This weekend, the Tacoma area has something for everyone, as events range from a Pinology Market to a Lunar New Year event in Tacoma's recently revitalized Lincoln District to a pre-Valentine’s Day 5k. There's also a performance by Reverend Horton Heat and comedy shows from Earthquake and Dino Archie. We've rounded up all those and more of the biggest and best events for the weekend below. Plus, find even more events this weekend on our complete Tacoma events calendar.
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FRIDAY
COMEDY
Laughing Matter with Dino Archie
This stand-up comedian has been a regular in the Pacific Northwest, having won the 36th annual International Seattle Comedy Competition. You've also likely seen him on Adam Devine's House Party (if not, you should) or on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Alma Mater
FOOD & DRINK
Washington Hop Mob 2020 in Tacoma
Fans of hoppy, bitter beers will unite at this gathering for all things IPA. Though the requirements for entry this year have been eased somewhat—beers no longer have to be designated as triple IPAs—things will still be plenty bitter at the start of the 10-day Washington Hop Mob Roadshow, which travels across Western Washington bringing hoppy beers to the masses.
Peaks & Pints
MUSIC
Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend and his psychobilly bandmates have kicked off a new tour with a number of shows throughout the Pacific Northwest, so now is the time to see the legendary rock 'n' roller live on stage, and to enjoy an evening of modern rockabilly that's been going strong for more than three decades.
Spanish Ballroom
PERFORMANCE
The Naked Magicians
Naughty magic is an unlikely subgenre of the entertainment domain ruled by the likes of David Copperfield and Penn & Teller, but this Australian duo has turned it into a wildly successful enterprise, with a Las Vegas residency and a season on London's West End. The blend of comedy, top-notch magic, and male nudity literally strips away the genre's conventions, making for a wild and entertaining event.
Tacoma Rialto Theater
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
COMEDY
Earthquake
The stand-up comedian, actor, and in-demand voice artist has been seen on a variety of specials on BET, Comedy Central, HBO, and Showtime, and fans of a certain age will know him as Uncle Mike from Everybody Hates Chris.
Tacoma Comedy Club
PERFORMANCE
Beehive The '60s Musical
Celebrate female empowerment '60s style and listen to classic tunes like "My Boyfriend's Back," "Be My Baby," and "Son of a Preacher Man." The show is a nostalgic story of six young women coming of age in a remarkable decade.
Tacoma Musical Playhouse
Oleanna
Perhaps more topical now than when he first wrote it, David Mamet's Oleanna has been hailed by Time Magazine as one of "ten best plays" ever written. The story of gender, privilege, and power dynamics in a professor-student relationship has only become more fascinating as it ages.
Theater on the Square
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
PERFORMANCE
Noises Off
The New York Post called it "The funniest farce ever written," and you can see for yourself at the play about a troubled production of a play. Filled with backstage shenanigans and actorly backstabbing, this production finds the humor in those struggling to ensure "the show must go on," even when it's readily apparent it really shouldn't.
State Theater
FOOD & DRINK
Enumclaw Wine and Chocolate Festival 2020
2020 will mark the 12th year for this festival that's filled with "wine, wine, and more wine," and an array of chocolates. There'll also be shopping booths and live entertainment in both of the Expo Center's buildings.
Enumclaw Expo Center
SATURDAY
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Black History Month Culture & Arts Family Festival
This family festival will span the full range of African American history and art through music, dance, and theater. Explore the impact of soul music from Duke Ellington to Aretha Franklin to Marvin Gaye and Prince. Additionally, the Book-It Theatre of Seattle will perform Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, and Maya Soleil Tradition will present acoustic African songs and dancers from western and south-central Africa. Pacific Northwest African American quilters will also have quilts on display and square-making demonstrations for attending students.
Karshner Museum
COMMUNITY
Puget Sound Women's Show
This year's Women's Show will go red (the color will be featured prominently throughout the show) with support from ShowCase Magazine, the American Heart Association, and America's Credit Union. The event will also offer free chair massages and hand aromatherapy, as well as information on wellness, beauty, and health.
Tacoma Mall
LUNAR NEW YEAR
Asia Pacific Cultural Center's 22nd Annual Lunar New Year Celebration
The largest Lunar New Year party in the South Sound (according to the organizers) will center on the country and culture of Vietnam. There will be food, games, retail booths, and live entertainment celebrating the Year of the Rat and filling the exhibition hall with plenty to keep visitors engaged and well-fed.
Tacoma Dome
MUSIC
'80s Video Dance Attack
The Portland dance party will make its way up north for an evening of '80s music videos and dance, transforming the Spanish Ballroom with an impressive sound and light show. Get on your best '80s duds and come join the party.
Spanish Ballroom
The Bridge City Sinners
Imagine if Bob Dylan and Joe Strummer had a baby and you'll have a pretty good idea of what's in store when the Bridge City Sinners play. The band has been around since 2016, and have since played gigs across the U.S., as well as in Canada and Mexico.
Jazzbones
Seattle Women's Chorus: Revolution 2020
This rousing concert celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. Though it recognizes how far women have come, Revolution 2020 also underlines just how much work is left to be done to ensure free and fair voting rights for all. Come support those rights and listen to stirring renditions of "The Times They Are A-Changin," "R.O.C.K. in the USA," "Revolution," and more.
Federal Way Performing Arts and Event Center
PERFORMANCE
2020 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
If there is such a thing as the heyday of a capella performances, it came and went with the Pitch Perfect trilogy (yep, there were three of them), but while that franchise fizzled, the Varsity Vocals International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) is still going strong. Come cheer on young vocalists as they showcase their talent and compete against 10 groups from the region, with the winner moving on to the 2020 ICCA Finals.
Tacoma Rialto Theater
Tosca
Tosca, once described by ex-Stranger writer David Schmader as "Puccini's gorgeous funhouse of an opera, based on an 1887 melodrama tracking the travails of a celebrated opera singer, whose Category 4 emotional hurricanes are matched only by her power to enchant," will be taken on by the Tacoma Opera.
Pantages Theater
READINGS & TALKS
Poetry Reading & Book Launch for The Uncertainty of Light
Alma Mater opens its doors for an evening of poetry and activism, and to celebrate the release of Alana Saltz's book of poems, The Uncertainty of Light. In addition to Saltz, the free evening will feature readings from Nicole McCarthy, Patrycja Humienik, Tamara Sellman, Ching-In Chen, and Christina Butcher. Saltz's book will be available for sale with an author signing following the reading.
Alma Mater
SHOPPING
Pinology Market
Pinterest will come to life at this market where "hand-picked" vendors peddle their wares and offer guests one-of-a-kind finds that'll probably end up on their Pinterest boards.
Washington State Fairgrounds
SPORTS & RECREATION
6th Annual Valentine's Day 5k
Give your heart what it needs before you give it what it wants in this pre-Valentine's Day 5k. This family-friendly event runs through Eastside Olympia, beginning and ending in Priest Point Park. All money raised by the event will help fund the Thurston County Food Bank's FORKids program.
Priest Point Park
Sip, Eat, Skate, & Play!
Come relive your childhood or experience the joys of an eight-wheeled bygone era in this adults-only skate jam, featuring tunes spun by DJ Selectah Slam, an enormous arcade, and all the buffalo wings, pizza, and (adult) beverages you crave.
Skate Tiffany's - Roller Skating & Family Fun Center
Tacoma Polar Plunge
In case you were too hungover to attend a New Year's Day dip into some icy waters, Tacoma has a February event that'll cool you down (way down) for a good cause. The event offers individuals and businesses the chance to support Special Olympics, as pledges will be collected before you jump into the frigid waters of the Columbia River. Those who'd rather not experience the shock of being submerged in icy-cold water, but still want to help raise funds, can stay dry and relatively warm in the "Chicken Coop." Those just interested in just watching can also enjoy live music, a costume contest, and eats from various food trucks.
Point Defiance Park
Valentine's 5k
Grab your sweetie and run away at this pre-Valentine's Day 5k in Tacoma. The course will take the scenic route by the water along Ruston Way, making for a fun out-and-back run that's open to walkers, strollers, and pooches (on leashes, of course), as well as all those serious runners.
Point Defiance Park
SUNDAY
ACADEMY AWARDS
Oscars Viewing Party
Enjoy bubbly, Hollywood-inspired cocktails, and free popcorn while it lasts at this Oscar party, which also promises a photo booth, voting ballots, and a family-friendly (aka booze-free) viewing area in the dining room.
Rhein Haus
Film Awards Party 2020
Though you probably weren't invited to the 92nd Academy Awards, you can still enjoy a modicum of glitz and glamor at this super-sized viewing party. Doors open early for those who want to take part in red carpet coverage. Premium ticket holders are invited to choose from the best seats in the house and to enjoy quality eats and drinks with a $20 voucher (included in the price of the ticket). Come see the entertainment industry pat itself on the back and (probably) reward the least-deserving film Hollywood's highest honor with some like-minded friends.
The Grand Cinema
LUNAR NEW YEAR
Lunar New Year in Lincoln District 2020 - Year of the Rat
Support the local businesses in the newly revitalized Lincoln District while you celebrate the Year of the Rat. There'll be family-friendly activities, music, lion dancers, and, of course, plenty of food.
Tacoma Lincoln District
MUSIC
Mini Maestros: Jungle Jams
This kid-friendly informal concert aims to demonstrate to the little ones just how orchestral instruments can imitate wild animals and evoke feelings of being in the jungle (hence the title). The event is engineered to get children engaged physically and mentally and will provide them with an interactive learning experience where they can meet the musicians and even see how the instruments work at an "instrument petting zoo" one hour before each concert.
Schneebeck Hall - University of Puget Sound
