dead; it’s sometimes known as the Festival of Lanterns. The Tacoma event includes a 4:30 p.m. service inside Temple Hondo, followed by Fuji Taiko dancing and drum performance starting at 5 p.m. Dancing and other entertainment continues on the street through 8 p.m., at which point guests can partake in a candlelight ceremony.

Arrive early for best selection of the traditional foods on deck, featuring bowls with chicken teriyaki, unagi or tofu in a bonito soup broth ($10-$12). Also on the menu: $4 spam musubi, $3 somen (cold wheat noodles in a soy broth), strawberry or red bean mochi and homemade apple or berry pie. There will also be a beer garden. (Credit/debit card preferred for most purchases.)

PUYALLUP HOT SAUCE FESTIVAL

▪ Where: McMillin Farm, 12517 Route 162 E., Puyallup, mcmillinfarm.com

▪ When: July 28, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and July 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

A lot happens at McMillin Farm: It’s a farm, a produce stand, a nursery and one of Pierce County’s newest breweries. On Saturday and Sunday, it will be a hot sauce haven when 14 hot sauce vendors serve up spoons as well as retail bottle sales. Names of these spicy beasts range from Mr. Miaji (an aji-cilantro situation from Portland’s 2 Angry Cats), Hallelu-jah! (a sweet-and-spicy choice with an Asian twist from Junebug’s in Seattle), and Verde Vixen (a Mexican green option from Lakewood’s Harpita’s Heat). Other local brands include the all-fermented Splat out of Olympia, Woodinville Sauce Co. and AvilaGorilla, made by one of the folks behind McMillin Farm.

If that’s not enough heat, you can test your tolerance in a pepper-eating contest. Food trucks Island Vybe and P&J’s Waffle Delight will provide sustenance to counter all those Scoville units. The brewhouse will be open and live music will run throughout the day, with farm games and other vendors, including Zombie Iron, from whom you can pick up some vintage cast-iron cookware for your next hot meal at home. Both days of the event are all ages and free to enter, but McMillin Farm asks that you RSVP through Eventbrite to help gauge attendance.

MOSAIC AT WRIGHT PARK

▪ Where: Wright Park, Tacoma, metroparkstacoma.org/event/mosaic

▪ When: July 29-30, noon to 7 p.m.

Metro Parks’ annual celebration of the city’s diversity takes over Wright Park this weekend, with performances, food and an arts-and-crafts market. On the stage will be everything from traditional Mexican, Cambodian, Samoan and Thai music and dance to a drumline, hip-hop and gospel. In addition to around 20 craft vendors and more than two dozen educational booths, 18 food businesses will serve up corn dogs, ice cream, multi-flavored lemonades, pie, tacos and bubble tea, as well as Filipino, Mexican and Indian fare. Grab a drink in the beer garden, from which all proceeds will benefit the Redefining You Foundation, a nonprofit that supports women in the military or spouses of service members and veterans. There will also be a kids zone equipped with a splash pad, bounce houses and more. The event is all ages and free to enter.

This story was originally published July 26, 2023 at 12:02 PM.