Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Empty Bowls, Restaurant Week on the horizon

Empty Bowls, a fundraiser for the Gig Harbor Altrusa Club, is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Chapel Hill Church, 7700 Skansie Ave.

Local artists created handcrafted bowls, which attendees buy for $10 and fill with soup provided by local eateries. Proceeds help Altrusa support Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH Food Bank, Food Backpacks 4 Kids, Key Peninsula Community Services and others.

The menu includes vegetarian lentil soup from Sunset Grill; clam chowder from Anthony’s; Mediterranean chicken and rice soup from Harbor Greens; cowboy chili from BBQ2U; minestrone from Massimo’s; smoked tomato bisque from Table 47; Reuben soup with rye croutons from St. Anthony Hospital; clam chowder from the Tides Tavern; and chicken tortilla soup from Moctezuma’s.

The event also includes a raffle of baskets filled with books, event tickets and other goodies. Raffle tickets are just $5 each.

Restaurant Week

The Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance’s Chowderfest on Saturday, March 7, is sold out, but it’s the kick-off for Restaurant Week, when downtown eateries will feature specially priced menus.

Restaurant Week runs March 8 through 15 at 11 downtown restaurants. Click here to see the complete lineup.

A few of the specials include beer flights at 7Seas Brewing; curried chicken salad sandwiches at B’s Bagels and Butters; tacos and barbeque platters at Brimstone; drinks and small plates at Brix 25; a $40 dinner special at Millville Pizza Company; and specials on fish tacos and fish and chips at Tides Tavern.

Pier peer

Harbor WildWatch hosts another Pier Into the Night from 7 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Maritime Pier, 3003 Harborview Dr. Divers will live-stream the sea life they encounter, projecting the video onto a screen on the dock, while WildWatch biologists identify what’s being shown.

Gardening fun

Kids 12 and younger can learn the basics of gardening at a free seed-starting workshop at noon Saturday, March 7, at Wilco, 3408 Hunt St. Kids will plant beans, peas or marigolds in containers provided by the store.

Art festival deadline

The deadline for artists to apply for Peninsula Art League’s Summer Art Festival is Friday, March 6. The 40th iteration of the art festival will take place July 18 and 19 at Sehmel Homestead Park. Apply here.

Artist appearance

Meet Gig Harbor artist Ann Stockdale at Ebb Tide Gallery from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7. Stockdale’s work is featured at the gallery at 7809 Pioneer Way, through March 30.

Art by Ann Stockdale.

Fun and games

Puzzle contest

PenMet Parks hosts a Great Puzzle-Off party from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at Sehmel Homestead Park. Form a team of up to four people and join the competition to complete a jigsaw puzzle. The winning team gets a prize, and every team gets to keep their puzzle. Click here to register.

Leprechaun hunt

The Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance hosts a leprechaun hunt through March 31. Search the downtown area for leprechauns and colored beads. When you find the full rainbow of beads, take them to Local Whimsy, 3306 Harborview Dr., for a prize. Different downtown locations have different color beads. Get a map here.

Trivia and more

The Beer Vault, 14004 Purdy Drive, hosts Trivia Night at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays.

Hidden Harbor Wine Library, at 8805 N. Harborview Dr., Suite 204, has bingo from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays.

The Floatation Device, 14511 Sherman Dr. in Purdy, hosts Trivia Night at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday and karaoke at 8:30 p.m.  Fridays.

Live music

The Gig Harbor High School concert band plays its spring concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at the GHHS auditorium, 5101 Rosedale St.  Band members will perform at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Western Washington University’s Wind Festival in Bellingham. The jazz band will perform at the Regional High School Band Festival at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma on Tuesday, March 10.

The Triple Time string trio brings an hour of classical music to Gig Harbor Audio, 3019 Judson St., at 4 p.m. Friday, March 6. Triple Time comprises Mary Manning and Gwendolyn Taylor on violins and Margaret Thorndill on cello. They’ll be playing “bits and dashes” of music from some of their favorite composers.

The Tacoma Youth Symphony Orchestra, featuring several musicians from Gig Harbor, will play Antonín Dvořák’s monumental Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Rialto Theatre in Tacoma. The program also includes the world premiere of “Rainbow Body” composed by TYSO member Christopher Theofanidis. Gig Harbor members of TYSO include cellists Marcus Kim and Zoe Chao; flautist Thomas Sun; violinist Blake Nelson; and bassoonist Megan Brooke. Purchase TYSO tickets here.

Harbor Winds’ winter concert is at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 8, at Gig Harbor High School. The program reflects the theme of “Sacrifice” with music by Julie Giroux, Travis Cross, Jennifer Jolley, Cedric Adderly and others. All Harbor Winds performances are free with a suggested donation of $10 per person. Free charter bus service will bring Key Peninsula residents to the concert. RSVP here.

KC and the Sound will play a blend of Motown classics, modern rock, pop and country at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 6 at Olalla Winery. Tickets can be purchased here.

Kimball Coffeeshop hosts The True Romans at 7 p.m. Friday, March 6. Kimball has an open mic Thursdays at 6 p.m. with signups at 5:30 p.m.

The Beer Vault, 14004 Purdy Dr., has an open mic for all ages and skill levels starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 6.

On the Side takes the stage at The Float at 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 6. Location is 14511 Sherman Dr. NW in Purdy.

The Harbor Ukulele Group gets together from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays at the Gig Harbor Library, 4424 Point Fosdick Dr. Newcomers are welcome.

At the movies

The Flashback Cinema movie at the Galaxy Theatres in Uptown on Wednesday, March 4, is “Spider-Man 2” (2004) showing at 6 p.m. On Sunday, March 8, it’s “La La Land” starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, at 12:45 p.m.

The Galaxy’s Classic Movie on Friday, March 6 is “The Fog” (1980) about an unearthly fog that rolls in to a small coastal town exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in nearby waters. Showtime is 8:45 p.m. The Classic Movie on Monday, March 9, is ”Father of the Bride” (1950) with Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett and Elizabeth Taylor. Showtime is 10 a.m.

Ballet lovers will enjoy The Royal Ballet’s big screen performance of “Romeo and Juliet” showing at the Galaxy Sunday, March 8 at 1 p.m. and Monday, March 9 at 6:30 p.m.

Civic engagement

The city of Gig Harbor hosts two public meetings to discuss state-mandated updates to Critical Area regulations that cover wetland, stream, steep slope, aquifer and flood zone protections. The first meeting will take place virtually at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 3. Watch the meeting here. The city will also host an in-person open house at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at the Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St.

The Pierce County Charter Review Commission will hold a listening session from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 7, at the Key Center Library, 9805 Key Peninsula Highway in Lakebay. District 7 representatives Brenda Lykins, Martha Lantz and Justin Leighton will be on hand to answer questions and hear constituents’ concerns. Click here for information on the charter review process.

Attorneys from TacomaProBono will host a legal aid popup from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at the Civic Center to provide free advice about family law, landlord-tenant issues, eviction and other civil questions. The Civic Center is located at 3510 Grandview St.