Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | ‘Gig Harbor’s Trailblazing Fisherwomen’ tell their stories

Posted on May 27th, 2025 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

Women who played historic roles in Gig Harbor’s commercial fishing industry will share their stories during an event at Harbor History Museum at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 29.

“Women on Board: Stories from Gig Harbor’s Trailblazing Fisherwomen” features Bunky Janovich, who crewed on board the Shenandoah; Laurie Dahl Isacson, who worked as cook and crew on the Pacific Maid; and Debbi Ross, who worked on both a purse seiner and a halibut long liner.

The program is free for museum members or $5 for non-members. The museum is located at 4121 Harborview Drive. Reserve your place here: [email protected].

The Shenandoah inside the newly enclosed Maritime Gallery at Harbor History Museum on Saturday, April 26. The Thunderbird No. 1 is at left and a Willits Canoe is on the right. Photo by Vince Dice

Croatia Day

Celebrate “Sve Hrvaato” (everything Croatian) from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 31 in Skansie Park.

Croatia Day will feature traditional food and gifts, music and dance, kids activities, net-mending demonstrations and more. Performers include the Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble, Seattle Junior Tamburitzansk, Ruže Dalmatinke with Bonace Orchestra, and Kišobran. This year’s Croatia Day is also a toast to the re-opening of Skansie Netshed after a year-long closure for renovation.

Civic Orchestra concert

“Here to There/Hear to There” is the theme of the Gig Harbor Peninsula Civic Orchestra’s spring concert Saturday, May 31.

It celebrates composers who found creative inspiration in one country, while living in another. The program includes Gilbert and Sullivan’s Overture from “The Mikado;” Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italienne, Op. 45; Waldteufel’s Espana Waltzes; Still’s “Danzas de Panama” and a surprise from PDQ Bach.

The music starts at 7 p.m. at Peninsula High School, 14105 Purdy Drive N.W. GHPCO concerts are free, but donations are always welcome.

Aerial performances

Students from Ethereal Arts Northwest will showcase their talents at “Cirque de la Sirène” this weekend, with performances Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 30, May 31 and June 1.

Five shows will be presented, three by adult performers, and two will be performances by students age 8 to 14. Proceeds support Operation YOJ, a nonprofit organization that provides medical care to children with cleft lips and palates in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Ethereal Arts Northwest is located at 3210 Jahn Avenue NW. Click here for times and ticket prices.

Plant sale

The Dragon Boat crews will sponsor a “Dragons in Bloom” plant and flower-container sale from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at Locust Cider, 3207 57th Street Court (next to the Inn at Gig Harbor). Find one-of-a-kind planters filled with flowers, herbs and greenery, and support the local dragon boat teams.

High Tide Hoedown

Food from BBQ2U, a dessert bar, line dancing, a raffle and country music by Nick Cain are all part of a High Tide Hoedown fundraiser for the Downtown Waterfront Alliance on Friday, May 30. The fun starts at 5:30 p.m. at The Gig Harbor Marina and Boatyard, 3117 Harborview Drive, with prizes for the best dressed cowgirl and cowboy. Tickets are $100; purchase them here.

Beach walks

Guides from Harbor WildWatch collect will data and talk about the importance of biodiversity on local beaches during several beach-monitoring events this week:

Tuesday, May 27 – 9 a.m. at Tacoma Narrows Park in Gig Harbor. Meet in the parking area.
Wednesday, May 28 – 10 a.m. at the Purdy Sand Spit. Meet mid-spit.
Thursday, May 29 – 10:30 a.m. at the old ferry landing at the mouth of the Harbor (end of Harborview Drive).
Friday, May 30 – 11:30 a.m. at Sunrise Beach. Meet in the parking area.

Some of the lowest tides of the year are on the way on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Farmers market and dock walks

The Waterfront Farmers Market is from 1 to 6 p.m. every Thursday through August at Skansie Park. Harbor WildWatch staffers will have a booth on nearby Jerisich Dock and will lead a walk along the dock at 2 p.m. to talk about the creatures — like harbor seals, kelp crabs, tube worms and others – that live on, around and under the dock. Free and family friendly.

Asparagus, apples and other produce for sale at a booth at the Waterfront Farmers Market on May 22, 2025. Photo by Vince Dice

Book discussion

The Gig Harbor Literary Society meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, at Harbor History Museum, 4121 Harborview Drive to discuss “North Woods” by Pulitzer Prize finalist Daniel Mason. It’s the story of two young lovers who abscond from a Puritan colony only to discover that their humble cabin in the woods will become the home of an extraordinary succession of human and nonhuman characters alike: an English soldier, a pair of spinster twins, a crime reporter, a lovelorn painter, a sinister con man, a stalking panther and a lusty beetle. The book becomes a way of looking at the world that answers the timeless question: how do we live on, even after we’re gone? All are welcome at Literary Society gatherings, whether or not you’ve read the book.

Live music

Ten Strings and a Box play covers of Neil Young, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot and Bruce Springsteen at the Olalla Winery starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 30. Buy tickets here.

Wednesday is Music Bingo night at The Beer Vault, 14004 Purdy Drive, where favorite tunes are part of the game, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Just up the road at the Float, Sonic Rain plays Friday, May 30. On Saturday, May 31, it’s music from Knucklehead. Music starts at 8:30 p.m. both nights.

At the movies

For opera lovers, the Met’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” will appear on the big screen at the Galaxy Theaters in Uptown on Saturday, May 31 and Wednesday, June 4. This adaption of Rossini’s effervescent comedy features mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina as the feisty heroine, Rosina; tenor Jack Swanson as her secret beloved, Count Almaviva. Baritone Andrey Zhilikhovsky stars as Figaro, the titular barber of Seville, with bass-baritone Peter Kálmán as Dr. Bartolo and bass Alexander Vinogradov as Don Basili. Giacomo Sagripanti conducts. Showtimes are 10 a.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 4.

This week’s Summer Fest Movie at the Galaxy is “The Iron Giant” playing at 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 28; and and 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday, May 29. Starting Friday, May 30, it’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.” Showtimes are 11 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. Friday, May 30; 10 a.m. Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1; and 10:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Monday, June 2, and Tuesday, June 3. Summer Fest movies are just $2.

The Flashback Cinema movie at the Galaxy on Wednesday, May 28, is the politically incorrect comedy western “Blazing Saddles,” showing at 1 and 6 p.m. Sunday’s Flashback movie is “Grease” with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. “Grease” showtimes are 12:10 and 6 p.m. Flashback movies are just $5.

Civic engagement

The Gig Harbor City Council meets for a study session at 3 p.m. Thursday, May 29, to review a master plan for Crescent Creek Park and the 2026-31 six-year Transportation Improvement Program. City meetings can also be accessed online.