Good morning, Tacoma. This week: your street levy passed and the money's coming, a brand-new brewery just poured its first pints on Fawcett Ave, and hundreds of collector cars roll into the East Side. Grab your coffee — you'll be caught up in five minutes.
Community Events & Things to Do
- 48th LeMay Annual Show — Saturday, Aug 29, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Marymount Event Center. LeMay Annual Show spreads hundreds of collector vehicles across two locations for a full day of chrome and horsepower.
- Proctor Farmers' Market — Saturday, Aug 30, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., N. 27th & Proctor. Free to browse. Peak-summer berries, produce and artisan snacks at Tacoma's only year-round market. Market details.
- The Pacific Northwest Market at Ruston — next date Saturday, Sept 12, Point Ruston Waterwalk. Free. Sixty-plus makers, food and live music with a Commencement Bay backdrop. Market info.
- Doug Benson — through Aug, Tacoma Comedy Club. The stand-up and podcast veteran headlines the downtown club. Tickets & showtimes.
- Broadway Farmers' Market — Thursday, Aug 27, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Broadway between 9th & 11th. Free. A downtown lunch-hour staple with produce, lumpia and local goods. Market info.
For Families
- Tacoma Police Kids Health & Safety Fair — Saturday, Aug 29, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., Tacoma Dome. Free backpacks (while they last), health and safety resources, and new hands-on STEM activities at this first-ever fair. Read more (KING 5). **Free**
- End of Summer Blast — Sept 2–4, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Watch the animals cool off with ice treats and summer enrichments all weekend. Event details. **Moderate** (free with zoo admission or membership)
- Children's Museum of Tacoma — open year-round, downtown. Hands-on indoor play for kids birth to 12, with donation-based "Pay As You Will" admission. Plan a visit. **Cheap** (ages 0–12)
General Local News Roundup
Antique Row reeling after 50-plus windows smashed
More than a dozen downtown businesses along Broadway's historic Antique Row were vandalized in an overnight spree, with over 50 windows broken. Police arrested a woman accused of the damage, and small-business owners are facing repair bills that run into the thousands. Read more (KING 5).
Tacoma's grocery homecoming: Uwajimaya returns
The regional Asian grocer confirmed it signed a lease to open in the former Hobby Lobby space at Tacoma Central. The chain was founded in Tacoma's Japantown generations ago, so this is a homecoming — though the store isn't expected to open until 2027. Read more (KING 5).
New school year starts soon
Tacoma Public Schools' first student day is Wednesday, Sept 9, with kindergarten starting Sept 14. Expect busier morning commutes near schools and watch for buses. Read more (school calendar).
City Government & Council News
Voters approved the streets levy — repairs are funded for a decade
Tacoma voters passed the Connect Tacoma: Safe Streets and Sidewalks Levy (Proposition 1) on the Aug 4 ballot, a 10-year measure. Practically, that means a steady, dedicated pot of money for road repaving, sidewalks and neighborhood safety projects starting in 2027 — funded through a utility-tax increase and a property-tax component. Read more (City of Tacoma).
City chips in for Antique Row window repairs
The council allocated $25,000 to help the vandalized Broadway businesses replace broken windows. For the affected shop owners, that's real help covering repairs a small business can't easily absorb. Read more (KING 5).
Weather & Seasonal Notes
Classic late-August weather ahead. Look for a warming trend after a mild start — highs near 73 today, climbing to the upper 70s Monday and low-to-mid 80s by midweek, with overnight lows in the mid-50s. Mostly dry and comfortable, ideal for the farmers markets and that weekend car show. Remember, sunset is creeping earlier now — we're losing daylight fast as September nears, so plan evening plans accordingly and keep an eye out for the first cool, foggy mornings of the season.
Local Business & Real Estate Spotlight
Wooden City settles into its bigger Broadway home
The popular restaurant closed its longtime Pacific Avenue dining room earlier this year and relocated to a renovated 6,500-square-foot space at 1102 Broadway downtown, with room for more seats and private events. Wooden City.
Manic Mermaid finds a new home
The rock, crystal and gift shop reopened at 5436 S. Tacoma Way after closing its Point Ruston location earlier this summer. The store first opened in the Lincoln District about a decade ago. Read more (News Tribune via AOL).
Food & Drink
Redd Dog Brewing pours its first pints
The self-pour favorite just held its grand opening in Tacoma's brewery district at 2302 Fawcett Ave., taking over the former Black Fleet Brewing space. It's a new brewery, taproom and family-friendly Mexican restaurant all in one. Read more (News Tribune via AOL).
Thirsty near Proctor? Narrows Brewing's newer taproom at 2620 N. Proctor St. remains a solid neighborhood stop after the Saturday market. Read more (WA Beer Blog).
Community Spotlight
When someone smashed dozens of windows along Antique Row, the response said a lot about Tacoma. Neighbors and business owners rallied — a community GoFundMe for repairs sprang up almost immediately, and the city followed with emergency funds. It's a reminder that the small, family-run shops packed into downtown's antique malls aren't just retail; they're the kind of quirky, one-of-a-kind places that give Tacoma its character. If you've been meaning to browse for vintage finds, this is a good week to spend a few dollars downtown and show the block some love. Recovery is easier when the whole neighborhood shows up.
Sports
Rainiers come home this week — Tacoma hosts the Salt Lake Bees at Cheney Stadium, with the series opening Tuesday, Aug 25 at 7:05 p.m. It's a good midweek excuse for a ballpark hot dog. Schedule & tickets.
On the road — the Rainiers wrapped up their trip to Sacramento with a wild 15–11 slugfest win, with J.P. Crawford homering on a rehab stint.
This Week in Tacoma History
Thirty years ago this month, on August 10, 1996, the Washington State History Museum opened its doors beside downtown's historic Union Station. The $42 million building — with its dramatic arches echoing the old railroad depot next door — gave the South Sound a permanent home for telling the state's story, from the Coast Salish peoples to the railroad boom that made Tacoma the "City of Destiny." Three decades on, it remains one of the city's anchor institutions and a favorite rainy-day outing. Next time you're downtown, look up at those brick arches and remember they're only a generation old, built to honor something much older. More on the museum.
Deadlines & Public Notices
- First day of school — Wednesday, Sept 9 (kindergarten Sept 14) — affects all Tacoma Public Schools families; confirm your student's start and bus info now. School calendar.
- End of Summer Blast at the zoo — Sept 2–4 — free with admission or membership for anyone planning a family outing over the holiday weekend. Event details.
Before You Go
With a brand-new brewery in town and the markets overflowing, we want to know: what's the best thing you've eaten or drunk in Tacoma this month? Hit reply and tell us — we might feature your pick next issue. Thanks for reading, and if a neighbor would enjoy this five-minute catch-up, forward it their way.
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