With events celebrating Black History Month, Valentine's Day, and Lunar New Year—not to mention the pomp and circumstance of Super Bowl LIV and the 92nd Academy Awards—February has a lot to offer those in and around Tacoma. With so much to do and so few days in which to do them (even though it's a leap year), we're here to help point you in the direction of the biggest and best events, ranging from Lyle Lovett and His Acoustic Group to Blake Shelton to the mystifying clothesless antics of The Naked Magicians. You can also find a full list of Tacoma events this month on our comprehensive Tacoma events calendar.
FEBRUARY 1
COMEDY
Jubal Fresh Comedy Tour
The Marconi Award-winning (they're given to the top radio stations and on-air personalities in the United States) radio broadcaster, television personality, comedian, and podcaster delivers more of the observational humor that made him a standout on the nationally syndicated Brooke & Jubal in the Morning show.
Pantages Theater
COMMUNITY
City of Lakewood Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2020
Lakewood expands its recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a public event coinciding with Black History Month. Keynote speaker Shalom Aburu will be joined by Congressman Denny Heck and Clover Park School District Superintendent Ron Banner.
Harrison Preparatory School
Fern Hill Library 70th Anniversary Celebration
Libraries are an essential part of a thriving community, and Tacoma Public Library's Fern Hill location is celebrating a whopping seven decades serving the members of the Gritty City. Come join the festivities, which include a presentation by the Tacoma Historical Society and reception afterward that will have plenty of cake, coffee, and tea. Just be sure to wipe your hands before you check out a book.
Tacoma Public Library (Fern Hill branch)
FOOD & DRINK
Taste of Asia Featuring Vietnam
The worst thing about eating a delicious banh mi is that eventually, you will no longer have a banh mi to eat. You can remedy this unfortunate situation by learning to cook (and assemble) a traditional banh mi with pork or beef, and all the appropriate accouterments, thanks to the Vietnamese cultural team led by Samuel Danh. You'll never have to be banh mi-less again.
Asia Pacific Cultural Center
Tin Hat Cider Grand Opening
Celebrate the opening of this small-batch cidery and sample an assortment of their orchard-born libations. Attendees will be the first to join the Coaster Club, which not only earns you a personalized coaster, but also offers discounts on pints, growlers, flights, and other Tin Hat merchandise.
LUNAR NEW YEAR
Celebrate Lunar New Year
Tacoma's cathedral to commerce will celebrate the Lunar New Year in Macy's Court (that's the area in front of the department store). There'll be a traditional Lion Dance from Mak Fai Dance, as well as calligraphy and origami demonstrations from members of the Asian Pacific Cultural Center.
Tacoma Mall
MUSIC
Excision: The Thunderdome
This electronic music extravaganza boasts two days of artists from all over the place performing back-to-back sets, including Liquid Stranger, Sprag Heddy, and Lucii.
Tacoma Dome
FEBRUARY 1-2
SHOPPING
Puyallup Antique & Collectible Show
One person's garage-dust-gathering detritus is another's collectible antique. Figure out which is which among the 400 booths filled with vintage clothing, estate jewelry, furniture, pottery, clocks, watches, kitchenware, and toys from throughout the 1900s. Rare book hunters are encouraged to attend to find that ancient tome to add to their collection.
Puyallup Fairgrounds
FEBRUARY 1-8
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
FEBRUARY 1-16
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
FEBRUARY 1-29
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Black History Month at The Grand Cinema
Tacoma's arthouse theater celebrates Black History Month with a tremendous lineup of films that includes Us, To Sleep With Anger, Candyman, Attack the Block, and more. These films will be part of the theater's Tuesday Film Series, Weird Elephant Series, and Classic Film Series for the month.
The Grand Cinema
FEBRUARY 1-MARCH 15
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth.
This traveling Smithsonian show highlights the achievements of African American men, from the Harlem Hellfighters to John Coltrane to LeBron James.
Washington State History Museum
Through March 15
FEBRUARY 1-MAY 10
VISUAL ART
The Naturalist and The Trickster: Audubon/RYAN!
In anticipation of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, artists John James Audubon (1785-1851) and RYAN! Feddersen (very much alive) show work inspired by animals and the natural world.
Tacoma Art Museum
FEBRUARY 1-AUGUST 16
VISUAL ART
Forgotten Stories: Northwest Public Art of the 1930s
This exhibition revisits the public art initiatives under the WPA that helped pull America out of depression. You'll find art treasures created by some of the hundreds of artists employed by the government during the 1930s.
Tacoma Art Museum
FEBRUARY 2
SUPER BOWL LIV PARTIES
The Super Bowl is basically Sports Prom, but with a lot less drinking and a slightly bigger media profile. So as potential Sports Prom Kings Patrick Mahomes and Jimmy Garoppolo do battle with their teams, the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, respectively, why not enjoy the pageantry of it all at one of Tacoma's fine eating establishments. There are plenty of pigskin parties in and around the Gritty City this Sunday, from McMenamins's Spanish Ballroom to Central Co-op.
Various locations
FEBRUARY 4
MUSIC
Chastity Belt
After nearly a decade in the business, the all-women four-piece is firing on all cylinders, making the kind of music they want to make and delivering a unique indie-rock sound that's earned them plenty of accolades and fans.
Alma Mater
SuperM: We Are The Future Live
Korean pop supergroup SuperM's We Are the Future Live world tour will be their tour since their formation in 2019. Their seven members include Taemin from Shinee, Baekhyun and Kai from Exo, Taeyong, Ten, and Lucas and Mark from NCT.
ShoWare Center
FEBRUARY 6
MUSIC
The Lonely
A tribute to the legendary Roy Orbison, this show features many of the singer-songwriter's biggest hits, as well as those from The Traveling Wilburys and The Everly Brothers. Singer Mike Demers and his band recreate Orbison's unmistakable sound with hits like "Only the Lonely," "Crying,” “Oh, Pretty Woman,” “Dream Baby,” “Ooby Dooby,” “Blue Angel,” “Blue Bayou,” “You Got It,” and “In Dreams.”
Pantages Theater
FEBRUARY 6-23
PERFORMANCE
Oleanna
Perhaps more topical now than when he first wrote it, David Mamet's Oleanna has been hailed by Time Magazine as one of its "ten best plays of all time." The story of gender, privilege, and power dynamics in a professor-student relationship has only become more fascinating as it ages. The February 23 performance comes with a unique special feature, as director Joshua Knudson and actors Sean Neely and Angelica Barksdale will be on hand for a special talk-back session with the audience.
Theater on the Square
FEBRUARY 7
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
FEBRUARY 7-8
FOOD & DRINK
Enumclaw Wine and Chocolate Festival 2020
We believe wine is the perfect accompaniment to a great many things, chief among them: delicious handcrafted chocolates, live entertainment, and shopping. This festival is here to prove our theory once and for all.
Enumclaw Expo Center
FEBRUARY 8
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
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 & Event Center
PERFORMANCE
2020 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
If there is such a thing as the heyday of a cappella 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
FEBRUARY 9
FILM
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.
Lincoln District
FEBRUARY 10
MUSIC
C.W. Stoneking
The Australian musician blends blues, jazz, country, and calypso, as well as rock 'n' roll and gospel into an eclectic sound that defies convention as readily as it does description. The neo-blues singer and guitarist recently kicked off a new tour that brings him to the Pacific Northwest by way of Texas before he moves down the coast to California and then Australia.
Alma Mater
FEBRUARY 11
READINGS & TALKS
Latinx Labor & Immigrant Rights Symposium
University of Washington Tacoma Humanities professor Michael Honey will be part of a panel that includes photographer David Bacon and farmworker organizer Rosa Linda Guillen as they discuss past and present issues faced by farmworkers in Washington State. David will be available in the gallery following the discussion.
Washington State History Museum
FEBRUARY 13
READINGS & TALKS
History After Hours: Shipwrecks!
History After Hours 2020 will kick off with a lively discussion of the most fascinating shipwrecks in the Pacific Northwest. This 21+ event also encourages guests to learn knot-tying and to sing a few sea shanties. The latter will likely become easier with a little liquid courage provided by Three Magnets Brewing, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and Heritage Distilling. Those with a passion for history (and adult beverages) can nab a season pass for just $75 and check out the full lineup of events here.
Washington State History Museum
FEBRUARY 14
MUSIC
Blake Shelton
Dad-joke-shiller and ex-mulleted country crooner Blake Shelton will bend Tacoma to his Top40 appeal with additional guests on his Friends & Heroes 2020 nationwide tour.
Tacoma Dome
VALENTINE'S DAY
For the Love of R&B
Swoon to the musical stylings of Sammie, the "Prince of R&B" this Valentine's Day, and stay for performances from D-Dazh, Kalieb Nash, Tiory Zhinique, and Zhonzell. It'll be a night to remember that's so much better than roses and a box of chocolates.
Freighthouse Station Market
Valentine's Day Couples' Party
Mr. Nyice Guy will DJ this Valentine's Day event set to the sounds of the '70s, '80s, '90s, and 2000s. Couples who reserve a VIP table will get a bottle of champagne to help make the evening a little more romantic. Step off the dance floor and into the photo booth to capture those feelings of love that are totally going to last forever and ever.
West of the Waterway
FEBRUARY 15
VALENTINE'S DAY
Love at the Zoo
It's not nearly as icky as it sounds. The animals are given special Valentine's treats and "enrichments," which apparently bring more of the "animal" out of the zoo's (permanent) guests for the enjoyment of spectators.
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
FEBRUARY 16
MUSIC
Auburn Symphony Orchestra: Happy Birthday, Beethoven!
The name Ludwig van Beethoven is likely familiar to just about everyone, regardless of their experience with or knowledge of classical music. His work has inspired countless composers and musicians for centuries, and now Sam Almaguer, the principal clarinetist of the North Carolina Symphony, joins Maestro Schulz and the Orchestra for Copland’s Clarinet Concerto for a program honoring Beethoven and celebrating his 250th birthday.
Auburn Performing Arts Center
FEBRUARY 17
COMEDY
Jo Koy
The famed comedian brings his set from the Just Kidding tour to the Pacific Northwest. Koy's jokes and observational humor have won him accolades around the world, making him one of the most in-demand stand-up comics working today.
ShoWare Center
FEBRUARY 18
MUSIC
Tacocat
The Seattle-based outfit has been cranking out tunes for over a decade now, engendering themselves to audiences with a mix of wryly humorous songs and feminist pop-punk.
Alma Mater
FEBRUARY 19
READINGS & TALKS
Imbolo Mbue
Cameroonian writer Imbolo Mbue nabbed the PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction with her very first novel, Behold the Dreamers, which follows a pair of immigrants who arrive in New York just in time for the Great Recession. Gain wisdom from this literary star as he gives two talks, titled "Behold the Dreamers and How Being a Reader Made Me a Writer" and "Empathy in a Time of Chaos: Immigration and the American Dream."
Green River Community College
FEBRUARY 22
COMEDY
The Good Humor Men
Up-and-coming stars of late-night comedy, Pat Hazell, Pat McGann, and Pete Lee (that's two Pats and a Pete), bring their stand-up stylings to this unique performance that showcases each comic's respective talents in a hilarious group setting.
Tacoma Rialto Theater
MUSIC
Beethoven & The Electric Universe
Seattle musician Michael Nicolella will perform composer Yaron Gottfried’s Electric Guitar Concerto, conducted by Maestra Sarah Ioannides. The non-traditional approach to Beethoven's music, particularly Symphony No. 3 "Eroica," breathes new life into the genre and challenges what it means to perform classical music.
Pantages Theater
FEBRUARY 25
MARDI GRAS
Mardi Gras
Fat Tuesday is the traditional bacchanal before the Christian Lenten season begins, so you might as well start the sinful revelry with an all-day party at Tacoma's newest live-music venue. The Mardi Gras celebration kicks off with Show Brazil and continues into the night with performances from Swamp Soul, Melez Band, and Breaks & Swells.
Spanish Ballroom
MUSIC
Lyle Lovett & His Acoustic Group
With 14 albums under his belt, the musician and actor has become an institution unto himself. Now, the acclaimed performer launches a new tour with his Acoustic Group. Together they cover a variety of genres, offering elements of country, folk, jazz, and even gospel.
Pantages Theater
FEBRUARY 28-29
PERFORMANCE
Shane Koyczan
The spoken word performance artist and award winner treads thorny societal and political territory in fascinating and humane ways. Koyczan's poetry has been heard by millions following the breakout success of his anti-bullying project, To This Day.
Theater on the Square
FEBRUARY 29
COMEDY
Charlie Berens
Journalist, comedian, and creator the Manitowoc Minute, Berens's work can be seen on CBS, FOX, TBS Digital, MTV News, and Funny or Die. When he's not touring the country performing his stand-up, he's acting and creating his own scripted series, Co-Anchor Confidential, for Kevin Hart's LOL comedy platform.
Tacoma Comedy Club
FEBRUARY 29-MARCH 1
FESTIVALS
So Northwest Women's Show
The show is two full days focused on women's fashion, food, health, and fun. Love and relationship guru Yamuel Bradley will be on hand for a reading and signing event, but there will also be two stages filled with hundreds of exhibits, as well as live entertainment, fashion shows, and some informative seminars.
Tacoma Dome
Through March 1
