Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Summer concert season begins

Posted on July 7th, 2026 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

The U.S. Army National Guard Band kicks off this year’s Summer Sounds at Skansie concert series at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 7.

The band will perform patriotic songs honoring the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The series continues on July 14, with Chicago cover band Chicago Transit Experience.

Summer Sounds concerts are free, but the park fills up fast. Click here to see the full schedule for the rest of the series.

People who have come to listen to The Mixed Tape open Summer Sounds fill the water and park. Photo by Carolyn Bick. © Carolyn Bick

PenMet Parks also launches its summer concert series this week, with Wounded Mic performing at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, at Sehmel Homestead Park. Concerts continue at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 21. The park is at 10123 78th Ave. NW.

The Uptown Gig Harbor summer concert series begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9, with Lavon Blue playing nostalgic rock and current hits in the Uptown pavilion.

Also on July 9, Sweet Mary plays covers and original songs at the Downtown Waterfront Farmers Market. The market runs from 1 to 6 p.m. at Skansie Park.

Summer theater at Gig Harbor High

The Gig Harbor High School drama department presents “Dear Evan Hansen” at the school’s auditorium Friday throug Sunday, July 10 through 12.

It’s a Tony-award winning musical about a high school student navigating anxiety, connection and the universal desire to belong. Performances take place at 7 p.m. Friday, July 10; 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 11; and 6 p.m. Sunday, July 12. The production contains mature themes and may not be suitable for all audiences. GHHS is located at 5101 Rosedale St. NW. Get tickets here.

The GHHS Summer Theatre Camp students will present a single performance of “Matilda Jr.” on Friday, July 17. Students in grades 3 through 8 are attending the theatre camp and working on the production. Get “Matilda” tickets here.

Got art?

Tacoma Community College’s Gig Harbor branch is hosting a show of work by Cuban-born artist Hugo Moro. Moro’s upcycled furniture and found object constructions are colorful and playful and conjure memories of childhood and a waste-nothing tradition. The show, titled “The Art of What Remains” runs through Aug. 20 at 3993 Hunt St. NW.

Work by Ted Moro are on display at Tacoma Community College’s Gig Harbor branch.

Paul Settler is July’s guest artist at Ebb Tide Art Gallery, and Ebb Tide member Valorie Smith is the featured artist. Sattler is known for his fantastical paintings in vibrant, saturated colors. Smith is a ceramic artist who specializes in finely crafted functional objects. Ebb Tide is open seven days a week at 7809 Pioneer Way.

Book discussion

The Gig Harbor Literary Society meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, to discuss “The Lager Queen of Minnesota” by J. Ryan Stradel. It’s the story of two sisters who become estranged when their father leaves his farm to the younger one. She builds a beer empire, while the other struggles financially. Book discussions take place at Harbor History Museum, 4121 Harborview Dr., and are open to all, whether or not you’ve read the book.

Cooking class

Learn to make vegetarian pancit noodles and lumpia from scratch from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at the PenMet Recreation Center, 2524 14th Ave. NW. Tickets cost $60. Sign up here.

PenMet also sponsors a series of Around the World noodle-cooking classes on Fridays from July 10 through 31 at Rosedale Hall, 8205 86th Ave. NW. Learn to prepare nourishing, noodle-based dishes from scratch. All experience levels are welcome, from beginners to gourmet cooks. Classes range from $80-$96 per person. Sign up here.

Waterfront tour

Guides from the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance lead walking tours along the waterfront starting at 5:30 p.m. Thursdays. Stops include Skansie Netshed, Harbor WildWatch, Gig Harbor Marina and Boatyard and other locations important to the town’s maritime past. Tickets are $10 for kids 12 and under or $30 for adults. Sign up here.

Beach walk

Join Harbor WildWatch at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 11, for a walk along the beach at Kopachuck State Park, 10712 56th St. NW to discover sea stars, crabs, sea anemones and other marine creatures in the near shore ecosystem. These walks are free, but donations are appreciated. A Discover Pass is required to park in state parks.

CVA work party

Crescent Valley Alliance will host a work party from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Friday, July 10, at the native habitat demonstration garden at Crescent Creek Park, 3303 Vernhardson St. Help remove invasives, prune well-established native plants and trees and other tasks. Bring your own garden tools.

At the library

Entomologist Don Ehlen will lead an Insect Safari through his collection of more than 2,100 insects in museum cases at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at the Gig Harbor Library, 4424 Point Fosdick Dr. The collection includes butterflies, beetles and spiders from around the world, plus an assortment of live bugs.

Attorneys from Tacomaprobono will host a free legal aid popup from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, at the library to answer questions about family law, consumer issues, wills and estates and other legal issues.

Free lunches for kids

Starting July 7, Altrusa Gig Harbor and Food 4 All will provide free lunches at the library for kids who usually receive free lunches at school. Lunch starts at noon at 4424 Point Fosdick Dr. and several places on the Key Peninsula.

Fun and games

The Beer Vault, 14004 Purdy Dr., hosts music bingo Wednesday, July 8; trivia night on Thursday; and line dancing with instructor Christy Palmer on Monday, June 13. All three events start at 6:30 p.m.

Locust Cider, 3207 57th St. Ct., hosts trivia at 6 p.m. Wednesdays. On Thursday, July 9, it’s a Women’s Pinball Tournament with prizes and giveaways. Signups are at 6 p.m. Games start at 6:30 p.m.

Hidden Harbor Wine Library has bingo every Monday and canasta every Thursday. All the games start at 4:30 p.m.

The Float, 14511 Sherman Dr. NW in Purdy, has karaoke from 8 p.m. to midnight Fridays.

Live music

The Olson Brothers play country music at The Beer Vault, 14004 Purdy Dr., at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 12. Tickets are $30 here.

Three Trick Pony plays classic rock in the vineyard at Olalla Winery at 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 10. Tickets are $20 per person here.

At the movies

The SummerFest movie at the Galaxy Theatres in Uptown this week is “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Show times are 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 7; 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, July 8 and 9. Starting Friday, July 10, it’s “The Bad Guys 2.” Showtimes are 10 a.m. daily Friday through Tuesday, July 10 through 14; and 12:45 p.m. Friday, July 10, Monday July 13 and Tuesday, July 14. SummerFest tickets are just $3.50.

Wednesday’s Flashback Cinema movie at 6:30 p.m. July 8 is “Jaws.” At 12:25 p.m. Sunday, July 12, it’s “Mama Mia” with Meryl Streep. Flashback tickets are just $7.

Friday’s Fright Night movie on July 10 is “The Frighteners.” Showtime is 8:45 p.m. Friday Fright Night tickets are just $6.

The Galaxy Classic on Monday July 13 is “McCabe and Mrs. Miller” (1971) with Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. Showtime is 10 a.m. with tickets for just $5.

Civic engagement

The Gig Harbor City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 13, at the Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St. Tentative agenda items include approval of an agreement for tourism promotion, an amendment to the Commercial Fishing Homeport contract, approval of a contract for construction and materials testing for lift station #5 basin improvements, and other items. Council meetings can be viewed via Zoom.