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.
It’s the last major RV show and sale of 2024! The 40th Annual Tacoma Fall RV Show presented by BECU returns to the Tacoma Dome with hundreds of RV’s for sale, October 3-6, 2024. Onsite financing through BECU with special show-only rates. There’s a $2 discount coupon available online at www.TacomaFallRVshow.com. It’s the ultimate RV shopping experience with hundreds of the Northwest’s most popular RV’s all in one place side-by-side. Shop, compare and buy! They’ll all be here, motorhomes, park models, travel trailers of all sizes and descriptions, fifth wheels, destination models, toy haulers, campers, park models, pop-ups, tent trailers, tear drop trailers and more! The best prices of the year are here! Parking is FREE!
General Admission – $15 (17 and older); Youth – 16 and Younger – FREE; Military – $8 (with any valid military I.D.)
Enjoy a rainbow of colors and bushels of fun at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden’s Fall Foliage Festival and Plant Sale on October 26-27
Join us for this free event featuring garden tours and plant talks, kids’ scavenger hunt, a food truck, or search for the perfect spot to take that quintessential fall photo. Also shop RSBG’s biggest sale of the year! Discover an immersive wonderland of sights, sounds, and sensations – from cool breezes to rustling leaves and the quiet swaying of golden-brown maple trees.
The garden’s annual Fall Foliage Festival and Plant Sale is sure to please garden enthusiasts and nature lovers of all ages. For plant hunters looking for something special, featured pop-up vendors will bring their cultivated collections to the Rutherford Conservatory terrace.
Dig into a savory dish from a food truck before heading to the Gift Shop for unique garden gifts or peruse the books in the Visitor Center to learn about the beloved Rhododendron species and the natural history of the Pacific Northwest. Our collection of Japanese maples, deciduous azaleas, and other deciduous species never fails to produce a large range of bright colors right before we head into the dark and grey of winter.
Enjoy a rainbow of colors and bushels of fun at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden’s Fall Foliage Festival and Plant Sale on October 26-27
Join us for this free event featuring garden tours and plant talks, kids’ scavenger hunt, a food truck, or search for the perfect spot to take that quintessential fall photo. Also shop RSBG’s biggest sale of the year! Discover an immersive wonderland of sights, sounds, and sensations – from cool breezes to rustling leaves and the quiet swaying of golden-brown maple trees.
The garden’s annual Fall Foliage Festival and Plant Sale is sure to please garden enthusiasts and nature lovers of all ages. For plant hunters looking for something special, featured pop-up vendors will bring their cultivated collections to the Rutherford Conservatory terrace.
Dig into a savory dish from a food truck before heading to the Gift Shop for unique garden gifts or peruse the books in the Visitor Center to learn about the beloved Rhododendron species and the natural history of the Pacific Northwest. Our collection of Japanese maples, deciduous azaleas, and other deciduous species never fails to produce a large range of bright colors right before we head into the dark and grey of winter.
Kick off the new year by plunging (or walking) into Puget Sound!
All ages welcome. Youth under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Costumes welcome but not required. Shoes/foot protection highly recommended. For the safety of participants, life jackets will be available, and lifeguards will be stationed on the docks.
Food and drink available for purchase at the event:
- Wandering Cowgirl Coffee
- Dawg Eats Dogs
Sign up in advance to:
- Choose a time slot between 10 am-2 pm. Options are available in half-hour increments.
- Skip the registration line at the event!
The 14th Annual Pierce County Bike Swap is a FREE family-friendly community event put on by Ride Together Pierce, where anyone can sell or buy used bicycles and bicycle parts. We encourage you to bring a helmet if you plan on test-riding bikes.
At the Bike Swap, Ride Together Pierce is planning on providing:
- ??BIKE CORRAL: Buy a bike or sell a bike at our Bike Corral. If you have 1-2 bikes to sell, this is the recommended route. There are no listing or selling fees. You do not need to sell a bike to buy, or trade. Come find your new-to-you ride!
- ?QUICK FIX: Make sure your future bike is safe to test ride by taking it through a quick safety check first by a professional bicycle mechanic. A mobile bike repair shop will also be onsite for more complex repairs.
- ??BIKE TEST RIDE AREA: Test out your potential new ride on a secure, short route through the Swap.
- ??LOW-COST HELMETS: Provided by Downtown on the Go, bicyclists can purchase affordable helmets and get a proper helmet fitting.
- ??BIKE MAP MASTERS: Discuss best biking routes with seasoned local riders at the Bike Map Masters station.
- ?BIKE SKILLS PRACTICE AREA: Folks of all ages and abilities can practice safe riding skills such as balancing, scanning, stopping, turning, and more.
- ?FOOD TRUCKS: Enjoy delicious sweet and savory food from local food trucks.
- ?BIKE INDEX AND BICYCLE BENEFITS STICKERS: With a Bike Index sticker, you can add security to your bike by registering it to the Bike Index directory. A Bicycle Benefits helmet sticker can be used to receive discounts at participating businesses in Pierce County (and nationwide).
- ??VENDORS: We are inviting local bike shops and bike-related organizations to show off their products and share the latest information with you on bicycling in Pierce County. If you have several bicycles or bike parts to sell, we recommend you register as a vendor. There are no vendor fees. Registration open now!
The Tacoma Lawn Bowling Club, a longtime community fixture since its founding in 1929, will celebrate the start of its 2025 season with a free Open Day on Saturday, April 26, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Wright Park (entry via 6th Avenue).
Lawn bowling is a strategic, social, and accessible sport played on a finely maintained grass surface known as a “green.” Tacoma’s historic green has been in the park since 1936, opening that year thanks to fundraising efforts by the local community. Today, the Club boasts a growing membership of over 50 individuals and proudly partners with Parks Tacoma to maintain the green and offers inclusive programs for people of varying ages and skill levels.
“As a local community club managed by passionate volunteers, we’re excited to invite the public to come along, meet us, and try the sport for themselves,” said Laura Moscatello, President of the Tacoma Lawn Bowling Club. “At the Open
Day, we’ll have live music, snacks, games, and a welcoming atmosphere.”
The Club’s popular learn-to-bowl program returns this year. The two-session course is designed for beginners, covering everything from technique and etiquette to teamwork and tournament play. Sessions run on the following Saturday
mornings, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:
o May 17 & 24
o June 7 & 14
o July 12 & 19
“Whether you’ve never heard of lawn bowling or you’re ready to compete, we’d love to meet you!”, said Moscatello.
Open Day is a family-friendly event. April 26, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Wright Park near the corner of Yakima Avenue, behind the lion statues.
For more information about Tacoma Lawn Bowling Club, visit TacomaBowls.org.
SHORT description of the event; The Hunger Walk is a great way to get involved with Hunger Awareness Month, help your neighbors in need, and have some fun! Enjoy a scenic walk around Waughop Lake, live music, and local vendors. This event is pet and family friendly.
Proceeds from the Hunger Walk will help Emergency Food Network (EFN) provide Pierce County with a consistent, diverse, and nutritious food supply so that no person goes hungry. Each month, EFN provides our network of more than 75 partner food pantries, meal sites, and shelters with more than one million pounds of food, at no cost to them.
Tickets are on sale now for the Point Defiance Flower & Garden Festival June 7-8 at Point Defiance Park and extending into the Rose Garden, Japanese Garden and Pagoda. Visitors will enjoy a weekend surrounded by color as they tour the park’s famous gardens, meet some of the Northwest’s best known horticultural experts, create works of botanical art to take home and more.
The festival is free to attend with additional ticketed opportunities available including:
- Guided tours of the Rose and Japanese gardens ($20)
- Paint & Sip sessions ($50)
- Make & Take projects ($85)
- Made in the Shade: How to Garden on the Dark Side with Marianne Binetti
- Terrarium Workshop with Scott McSwain
- The Art of Pot-et-Fleur with Teresa Rao
- Succulent Wreath with Sarah Smith
Attendees can also enjoy more than a dozen self-guided experiences through eight permanent gardens, fantastic displays created exclusively for this festival, live music and a vendor area featuring nearly 100 local artisans, businesses, farms, nurseries and food options.
Northwest gardening expert Ciscoe Morris will be returning as Saturday’s keynote speaker. Bryon Jones, Parks Tacoma’s horticulturist for the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, will appear on Sunday. The lecture series will be open to all this year with talks on:
- Beyond the Backbone: Pacific NW Perennials for Resilient Gardens by Anna Thurston
- The History of the Hedgerow: Wild plants as Food, Medicine, and Habitat by Madrone McCarthy and Teresa McKee of Hedgerow Herb Co.
- Happier Houseplants by Sarah Brackman of Girl Run Farm
- Dreamy English Gardens by Justin Henderson
Local wines and beers will be featured in the Rose Garden with tasting packages, starting at $33, available all day throughout the weekend or gather with friends after hours on Saturday for the 21+ only Happy Hour with live music. Bottles will be available for sale on site and proceeds from both bottle sales and tasting packages will directly benefit the Fort Nisqually Foundation.
Vendor applications are open now through April 30 for concessions and May 20 for retail. A 10’x10’ booth begins at $325 with discounted rates available for nonprofit and government agencies.
Find more information and to purchase tickets online at PtDefianceGardenFest.org.
Tickets are on sale now for the Point Defiance Flower & Garden Festival June 7-8 at Point Defiance Park and extending into the Rose Garden, Japanese Garden and Pagoda. Visitors will enjoy a weekend surrounded by color as they tour the park’s famous gardens, meet some of the Northwest’s best known horticultural experts, create works of botanical art to take home and more.
The festival is free to attend with additional ticketed opportunities available including:
- Guided tours of the Rose and Japanese gardens ($20)
- Paint & Sip sessions ($50)
- Make & Take projects ($85)
- Made in the Shade: How to Garden on the Dark Side with Marianne Binetti
- Terrarium Workshop with Scott McSwain
- The Art of Pot-et-Fleur with Teresa Rao
- Succulent Wreath with Sarah Smith
Attendees can also enjoy more than a dozen self-guided experiences through eight permanent gardens, fantastic displays created exclusively for this festival, live music and a vendor area featuring nearly 100 local artisans, businesses, farms, nurseries and food options.
Northwest gardening expert Ciscoe Morris will be returning as Saturday’s keynote speaker. Bryon Jones, Parks Tacoma’s horticulturist for the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, will appear on Sunday. The lecture series will be open to all this year with talks on:
- Beyond the Backbone: Pacific NW Perennials for Resilient Gardens by Anna Thurston
- The History of the Hedgerow: Wild plants as Food, Medicine, and Habitat by Madrone McCarthy and Teresa McKee of Hedgerow Herb Co.
- Happier Houseplants by Sarah Brackman of Girl Run Farm
- Dreamy English Gardens by Justin Henderson
Local wines and beers will be featured in the Rose Garden with tasting packages, starting at $33, available all day throughout the weekend or gather with friends after hours on Saturday for the 21+ only Happy Hour with live music. Bottles will be available for sale on site and proceeds from both bottle sales and tasting packages will directly benefit the Fort Nisqually Foundation.
Vendor applications are open now through April 30 for concessions and May 20 for retail. A 10’x10’ booth begins at $325 with discounted rates available for nonprofit and government agencies.
Find more information and to purchase tickets online at PtDefianceGardenFest.org.
Street fair, parade, and fireworks will follow this event
Online registration closes on July 2nd at 11:59 PM
Registrations are accepted on the day of the event for an additional charge of $5
7:30 AM – Registration + Bib Pick Up Opens
8:45 AM – Registration + Bib Pick Up Closes
9:00 AM – Start of 4 Mile
9:05 AM – Start of 1 Mile Kids
Electronic Chip Timing
USATF Certified Course and Sanctioned Event
Scenic, mostly flat, road course travels out-and-back along the waterfront
Event shirts available for purchase during online registration until June 30th at 11:59 PM
For everyone’s safety, pets are not allowed on the course
Prizes are given to the most patriotic dressed
Awards are available immediately after finishing
Mile Awards:
Ribbons are given to top 3 in each gender and age group
Medals are given to 1st place overall male and female
Age Groups:
0-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89, 90-94, 95-99, 100+
1 Mile Kids Awards:
Every kid receives a finisher ribbon and a small USA flag
This event provides funds to purchase shoes and uniforms for local youth runners, as well as provides a college scholarship for a graduating senior