Community
2026 Maritime Gig Festival: Here’s what you need to know
The Maritime Gig Festival’s Grande Parade is making a big move. Or at least its judges’ stand is.
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The Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce, which stages the festival and parade, moved the judges’ stand to the area of the Beach Basket at 4102 Harborview Dr., near the Harborview-North Harborview intersection. The chamber said the move will “improve parade timing, participant flow and overall event operations.”
Previously, the judges’ stand was at the end of the parade, near the Harborview-Pioneer Way intersection.
The move also allows parade participants to strut their stuff for judges while they’re still fresh, as opposed to performing after completing nearly the entire mile-long route.
The parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 6. Other highlights include the vendors fair, which starts immediately after the parade; and the Wheels on the Water car show and Blessing of the Fleet on Sunday, June 7.
The annual Gig Harbor Maritime Festival Parade on June 7, 2025.
Find details below.
Weather
It’s early yet, but the streak of consecutive years with perfect weather for the Maritime Gig is in jeopardy.
The past few parade days have featured sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s. But as of June 1, the National Weather Service forecast for Saturday is this: “Rain likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 60.”
Sunday looks a little better, with only a “slight chance” of rain and a high near 65.
Keep in mind that the weather service posted this prediction five days before the parade, and that similarly dreary forecasts have turned into beautiful parade days the past few years.
The annual Gig Harbor Maritime Festival Parade on June 7, 2025.
Grande Parade
The Maritime Gig Grande Parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 6. Its theme is Stars and Stripes, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
More than 80 groups will participate in the parade, ranging from school bands to businesses and nonprofits.
Gig Harbor Now will be parade entry No. 26, with reporters carrying cameras to take pictures of the crowd. Make sure to strike a pose when you see our lenses, and look on gigharbornow.org afterward to see if we posted your picture.
A scene from the 2025 Maritime Gig Grand Parade. Photo by Vince Dice
Parade route
The parade starts at the corner of Harborview and North Harborview drives, close to Donkey Creek Park and the Harbor History Museum. It continues down Harborview Drive all the way to Judson Street, a route of just over one mile.
A scene from the 2025 Maritime Gig Grand Parade. Photo by Chapin Day
Any spot along Harborview Drive provides a fine place to view the festivities. The biggest crowds typically gather at Skansie Park, Harborview’s intersection with Pioneer Way and at the Harborview-North Harborview intersection.
The stretch of Harborview around Ancich Park, the Millville District and near Austin Park is typically quieter.
Parking and shuttles
Pierce Transit will again operate a free shuttle from the Kimball Drive Park and Ride to Judson Street between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on both days of the festival.
Other popular parking options include the United Methodist Church at 7400 Pioneer Way and St. Nicholas Catholic Church at 3555 Edwards St. Both churches charge for parking, but get you closer to the action than Kimball.
Road closures
Pioneer Way will close downhill of Tarabochia Street between 5:30 a.m. June 6 and 7 p.m. June 7. So will Harborview Drive between Rosedale Street and Pioneer.
A much longer stretch of Harborview — from Burnham Drive in the north all the way to Soundview — will close to accommodate the parade from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 6.
A scene from the 2025 Maritime Gig Grand Parade. Photo by Chapin Day
Sunday
The Wheels on the Water car show and the Blessing of the Fleet highlight Sunday’s activities.
The car show starts at 11 a.m. on Harborview Drive from Pioneer Way to Rosedale Street.
The Blessing starts at 1 p.m. with a procession down Rosedale, from St. Nicholas Catholic Church to Skansie Brothers Park. Parishioners and members of the Knights of Columbus carry the Our Lady of the Harbor icon to a ceremony at the park.
The parish priest and church leaders then board boats and motor out to greet and bless Gig Harbor’s commercial fishing fleet, anchored in the harbor.
Schedule
Saturday, June 6
7:30 to 10:30 a.m.: Free community pancake breakfast, hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Gig Harbor
10 a.m.: Grande Gig Parade begins
Noon: Entertainment and vendor fair begins
2:15 p.m.: Parade awards
Entertainment schedule
11:45 a.m.: My Guilty Pleasure
2 p.m.: The Profits
3:30 p.m.: Kim Archer Band
5 p.m.: 90s Rewind
6:30 p.m.: The Infinity Project
Sunday, June 7
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Wheels on the Water car show
1 p.m.: Blessing of the Fleet
3 p.m.: Car show awards
Musical entertainment
10:30 a.m.: Illusions of Elvis
Noon: Mark Hurwitz and the Gin Creek Band
2 p.m.: Mara and the Charm
Gig Harbor-based commercial fishing boats line up for the Blessing of the Fleet on Sunday, June 2, 2024. Photo by Chapin Day