Pierce County Events Calendar

Pierce County Events Calendar

This calendar is the place to find fun events happening throughout Pierce County, including Tacoma, Puyallup, Lakewood and beyond.

Have an event that isn’t listed? Please email events@SouthSoundTalk.com with the following information:

  • Name of Event
  • Date, time and location (name of business if applicable and complete address)
  • Organizer(s) name
  • Cost
  • URL to purchase tickets
  • Website URL
  • SHORT description of the event
  • Photo

Our editors will review and post within a few business days.

Sep
11
Sat
Tacoma Water Lantern Festival @ Spanaway Lake Park
Sep 11 @ 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm

Water Lantern Festival is back!

Tacoma Water Lantern Festival is coming up on September 11, 2021!

Voted #1 Best Cultural Festival by USA TODAY!

Water Lantern Festival is a floating lantern event that is all about connections. Magical nights in cities across the U.S. include food, games, activities, vendors, music and the beauty of thousands of lanterns adorned with letters of love, hope and dreams reflected upon the water.

As the sun begins to set on the evening sky, the Water Lantern Festival begins to shine with the launch of the lanterns onto the water as we Light The Water together. Watch your unique lantern drift out into the water as it joins other lanterns carrying hope, love, happiness, healing, peace, and connection. It’s a night that you’ll never forget.

Tickets are selling fast!

Visit www.WaterLanternFestival.com for more details.

Sep
17
Fri
Park(ing) Day Livestream Hosted by Downtown on the Go @ Downtown Street
Sep 17 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Park(ing) Day is an international activism project where people around the world repurpose parking spaces into tiny parklets. On September 17, tune in to Downtown On the Go’s (DOTG) Facebook page to listen to us discussing transit related topics with transit advocates, local officials, and others! We’ll be “taking over” a parking space in Downtown Tacoma, and hope that you will follow us as we stream the conversations live at facebook.com/downtownonthego

The parklet, sponsored by Spin and BCRA Design, will be active from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on September 17. Parklets around the world are available on the Park(ing) Day website’s map. The 2005 San Francisco parklet that marked the first Park(ing) day was a lawn, a 15-foot-tall tree, and a rented park bench in a parking space. In years following, Park(ing) day, an original concept by Rebar, became an international event celebrating human-use spaces.

Downtown On The Go has celebrated Park(ing) day for several years, assisting other local organizations with setting up their own parklets. Last year, we hosted a virtual Park(ing) day of online panels of local advocates. This year due to the ongoing pandemic we have instead opted to minimize public interaction and instead host advocates in a virtual space, while still physically occupying a parking space.

We encourage you to engage with us and the worldwide Park(ing) Day community by following us on social media and by using the hashtags #downtowntacoma and #parkingday. We will livestream the interviews with advocates on Facebook, and the recordings will be available after the event.

Sep
25
Sat
Cider Swig @ LeMay - America's Car Museum
Sep 25 @ 11:30 am – 5:30 pm

After a difficult past year, we are excited to announce that The Cider Swig returns with dozens of regional ciders (and related libations) to sip and savor, live music and entertainment on two stages, the annual “Battle of the Pie” Contest, apple launching, award winning delectable curbside cuisine by area restaurants and food trucks, the Apple Carnivàle Zone, and more!

Northwest cidermakers, vintners and distillers will present over 100 ciders, wine, mead and more. The popular Apple Carnivàle returns – replete with performers, arts and crafts, dancers, an array of carnival games, inflatable obstacle course, sticky wall, face painting, apple launching, demonstrations, and other fun and games.

Ciders, etc. presented for sampling in the Cider Garden will be for sale under the Cider Tent, so you can take your favorites home to enjoy!

Come Get your Swig On!
Ticket includes: 5 drink tokens, 6 oz. festival glass, and access to all live music and entertainment, food, the Apple Carnivàle Zone, and all other festival activities.

Additional cider tokens are available at festival. ID is required to enter the Cider Garden. Must be 21+ to enter the Cider Garden.

**Each year the Cider Swig brings thousands from around the region to enjoy ciders, great food, live music and family fun. And, each year the Cider Swig sells out! Advance ticket purchase is strongly encouraged.**

OTHER FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
For 2021 we have chosen to make this a 21+ only event. We hope that 2022 we will be able to return to an accessible family-fun event.

WANT TO VOLUNTEER?
Without people like you, the Festival could not happen. Cider Swig volunteers will receive reduced admission ticket ($18) for the Cider Garden, free festival t-shirt, festival tasting glass, one $5 meal voucher … and have a great time!

Oct
8
Fri
Oktoberfest Northwest @ Washington State Fair Events Center
Oct 8 @ 11:00 am – 11:59 pm
Oktoberfest Northwest @ Washington State Fair Events Center

Grab your stein, pull up your lederhosen and get ready to celebrate Oktoberfest like never before! This all ages until 6pm festival features entertainment for the whole family: non-stop traditional and contemporary German entertainment on two stages, a Root Beer Garden for kids, Hammershlagen and other German festival games, authentic German cuisine and of course a large Munich-style decorated hall. Also enjoy Wiener dog races and a 5k Stein Dash plus a kids 1k on Sunday or catch your favorite football game in the Sports Haus!

Oktoberfest Northwest @ Washington State Fair Events Center
Oct 8 @ 12:00 pm – 11:59 pm
Oktoberfest Northwest @ Washington State Fair Events Center

Grab your stein, pull up your lederhosen and get ready to celebrate Oktoberfest like never before! This all ages until 6pm festival features entertainment for the whole family: non-stop traditional and contemporary German entertainment on two stages, a Root Beer Garden for kids, Hammershlagen and other German festival games, authentic German cuisine and of course a large Munich-style decorated hall. Also enjoy Wiener dog races and a 5k Stein Dash plus a kids 1k on Sunday or catch your favorite football game in the Sports Haus!

Oct
9
Sat
Oktoberfest Northwest @ Washington State Fair Events Center
Oct 9 @ 11:00 am – 11:59 pm
Oktoberfest Northwest @ Washington State Fair Events Center

Grab your stein, pull up your lederhosen and get ready to celebrate Oktoberfest like never before! This all ages until 6pm festival features entertainment for the whole family: non-stop traditional and contemporary German entertainment on two stages, a Root Beer Garden for kids, Hammershlagen and other German festival games, authentic German cuisine and of course a large Munich-style decorated hall. Also enjoy Wiener dog races and a 5k Stein Dash plus a kids 1k on Sunday or catch your favorite football game in the Sports Haus!

Oct
10
Sun
Oktoberfest Northwest @ Washington State Fair Events Center
Oct 10 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Oktoberfest Northwest @ Washington State Fair Events Center

Grab your stein, pull up your lederhosen and get ready to celebrate Oktoberfest like never before! This all ages until 6pm festival features entertainment for the whole family: non-stop traditional and contemporary German entertainment on two stages, a Root Beer Garden for kids, Hammershlagen and other German festival games, authentic German cuisine and of course a large Munich-style decorated hall. Also enjoy Wiener dog races and a 5k Stein Dash plus a kids 1k on Sunday or catch your favorite football game in the Sports Haus!

Oct
22
Fri
Boo Bash @ Hands On Children's Museum
Oct 22 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Boo Bash @ Hands On Children's Museum

Dress up the family and bring your little superheroes, princesses, and monsters to the Hands On Children’s Museum for a spooktacular good time. Enjoy Halloween-inspired fun and exciting activities without the fright at Boo Bash, October 22-31. Navigate a straw bale maze, explore a black-light cavern, design a scarecrow family, go on a scavenger hunt, decorate mini pumpkins, watch Dr. Science demos, join the costume parade, and more! Hands On is the premier children’s museum in the PNW. Explore 150 interactive exhibits and a half-acre outdoor play space where kids can ride trikes, sluice for treasure, captain a vintage schooner, climb a giant boulder, and go up the lighthouse lookout.

Sensory-friendly Boo Bash activities will be offered during our regular Sensory Friendly Hour, October 24 & 31 at 9 am.

Online reservations required for museum admission. Special event activities vary depending on the days of the week and visitation levels, please see the events calendar for updated information. Activities may be added at any time.

Oct
23
Sat
Boo Bash @ Hands On Children's Museum
Oct 23 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Boo Bash @ Hands On Children's Museum

Dress up the family and bring your little superheroes, princesses, and monsters to the Hands On Children’s Museum for a spooktacular good time. Enjoy Halloween-inspired fun and exciting activities without the fright at Boo Bash, October 22-31. Navigate a straw bale maze, explore a black-light cavern, design a scarecrow family, go on a scavenger hunt, decorate mini pumpkins, watch Dr. Science demos, join the costume parade, and more! Hands On is the premier children’s museum in the PNW. Explore 150 interactive exhibits and a half-acre outdoor play space where kids can ride trikes, sluice for treasure, captain a vintage schooner, climb a giant boulder, and go up the lighthouse lookout.

Sensory-friendly Boo Bash activities will be offered during our regular Sensory Friendly Hour, October 24 & 31 at 9 am.

Online reservations required for museum admission. Special event activities vary depending on the days of the week and visitation levels, please see the events calendar for updated information. Activities may be added at any time.

Pumpkin Pickers Special @ Simpson Railroad
Oct 23 @ 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm

The event starts with a ride aboard the Simpson Railroad trailer car around the loop over to the event grounds. This year events are located in our operations area to provide more space. There we will have a hay bale/straw maze to navigate thru -hopefully it is not haunted with loggers past. Grab a cup of hot cider to sip while you listen to not too scary short stories read by Area youth and literary groups. Don’t forget just before you get back on the trailer car for the short ride back stop at the pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin to take home. While at the activities grounds keep a sharp eye out for trick or treat candy. Kids are encouraged to wear and show off their costumes.