Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Cruise the Narrows, National Night Out and more

Posted on July 28th, 2026 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

Two car shows will take place Saturday, Aug. 1.

The Gig Harbor Cruisers Car Club will host more than 200 vehicles for the annual Cruise the Narrows car show from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Uptown. Expect to see classic, custom and specialty vehicles, along with vendor booths; a kids corner with a Little Tikes Power Wheels display and a scavenger hunt; a silent auction and live music. Admission is free for spectators, $20 per vehicle to show. Entry fees fund scholarships for local high school students who want to pursue careers in the automotive industry. Get more information here.

The 2024 Cruise the Narrows car show at Uptown. Photo by Dennis Browne

The Gig Harbor Eagles Club’s Rad Rides car show includes a barbecue, beer garden, pinups and awards. Rad Rides starts at noon and proceeds will help pay for a new roof for the club at 4425 Burnham Drive. Registration is required to enter a car in the show.

National Night out on Tuesday

The Gig Harbor Police Department invites the community to join them for National Night Out starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, at Skansie Park.

The free event will include free hotdogs and root beer floats, games and more. National Night Out is designed to strengthen the public’s connection to local law enforcement and other first responders.

Night Out activities will segue into the weekly Summer Sounds at Skansie concert, with the United By Music America band opening for Mixed Tape at 5 p.m. Billy Stoops and Leanne Trevalyan are featured guests at the UBMA show.

Round Rock Contest closes this week

The 75th annual Round Rock Contest closes Saturday, August 1, with entries due at Harbor History Museum by 4 p.m.

Rocks must be no smaller than a ping pong ball, and no larger than a softball; have been found in Washington state; must not have been manipulated by humans in any way. One winner will be allowed per household.

Entries will be judged and winners notified by Aug. 15. Winning entries become the property of the museum. First prize is $100, second prize is $50, third prize is $25, fourth prize is $15 and fifth prize is $10. The museum is located at 4121 Harborview Drive. Click here for contest rules and an entry form.

Explore the Purdy sand spit

Harbor WildWatch hosts a guided walk along the Purdy Spit starting at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 28.

Walkers will find sea stars, crabs, sea anemones and other beach creatures. Meet at the boat launch at 7726 Highway 302 or park along the south side of the road.

Silent reading party

Invitation Bookshop hosts a Silent Reading Party from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, at Skansie Park. Bring whatever you’re reading, or grab a book from the bookshop. Socializing after the reading party is encouraged.

Invitation also hosts monthly meetings of their Under 200 Pages book club (from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4); nonfiction book club (6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5); and Unplugged Writing Club (4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5). Invitation Bookshop is at 3119 Judson St., Unit A.

Book discussion

The Gig Harbor Literary Society meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, at Harbor History Museum, 4121 Harborview Dr., to discuss “The Language of Flowers” by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It’s the story of Victoria Jones, a young woman raised in foster care who uses the Victorian language of flowers (floriography) to communicate emotions she can’t verbalize. Book discussions are free and open to everyone, whether or not you have read the book.

At the library

Pierce County Environmental Educators will talk about Water’s Incredible Journey at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, July 30, at the library, 4424 Point Fosdick Drive. Through crafts, stories and movement, learn how water moves through the land and why we should care for it. Suitable for ages 13 and up.

Find Waldo before it’s too late

Waldo is hiding in lots of places along the downtown waterfront this month, including at the history museum and several other locations. Stop by Invitation Bookshop for a passport, then stamp the location on your passport every time you find a mini Waldo. Collect at least 10 stamps and return your card to Invitation for a prize.

Waterfront walking tours

Learn about Gig Harbor’s early industries and social life at the Skiffs to Spirits walking tour, starting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, at Harbor History Museum, 4121 Harborview Dr. and continuing along the waterfront to 7Seas Brewing. The tour is free, but reservations are required here.

A Wonders of the Waterfront walk begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, at Donkey Creek Park, 8714 N. Harborview Dr. Guides from Harbor WildWatch will lead the walk and discuss the diversity of life and natural history of the waterfront. Sign up here.

Row the Porpoise

Every Sunday the Gig Harbor BoatShop hosts a free day of rowing on the Porpoise, a replica of the 10-oared gig that first entered Gig Harbor more than a century ago. It’s a unique way to see the harbor from the perspective of the explorers who named our town. The rows are free, but reservations are required.

Row the Porpoise on Sundays this summer. Photo courtesy Guy Hoppen

Free lunch

Altrusa Gig Harbor and Food 4All will give away free lunches every Tuesday and Thursday to kids who usually receive free lunches at school. The nourishing sack lunches are handed out at noon at the library, 4424 Point Fosdick Dr. and at several locations on the Key Peninsula.

Fun and games

The Beer Vault will sponsor a Mrs. Roper Romp Market from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 29. Don your favorite Mrs. Roper outfit (a character from the 1970s and ’80s sitcom “Three’s Company”) and shop with local makers and small-batch vendors. The Vault also hosts Trivia Night every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at 14004 Purdy Dr.

Play trivia and sip cider from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays at Locust Cider, 3207 57th St. Ct.

Ocean5 has trivia from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at 5268 Point Fosdick Dr. NW. Ocean5 hosts an “Ocean-themed Windchimes” workshop for kids, starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 29. Cost is $15 per child; register here.

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

Hidden Harbor Wine Library hosts bingo Mondays and Canasta on Thursdays, both starting at 4 p.m.

Live music

Joel Gibson plays country tunes at 6 p.m. Friday, July 31, at Nichols Community Center, 6990 Ninth Ave. on Fox Island.

Boogie Boulevard, a 10-piece disco band, plays hits at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 29 during Summer Sounds at Skansie Park. The Mixed Tape takes the Summer Sounds stage Aug. 4. United by Music America opens, with special guests Billy Stoops and Leanne Trevalyan.

Sounds like Dolores plays a concert at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, at Semhel Homestead Park, 10123 88th Ave.

Ava Lin and Taylor Enloe provide the music at the Waterfront Farmers Market on Thursday, July 30. The market runs from 1 to 6 p.m. at Skansie Park. Park free at the Church of Latter Day Saints on Rosedale Street, or the Methodist Church on Pioneer Way and ride the free shuttle to and from the market.

Indigo Jazz plays swing-with-an-attitude at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 30, at the Uptown Pavilion.

10 Strings and a Box play covers of Neil Young, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Brue Springsteen and more at Olalla Winery at 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 31. Tickets are $20 here.

At the movies

This week’s SummerFest movie at the Galaxy Theatres in Uptown is “The Land Before Time” showing at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and 12:10 p.m. Thursday. Starting Friday, July 31, it’s “The Lego Movie.” Showtimes are 9:15 a.m. Friday through Sunday, July 31 through Aug. 2; 12:15 p.m. Friday, July 31; and 10 a.m. and 12:40 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 3 and 4. SummerFest movies are just $3.50.

The Galaxy’s Flashback Cinema film Wednesday is “Tremors” showing at 6:30 p.m. At 12:15 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, it’s “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.” Flashback tickets are just $7.

The Friday Night Fright on July 2 is “The Others” (2001), about a woman who lives in a darkened old house with her photosensitive children, who becomes convinced that her home is haunted. Showtime is 8:45 p.m., with tickets just $6.

The Galaxy Classic Film at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 3 is “The Outlaw Josey Wales” (1976) with Clint Eastwood as a man out to avenge his family’s brutal murder. Tickets are just $5.

Also in Monday, August 3, the Galaxy will show a Mystery Movie, with no title reveal until showtime at 7 p.m. Tickets are just $5.

Showtimes are subject to change, so always double-check with the theater.

Civic engagement

The Gig Harbor City Council meets for a study session at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 30, at the Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St. Agenda items include the proposed Multi-family Tax Exemption (MFTE) program, the costs of city-sponsored special events, and municipal budget basics. Council meetings can be viewed online.