Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Young entrepreneurs to make their mark at the market

Posted on July 21st, 2026 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

This week’s Waterfront Farmers Market has something special.

Instead of the usual musical entertainment, kids will take over the Skansie Park pavilion on July 23 for a mini-market.

According to Meg Norris, market manager and special projects assistant for the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance, the mini-market will feature “talented young entrepreneurs showcasing their handmade creations and creative products, and growing small businesses.“ It’s organized by Jenny Czyzewski of Creative Little Studios.

Young entrepreneurs will have a mini-market at the Gig Harbor Waterfront Farmers Market on Thursday, July 23.

The farmers market takes place from 1 to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 27, with vendors selling vegetables, berries, flowers, eggs, honey, live plants, baked goods, wines and ciders, fish, prepared food, crafts and other offerings. Shoppers can take a shuttle from the parking lot at the Church of Latter-day Saints on Rosedale Street or the Methodist Church parking lot on Pioneer Way. The shuttle runs every 10 to 15 minutes.

Live theater

Ghostlight Performing Arts wraps up its production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” with free performances at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 24 and 25, at Doris Heritage Park, 10660 Harbor Hill Dr.

Altrusa garage sale

Altrusa Gig Harbor hosts a garage sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 25, at 3923 101st St. Ct. Proceeds help fund Altrusa’s community projects that support literacy programs and other activities.

The dope about rope

Learn to turn twine into a three-strand rope at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 26, at the Gig Harbor BoatShop. The class will cover the kinds of materials that can be used to make rope and how to make your own tools. The cost is $40 for BoatShop members or $45 for non-members. Register here.

Harbor History Museum hosts a hands-on Seafaring Saturday workshop from 11 a.m. to noon July 25 about various rope-splicing techniques. The workshop is free to museum members and is included with museum admission for non-members. The museum is at 4121 Harborview Dr.

Living with wildlife

The Olalla Community Club, 12970 Olalla Valley Road, hosts a free workshop on living with wildlife at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 23. Cole Janowski, a wildlife conflict specialist from the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, will talk about cougar and bear biology and how to avoid conflict with them and other wild animals, how to safely use bear spray, and other topics.

Waterfront walks

Two guided walks along the downtown waterfront take place this week. On Wednesday, July 22, volunteers from the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance lead a “Skiffs to Spirits” walk from Harbor History Museum to 7Seas Brewing starting at 5:30 p.m. The guides will give an insider’s view of Gig Harbor’s early industries and share stories about the town’s social life before and after Prohibition and other historic tidbits. The tour is free and covers about one mile, but reservations are required. Sign up here.

The “Wonders of the Waterfront” walk goes from Donkey Creek Park, 8714 N. Harborview, to the Old Ferry Landing at the mouth of the harbor, at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 25. Volunteers from Harbor WildWatch will discuss the diversity of life and natural history of the waterfront. The free walk is approximately 1.5 miles. Sign up here.

Low tide beach walk

Harbor WildWatch volunteers will lead a walk along the Purdy Spit, 7726 Hwy. 302, at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 28. Discover the beauty and complexity of the near-shore environment and see crabs, sea stars, sea anemones and other beach creatures. Meet at the tip of the boat launch or park along the south side of the road. The walk lasts about an hour or more but walkers can arrive and leave at any time. WildWatch programs are free, but donations are always welcome.

Attendees examine tiny members of the beach’s aquatic life, during Harbor WildWatch’s Low Tide Tour at the Purdy Spit on April 19, 2026. Photo by Carolyn Bick. © Carolyn Bick

FISH food bank needs

Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH Food Bank needs the following items this month: peanut butter and jam; pancake mix and syrup; cooking oil; flour; sugar; cake mixes; frostings; nuts; juice; boxed snacks; cookies and crackers. Take donations to 4303 Burnham Dr. during regular business hours.

Free lunches

Altrusa Gig Harbor and Food 4 All are giving away free sack lunches to kids who usually receive free lunches at school. Lunches are provided at noon Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Gig Harbor Library, 4424 Point Fosdick Dr., and at several places on the Key Peninsula.

Row, row, row the Porpoise

Community volunteers are invited to join the Gig Harbor BoatShop crew to row the Porpoise every Sunday. The Porpoise is a replica of the 10-oared traditional gig in which non-native explorers first entered Gig Harbor. The community rows start at 2 p.m. and last 60 to 90 minutes. The rows are free, but reservations are required. To participate, sign-up for the Sunday Community Row mailing list.

Fun and games

Ocean5 hosts special activities for kids starting at 6 p.m. Wednesdays. The July 22 project is making stained glass paper. Next week the Wednesday project will be ocean-themed windchimes. Each workshop costs $15 per child and each child receives a $10 arcade play game card. Register for the stained-glass paper workshop here.

Ocean5 also has trivia games at 5 p.m. Thursdays. Free and all-ages-friendly at 5268 Point Fosdick Dr.

The Beer Vault, 14004 Purdy Dr. has free music bingo at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 22; free trivia at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 23; and line dancing Monday, July 27, with lessons and dancing starting at 6:30 p.m. for $10.

The Float, 14511 Sherman Dr. in Purdy, has karaoke from 8 p.m. to midnight, Friday, July 24.

Hop Pharm, 3216 Judson St., hosts record night at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 25. Bring one of your favorite records and put it on the turntable for a discount on a beverage.

Locust Cider, 3207 57th St. Ct. has trivia at 6 p.m. Wednesdays; drag bingo at 6 p.m. Friday, July 24; and Cider and Salsa at 7 p.m. Friday, July 25. On Sunday, July 26, the cidery hosts a crushed glass art party. No experience is necessary to make one of 11 designs using colorful crushed glass. Tickets are $45 for a mini-project or $60 for a standard project. Sign up here.

Hidden Harbor Wine Library hosts bingo at 4:30 p.m. Mondays and canasta at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The wine library is located at 8805 N. Harborview Dr. Suite 204.

Live music

The Shy Boys and a Girl provide the tunes for Summer Sounds at Skansie at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21.

Mark Hurwitz and Gin Creek take the stage at the amphitheater in Sehmel Homestead Park at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 22.

Wasted on the Way pays tribute to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 23, at the Uptown pavilion.

The Float, 14511 Sherman Dr. in Purdy, hosts live music by Ignite at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25.

The Nick Vigarino Band plays at Kimball Coffeeshop on Friday, July 24. Doors open at 6 p.m.; music starts at 7 p.m. Kimball hosts an open mic with signups at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23.

Tim Cox and the Secret Weapons play heartfelt ballads and foot-tapping blues at 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 24, at the Olalla Winery. Tickets are $20 per person here.

At the movies

The Gig Harbor Film Festival’s Monday Movie on July 27 is “Peter Asher: Everywhere Man” showing at 6:30 p.m. at the Galaxy Theatres in Uptown. The film blends archival footage with Asher’s celebrated cabaret shows and interviews with Paul McCartney, Carole King, Steve Martin and Eric Idle. It also looks at Asher’s life as a manager and producer of artists like James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt. Buy tickets here.

The SummerFest film at the Galaxy is “A Minecraft Movie” showing at 10 a.m. and 12:40 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, July 21 through 23. Starting Friday, July 24, it’s “The Land Before Time,” about five orphan dinosaurs who band together for survival. Showtime is 10 a.m. daily through July 30; plus 12:40 p.m. Friday, July 24, Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28. SummerFest movies are just $3.50.

The Flashback Cinema movie at the Galaxy on Wednesday, July 22, is “The Never Ending Story” showing at 7:15 p.m. The Flashback movie on Sunday, July 26 is “Tremors.” Flashback movies are just $7.

The Galaxy’s Friday Night Fright film on July 24 is “The House on Haunted Hill” (1959) with Vincent Price. Tickets are just $6.

Monday’s Galaxy Classic movie on July 27 is “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (1949) starring Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Esther Williams, showing at 10 a.m. Classic movie tickets are just $5.

The Galaxy will screen another Mystery Movie at 7 p.m. Monday, July 27, with no title reveal until showtime. Mystery Movie tickets are just $5.

Civic engagement

The Gig Harbor City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 27, at the Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St. Tentative agenda items include adoption of an agreement for the Pierce County Tourism Promotion area, adoption of a three-year Strategic Plan, a contract for re-striping the intersection at Hunt and Skansie streets, and quarterly budget and finance reports. The meeting can also be viewed online here.