Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Open Studio Tour, paddle championships, Fish Bowl and more

Posted on September 15th, 2026 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

The annual Open Studio Tour takes place Friday thru Sunday, Sept. 18 through 20, with nearly 60 artists showing their work in 23 studios in Gig Harbor, South Kitsap and Fox Island. Art lovers can meet artists who work in clay, photography, jewelry, fiber, glass, stone, wood and a variety of painting and drawing mediums. Studios are open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Gig Harbor potter Al Johnsen, who started a similar tour when he taught art at a university in Santa Cruz, California, founded the Open Studio Tour in 1993. He and his wife moved to Gig Harbor in the early 1990s, and he quickly made the acquaintance of other local artists who agreed to open their studios to the public.

In addition to Johnsen, the first Open Studio Tour featured seven other artists, including a metal sculptor, a tapestry weaver, a wood worker and several painters. Johnsen’s goal was to introduce the Gig Harbor community to people who supported themselves making beautiful, often functional items with their hands.

The tour grew with new artists being juried-in every year and others retiring. The jurying process usually takes place in January or February and requires prospective participants to provide examples of their work, photos of their studio, and commit to volunteering for tasks that go into presenting the three-day event. In addition, each participating artist pays a fee to help offset tour-related expenses.

While selling their work is always important, the artists are also keen to educate tour-goers about how they create their work, what inspires them and the importance of creative activities in general. Learn more and download a map of the free, self-guided tour here.

Fish Bowl

The annual Fish Bowl football game between Peninsula and Gig Harbor kicks off at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at Mount Tahoma Stadium at 4634 S 74th St. in Tacoma.

The gates at Mount Tahoma open at 3:45 p.m. Tickets are available only online, with no cash accepted at the gate. They cost $9.24 for adults and students without ASB cards; or $6.15 for senior citizens, military service members or students from non-participating schools with ASB cards.

Fish Bowl 2025. Photo by Bryce Carithers

Paddling toward gold

Paddlers from across the country will descend on Skansie Brothers Waterfront Park this weekend as the Gig Harbor Canoe and Kayak Racing Club hosts the 2026 USA Stand-up Paddleboard National Championships. Racers will compete in distance, sprint and technical courses, including in a new inflatable SUP category.

The event begins with paddling clinics on Thursday, Sept. 17. Activities on Friday, Sept. 17 will focus on sprints. Saturday, Sept. 19 will have distance races, the Narrows Challenge, and 5K inside-the-harbor races. Technical competitions take place Sunday, Sept. 20, and the ACA Cup U.S. national team will be named to represent the United States in the ICF World Championships in Italy. Competitions are open to all levels of paddlers. Click here for more information.

Standup Paddleboarders compete during the 2023 national championships in Long Beach, Calif. Photo by James Kao/USA SUP

Suicide prevention summit and fun run

PenMet Parks and Recreation and Pierce County Human Services will sponsor a free suicide prevention summit from noon to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at the Recreation Center, 2524 14th Ave.

The summit is for health care providers, behavioral health specialists, first responders, educators and others who want to learn suicide prevention skills, access local resources and strengthen connections. Attendees will discuss various mental health challenges and stigmas and learn to recognize warning signs and how to have caring, direct conversations with people who may be at risk.

A 5K Bridge to Hope run/walk across the Narrows Bridge begins at 6:15 p.m. Learn more and register here.

Beat Breast Cancer rally

A Let’s Beat Breast Cancer rally from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at 4701 Point Fosdick Dr. will offer information on preventing the deadly disease. The rally includes performances by the Seattle Seahawks Blue Thunder drum line and percussionists from local bands. Gig Harbor City Council member Julie Martin, Dr. Claire Buchanan from the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center and others will talk about lifestyle actions that can reduce risk, like eating plant-based foods, limiting alcohol and exercising regularly to maintain a healthy weight. Learn more and register here.

The Seattle Seahawks Blue Thunder drum line perforrms during a Let’s Beat Breast Cancer rally at Skansie Park on Sept. 28. Photo by Vince Dice

Emergency Preparation

Gig Harbor Fire and Medic One will host a Safety and Sanitation Emergency Prep course from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, at Station 50, 10222 Bujacich Road. Learn ways to protect your home and maintain hygiene during an emergency, like how to shut off a gas utility switch, how to operate a fire extinguisher and other quick-response ideas. The course is free, but registration is required.

Snack drive

Food 4 All (formerly Food Backpacks 4 Kids) is collecting after-school snacks like granola bars, meat sticks, trail mix, fruit snacks and other healthy snack items to distribute to local kids. Drop off donations at Sievers Real Estate, 7716-B Pioneer Way, thru Oct. 9.

History Rocks online auction

In advance of the annual History Rocks fundraising event, Harbor History Museum is hosting an online auction of items that won’t be included in the sold-out, in-person Sept. 19 event. Items available for sale incldue a vintage 1926 Willits canoe, a chrome chandelier, art, furniture and other special offerings. See the whole list and place bids here.

Gig Harbor Now fundraiser

Support the valuable work Gig Harbor Now does for the community by attending our “Enchanted Forest” fundraising event at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Kopachuck State Park. The serious fun includes food, silent and online auctions, standup comedy by Jerry Miner and more. Buy tickets here.

Click here to buy tickets!

Got art?

Spruce Hill Winery will host a reception for scratchboard artist Steve Hammond at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, at 5229 Olympic Dr. Unit B.

Watercolor paintings by Ron Snowden and Pat Askren are featured this month at Ebb Tide Gallery, 7809 Pioneer Way. The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fun and games

The Fall Waterfront Farmers Market takes place from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays in the parking lot at B’s Bagels, 3308 Uddenberg Lane, through the end of September. Shoppers will find fresh seasonal produce, local seafood, pasta, sauces and other locally made goods, and live music.

The Beer Vault, 14004 Purdy Dr., hosts music bingo on Wednesdays and trivia on Thursdays, both starting at 6:30 p.m.. The Vault also hosts a watch party for the Seattle Seahawks’ game against the Arizona Cardinals, kicking off at 1:25 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20.

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

Saturday, Sept. 19 is Record Night at Hop Pharm, 3216 Judson St. Bring a record to put on the turntable and get a discount on a beverage. Hop Pharm will host a drag show featuring Pierce the Peninsula at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, with a $15 cover.

Ocean5 has family bingo at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Let’s Get Quizzical trivia at 6 p.m. Thursdays at 5268 Point Fosdick Dr. NW.

Locust Cider, 3207 57^th St. Ct. has trivia from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays.

Play bingo every Monday, and canasta every Thursday at Hidden Harbor Wine Library, 8805 N. Harborview Dr. Suite 204. Games start at 4:30 p.m. both days.

Live music

Kimball Coffeehouse has an open mic Thursdays, with signups at 5:30 p.m. and performances starting at 6. The Mark Riley Trio takes the stage Friday, Sept.18 at 7 p.m.

The Grifting Cowboys play “Comfort Country” classics by Hank Williams, George Jones, The Eagles, Dwight Yokam, Jimmy Buffet and others at Olalla Winery at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18. Tickets cost $20. The Winery has Boots and Bubbly country line dancing at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19. Tickets are $20 and include a complementary glass of bubbly on arrival. Sign up here for either event.

MGP provides the music at The Float, 14511 Sherman Dr., from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Sept. 19.

Local songster Robbie Vee plays tunes at Sprucer Hill Winery, 5229 Olympic Dr. Unit B, at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18; and at Hidden Harbor Wine Library, 8805 N. Harborview Dr. Suite 204, from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19.

At the movies

The 2026 Gig Harbor Film Festival is Sept. 24 through 27 at the Galaxy Theatres in Uptown. Read our preview of the event here. Buy tickets here.

The Flashback Cinema movie at the Galaxy Theaters in Uptown on Wednesday, Sept. 16, is “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” – the first chapter in Peter Jackson’s trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels. Showtime is 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, Sept. 20, it’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” part two of the series. Showtime is noon. Both films are presented with additional footage not seen in the original releases. Flashback tickets are just $7.

This week’s Friday Night Fright film is “Pet Cemetery” (1989) about a man whose cat is accidentally killed and buried near the old pet cemetery. The cat comes back to life and strange things begin to happen. Showtime is 8:45 p.m. Sept. 18. Fright Night movies are just $6.

The Galaxy Classic on Monday, Sept. 21 is “Being There” (1979) with Peter Sellers staring as a simple, sheltered gardener who becomes an unlikely advisor to a powerful businessman and a Washington D.C. political insider. Showtime is 10 a.m. with tickets just $5.

On Monday, Sept. 21, the Galaxy will show a Mystery Movie, with the title not revealed until the 7 p.m. showtime. Mystery Movie tickets are just $5.