Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings: Orca Recovery Day, Quilt Show and more

Events this week include Orca Recovery Day and the return of the Quilt Show, plus ongoing events that continue through the end of the month.

Orca Recovery Day

Orca Recovery Day is Saturday, Oct. 15. More than 40 events are planned throughout the Puget Sound area.

Locally, an event at the DeMolay Sandspit Nature Preserve on Fox Island includes speakers, a beach cleanup and work party and family art activities.

Cleaning up a beach during a 2021 Orca Recovery Day event. Contributed

Orca Recovery Day began in 2018, when the world watched as Tahlequah, a Southern Resident killer whale, carried her dead calf for 17 days. Tahlequah traveled almost 1,000 miles off the Pacific Northwest coast before letting go. Since then, Orca Recovery Day has become an action and education event held throughout the Salish Sea.

Only 70 Southern Resident orcas remain. They are considered endangered. Their main food source, the endangered Chinook salmon are threatened by habitat loss, climate change and pollution.

This year’s primary sponsorship came from the Washington State Conservation Commission and the Pierce County Conservation District.

The DeMolay Sandspit is located at 53 Bella Bella Lane on Fox Island. Orca Recovery Day activities take place from 9 a.m.– noon.

A scene from a 2021 Orca Recovery Day event. Contributed

Quilt Show

After a two-year hiatus, the “Quilts Ahoy” quilt show returns Oct.15 and 16 at the Pioneer School Commons, 8502 Skansie Ave.

More than 100 handmade quilts created by members of the Gig Harbor Quilters Guild will be on display, including several by guild president Cathy Stone, this year’s featured quilter. Visitors also will see a quilt boutique with quilts, doll clothes, pin cushions, wearables and other handmade items for sale.

A quilt by Cathy Stone, the featured quilter at the Gig Harbor Quilters Guild’s Quilts Ahoy show. Contributed

Guild members meet monthly and, in addition to sharing ideas and learning new quilting techniques, create comfort quilts for cancer patients, quilts for foster kids, fire victims and for babies in the NICU unit at Mary Bridge Hospital.

Quilt Show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. A $5 donation is requested.

A quilt by Cathy Stone, the featured quilter at the Gig Harbor Quilters Guild’s Quilts Ahoy show. Contributed

Library events

The Gig Harbor Library hosts weekly events for toddlers, teens and adults including Storytime for kiddos every Tuesday morning, 10 to 10:45 and 11 to 11:45.

The library’s Afterschool Thursdays (5 to 5:40 p.m. every Thursday) feature science and art activities for kids of all ages. This week’s STEAM project will be creating gadgets and gizmos from pipe cleaners and LED lights.

The STEAM meetings continue through the end of October. In November, Chess Club takes over every week.

On Friday mornings, 10:30-11:30, the library hosts a Building Party, drop-in open playtime with blocks and other building toys for families with young children.

The Gig Harbor library branch is at 4424 Point Fosdick Dr.

Looking ahead

• Oct. 20, 6:30 to 8 p.m.: Harbor WildWatch’s annual Make Waves fundraiser (21+; tickets at www.harborwildwatch.org
• October 22, 10 a.m.: Harbor WildWatch presents a Junior Naturalist Workshop, a guided walk through McCormick Forest Park. Register here.
• Oct 25, 4 to 6 p.m.: Teen Tuesday – “Spooky Movie Night” at the library with a movie, snacks, crafts projects and more. For ages 12-18. Costumes are OK but not required. Register at Teen Tuesday – Spooky Movie Night.
• Oct. 26, 6 p.m.: Harbor WildWatch presents Cocktails & Fishtales on Facebook LIVE. This month’s topic is Larval Crab Monitoring with the Becker Lab at University of Washington-Tacoma.
• Oct. 30, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Rattle dem Bones costumed bike ride for all ages. The event is limited to 200 riders. Details and registration are here.
• Oct. 31­, 3 to 6 p.m.: Trick or Treat downtown and uptown. The Downtown Waterfront Alliance & Uptown merchants will give out free treats to kids. Harborview Drive will be closed.
• Nov. 2, 4 to 5:30 pm.: Día de los Muertos Celebración – Day of the Dead Celebration at the library. Ven a celebrar día de los muertos con música, libros y más actividades divertidas. Come and celebrate day of the dead with music, books, and more fun activities! Bring a photo of a departed pet or family member to put on the altar.

For information on more local events, visit Gig Harbor Now’s Calendar page. To submit an event to our calendar, click here or email [email protected].