Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Wooden boats, beer and cider, and more

Posted on May 12th, 2026 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

Harbor History Museum celebrates the 185th anniversary of the naming of Gig Harbor with a lecture by local historian Douglas McDonnell and museum shipwright Riley Hall at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14. McDonnell and Hall will discuss “The Boat that Gave Gig Harbor its Name.”

The boat was a small gig from the brig Porpoise under the command of Capt. Charles Wilkes, a member of the U.S. Great Exploring Expedition that took place from 1838 to 1842. McDonnell and Hall talk about the construction of the museum’s Porpoise replica and the importance of such boats in the town’s history.

The Porpoise, a replica of the gig boat.

While his ships were moored in what’s now called Colvos Passage, Wilkes sent several members of his crew aboard a longboat — a gig — from the Porpoise, to explore the bay. The little gig is what gave Gig Harbor its name.

In 1989, as part of the Washington State Centennial, the museum and the Gig Harbor BoatShop collaborated to build a replica of the captain’s gig and christened it “Porpoise.”

Wooden Boat Festival

The Porpoise will row into Colvos Passage and rendezvous with the Virginia V, one of the few remaining steamships from Puget Sound’s historic Mosquito Fleet, on Friday, May 15. Both boats will be part of the annual Wooden Boat Show at the Tides Tavern on Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16. The festival includes free, first-come-first-served rides on the Porpoise and a display of other classic wooden boats.

Boats tied up outside the Tides Tavern for a previous Wooden Boat Festival.

The Virginia V, the last operational steamship that was part of the historic Mosquito Fleet of Puget Sound ferries, will visit Gig Harbor May 15 through 17.

The ship, operated by a nonprofit and based on Seattle’s Lake Union, is touring the Puget Sound in advance of America 250, the celebration of the semiquinncentennial.

Courtesy of the Virginia V Foundation

It will arrive at the Tides Tavern dock in Gig Harbor at about 5 p.m. Friday, May 15, following a one-way cruise from Tacoma.

The Virginia V Foundation offers a “Happy Hour Cruise” from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 16. Later on Saturday, two local singers will perform onboard the ship starting at 7:30 p.m. The organizers, Dryft Concerts, keep the identity of the performers a mystery until the event starts. Concert tickets cost $30.

The Virginia V departs en route to Port Orchard at 5 p.m. Sunday, May 17. Tickets for all three cruises — the arrival from Tacoma, the Happy Hour Cruise and the departure to Port Orchard — cost $40 for adults or $20 for kids ages 10 and younger.

Beer and Cider Festival

Craft brewers and cider-makers will convene in Uptown at noon Saturday, May 16, for the 15th annual Kiwanis Beer and Cider Festival.

This year’s festival includes a photo booth, a beer stein-holding contest, a Best Beer Shirt contest and the Gig Harbor Kiwanis Club’s popular pretzel necklaces and grilled hotdogs. Proceeds support Kiwanis projects that benefit children, families and nonprofits. Buy tickets here.

Spring Faire

The Harbor in Bloom Spring Faire, featuring local craft and food vendors, workshops and live music, is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 16 at the Civic Center Green, 3510 Grandview St. Shoppers will find books, paintings, pottery, crocheted items, soaps and lotions, hand-made bird feeders more. Read more here.

Waterfront walk

Take a walking tour of the downtown waterfront Thursday, May 14, with stops at Skansie Netshed, Harbor WildWatch, Gig Harbor Marina and other sites, and learn about local legends and lore, Thursday, May 14. The “Pints, Myths and Maritime Spirits” walk starts at 5:30, led by the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance. Tickets cost $10 for kids 12 and younger or $30 for adults.

BoatShop auction

The Gig Harbor BoatShop’s annual fundraising auction on Friday, May 15 includes live and silent auctions, catered hors d’oeuvres and chances to bid on art, photographs, cruises and overnight trips aboard the purse seiner Veteran and the classic tug Chippewa.

Other auction items include a private dining event with live classical music, a shrimping excursion on Hood Canal and more. Tickets are $125 per person.

Youth mental health town hall

Peninsula School District will host a mental health town hall at 6 p.m. Monday, May 18, at the Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St. Local leaders and educators, health professionals and community organizations will be on hand to talk about prevention, early support and crisis response, available resources and how working together supports youth and families.

KGI Watershed meeting

The Key Peninsula-Gig Harbor-Islands group meets at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at the Gig Harbor Civic Center for a program featuring presentations from recipients of the 2025 Lu Winsor environmental grants.

Art show

Painter Hector Arellano and photographer Hank Church are Ebb Tide Art Gallery’s featured artists for May. See their work at the gallery seven days a week at 7809 Pioneer Way. Find more information here.

Ending soon

The final performances of Gig Harbor High School’s production of Steven Sondheim’s classic musical “Into the Woods” are this week. Tickets are available for the 6 p.m. shows on Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16, and for the 1 p.m. matinee on May 17 here. The GHHS Performing Arts Boosters will have concessions and a raffle during intermission. The school is located at 5101 Rosedale St. NW.

A scene from the Gig Harbor High School production of “Into the Woods.”

Roadside cleanup

District 7 Pierce County Council member Robyn Denson is sponsoring a Spring Cleanup starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 16, near Harbor Family Park, 6820 32nd St. NW. Members of Gig Harbor’s EnviroCorps will lead a roadside cleanup during an Adopt a Road litter patrol along the street near the park. EnviroCorps will provide litter pickers and bags.

Fun and games

Hidden Harbor Wine Library, 8805 N. Harborview, Suite 204, has bingo at 4:30 p.m. Mondays.

Hop Pharm will host a Pierce the Peninsula Drag Show at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, with dancers, beverages and raffle prizes. The $15 suggested donation goes toward the dancers – but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Hop Pharm is located at 3216 Judson St. Suite B.

Locust Cider, 3207 57th St. Ct., has Trivia Night at 6 p.m. Wednesdays; a women’s pinball tournament at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14; music bingo on at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 17; and a speed jigsaw puzzle competition and swap on at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 17. Sign up for the jigsaw puzzle competition here.

Ocean5 has Trivia Night at 6 p.m. Thursdays. Gather your team and show off your knowledge about pop culture, history, science and more. All ages are welcome at 5268 Point Fosdick Dr. NW.

Fans can also play trivia at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at The Beer Vault, 14004 Purdy Dr. The Beer Vault also has an evening of line dancing starting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 18. Admission is $10 per class with no reservations needed.

The Float, 14511 Sherman Drive NW in Purdy, hosts karaoke at 8 p.m. Fridays.

Live music

Kat Cullman brings her country repertoire to the Olalla Winery at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 15. She’ll also share tunes by Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Jackson Browne, John Prine and others. Tickets are $20 here.

At the movies

The SummerFest movie at the Galaxy Theatres Uptown is “Paddington,” about a young Peruvian bear who takes a train to London in search of a home. Showtimes are 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 12; 10:25 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 13; and 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14.

Starting Friday, the SummerFest movie is “Despicable Me 4.” Showtimes are 10 a.m. and 12:35 p.m. May 15; 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17; and 10 a.m. and 12:35 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, May 18 and 19. SummerFest movies are just $3.50

The Classic movie at the Galaxy on Wednesday, May 13, is the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz.” Showtime is 6 p.m. on May 13. On Monday, May 18, it’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” showing is 10 a.m. Classic movie tickets are just $5.

“The Blair Witch Project” is the May 15 Friday Fright Night movie. Showtime is 8:45 p.m. Tickets are just $6.

On Monday, May 18, the Galaxy will show a Mystery Movie, with no title reveal until showtime. Tickets are $5. Showtime is 7 p.m.