Jewelry, yard art, children’s books. This local festival is back. Here’s what to know
After a two-year absence, Gig Harbor-area festivals are back this summer. The Gig Harbor Summer Art Festival and the Fox Island Music Festival both return this month.
Gig Harbor Summer Art Festival:
The 36th Gig Harbor Summer Art Festival is back July 16 and 17.
The free arts and crafts event will go on 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 16, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 17 on Judson Street, a block from the waterfront.
“The festival is Peninsula Art League’s primary fundraiser,” Charlee Glock-Jackson, PAL publicity chair, told The Gateway. “Proceeds provide scholarships to Gig Harbor and South Kitsap graduating seniors who want to continue their art studies for careers in art, graphic design, etc. PAL members can also qualify for scholarships to attend workshops and other learning experiences.”
This year there are more than 100 artists and craftspeople participating. There are painters, potters, sculptors, leather-and wood- workers, fiber artists, glass artists, jewelry designers, makers of yard art, makers of soaps and lotions – and more, Glock-Jackson said.
The festival averages 10,000 to 14,000 attendees each year over the two-day event. Visitors (and artists) come from throughout the Northwest.
“We know that some folks even schedule their vacations to come to the festival,” Glock-Jackson said.
Other aspects of the festival include a literary corner with 18 local authors and book illustrators with a variety of genres including historical fiction, children’s literature, fantasy, biography, etc. Special activities for kids will be provided by the Curious by Nature Preschool.
There is also an art show featuring work by PAL members. The show takes place at the Timberland Bank on Judson Street both days of the festival.
Food at the festival includes two different food trucks – barbecue and gourmet hotdogs. Nearby restaurants will also be open for business.
The festival was the brainchild of the late Mary Besette, a stained glass artist, and local painter Donna Moen. Moen will have a booth at the festival. Both were early PAL members. Mary moved to Gig Harbor from California, where she had participated in art festivals. Back in 1984, she thought Gig Harbor should have a similar festival, Glock-Jackson said.
Because parking can be hard in downtown during the festival, PAL encourages people to park for free in the Franciscan Medical Center parking lot on Kimball Drive (across from the Pierce County park-and-ride) and ride the free shuttle to the event. The shuttles run every 10-15 minutes.
Fox Island Music Festival
The Fox Island Yacht Club Summer Music Festival is back and this year will be on Saturday, July 23, 2022, 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Fox Island Yacht Club at 1061 12th Avenue Fi.
Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. This year the festival will have Joel Gibson Jr., a country and rock singer-songwriter from the Pacific Northwest, start off the evening.
At 7 p.m. the Beatniks will begin their performance until the end of the night. They perform the music of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s.
The Facebook page says that tickets for the event sold out May 4. You can still grab a spot on the wait list. If additional tickets become available, you will receive an email with a time limit to purchase them.
Additional information to know for this event:
- Bring a lawn chair or blanket, hats and sunscreen.
- Food trucks and an outdoor bar will be available. Drink tickets have to be purchased at the drink ticket tent.
- Outside food and drinks are not allowed.
- Rain won’t stop the event.
