May 9th, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

• Discover Your Inner Artist: A Creative Journey with The Artist’s Way
  • You can embark on an adventure through creativity with Julia Cameron’s transformative book, The Artist’s Way. Every fourth Saturday from from 1 – 3 p.m. starting Saturday May 24 you’ll gather to share personal discoveries and challenges as you build a thriving creative practice. Your guide on this journey is Jessica Trujillo, a passionate storyteller and advocate for helping others tap into their unique voices and creative rhythms. Join us as we unlock the door to limitless creativity and embrace the artist within! Participants can attend all sessions or just some. Registration does not obligate you to monthly meetups though we’d love to see you there! Suggested Price $20 but pay what you can. Sign Up Here!

• Want to Learn About Woodworking? This Workshop Can Help!
  • Learning how to hand-cut joinery is a rite of passage for any woodworker. Practice the timeless art of traditional joinery in this hands-on, one-day class. Learn precision and craftsmanship as you try your hand at the classic joints such as dovetails, mortise and tenon, and box joints. Learn how to lay out, measure, cut, and fit joints the traditional way, with chisels and handsaws. This class aims to demystify joinery, offering a straightforward approach to mastering timeless woodworking techniques. Whether you’re new to woodworking or are hoping to refine your skills, this class will provide you with hands-on practice and experienced mentorship. Instructed by Alice Clabaugh, a professional marine carpenter and graduate of the Seattle Wood Technology Center. Sunday, May 11^th 10am – 4pm at the Foss Waterway Seaport, 705 Dock Street, Tacoma. Ages 18+ (flexible with prior approval). Museum admission is included with the ticket, parking, food and beverages are not included.

• Share Your Experiences with Climate Change and Be a Part of Community Archive
  • Join the City of Tacoma Office of Environmental Policy & Sustainability and the Tacoma Public Library May 10 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.  in sharing your experiences with climate change impacts through visual, artistic, or spoken-word mediums! Lend your voice to a new ‘Climate Stories Community Archive’ project. Creative Colloquy will be onsite with featured storytellers including: Cat Melaunie, Sandy King, Jessica Trujillo, Courtney Bird & JP Kemmick, and Jennifer Preston Chushcoff. There will be loads of hands on opportunities and an appearance by author and climate therapist, Leslie Davenport. This event is free, family friendly and open to the public. Olympic Room, Tacoma Main Library 1102 Tacoma Ave South.

• Point Ruston Art Walk May 17 – 18
  • Experience the vibrant Art Walk at beautiful Point Ruston! Start your journey in the Waterfront Market, where you’ll encounter 30 talented individual artists showcasing their unique crafts. As you stroll through the neighborhood, take in the creativity displayed in various Point Ruston businesses, featuring even more local artists. Make sure to complete your walking map and return it to the Market to claim your gift bag! The fun continues with live music and captivating performing arts, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Waterfront and Mt. Rainier. Don’t forget to stop by the Kid’s Coloring Station and see our amazing Silent Auction! Ruston Art Walk is brought to you by the Waterfront Merchant Alliance and Charbo Art Events. Both non-profits are working toward creating more opportunities for artists in our area. More details can be found at www.rustonartwalk.org.

• High Societease Akasha Aerial Arts Show May 24th
  • “Dangling Chaos: High Societease. Sat May 24 8pm at Akasha Aerial Arts in Spanaway. Indulge in a circus, burlesque, and live vocals show inspired by fine arts and the high brow. Drawing from fine arts forms like opera, ballet, classical music, and classical theatre, this show infuses tradition and modernity in a sultry new way! 18+. Ticket sales go toward studio scholarships and supporting local theater. Tickets available at akashaaerialarts.com/events.

Neighborhood News

• 8th Annual South Sound Day of Remembrance Explores Tacoma’s Historic Japantown
  • The Washington State History Museum (WSHM) and its community partners will host the 8th Annual South Sound Day of Remembrance on Thursday, May 15, 2025, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. This free, public event commemorates the 83rd anniversary of the wartime forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans from South Puget Sound in May of 1942. This year’s program will focus on the community that thrived in Tacoma’s historic Japantown. Some of the event’s highlights include: 5:00 – 6:30pm Walking Tour (registration required) beginning at the Theater on the Square Plaza. 6:30 – 7:30pm Performances and Procession that will happen at the outdoor amphitheater of WSHM. To learn more and register for the walking tour click here.

• Opening Day of New Farmer’s Market in UP June 6th
  • The new Farmer’s Market will be taking place at Cirque Park 7401 Cirque Dr W, University Place on Friday evenings 3-8pm. They will have farms, flowers, food, hand crafted items and more.

• Pierce County Needs Your Input on Mural Projects
  • Pierce County Arts Commission (PCAC) will soon move forward with the commission of two public mural project at the intersection of 152nd St. E & 22nd St. E. in Parkland and Pioneer Way & Gay Rd. in Waller. This County-funded pilot mural program aims to creatively reduce vandalism and graffiti by transforming frequently targeted areas into vibrant works of public art. Through community engagement and the involvement of artists, the program seeks to beautify public spaces, promote civic pride, and foster a sense of ownership and respect for shared environments. By addressing graffiti-prone areas with intentional, meaningful artwork, the initiative contributes to safer, more welcoming neighborhoods while supporting cultural expression. They are in search of community voices to help shape the artwork theme. They would love to hear your thoughts on the upcoming project. If you live or commute in Pierce County near these mural locations please share what makes the community unique. Submit your input here.

• Grand Opening of the Pacific Northwest Market in Ruston
  • Don’t miss the grand opening of the Pacific Northwest Market – your exclusive destination to celebrate the spirit, creativity, and community of the PNW! Shop locally made treasures from talented artisans, savor delicious regional foods, and enjoy a scenic water walk along the Puget Sound. Over 60 local vendors to explore with something for everyone from PNW themed flash tattoo – to local art – to the best regional eats. Come find yourself a one of a kind handmade treasure to show off your local pride, or take home a piece of the Northwest if you’re visiting – our collection of PNW themed goods is unmatched. Kids enjoy free face painting, free crafting events, a spray park and a playground. Well behaved dogs on a leash are welcome. For more information please visit www.everwildevents.com/pnw-market. Interested vendors can apply at everwildevents.com.

Local Governance

• District 5 Civic Summit This Weekend
  • Join Joe Bushnell on Saturday, May 10, from 12 – 2:00 p.m. at Baker Middle School (8001 South J Street, Tacoma). Find collaborative solutions to our shared challenges. This event is family friendly, with a children’s activity table and refreshments provided. The community is encouraged to register in advance and let us know if you need specific accommodations. We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully.

Business & Opportunities

• SpaceWorks Tacoma Has Upcoming Workshops to Help Your Business Thrive
  • SpaceWorks Tacoma will be hosting StartUp253 on Wednesday the 14th for their From Idea to Impact: Creating Systems that Scale Your Startups Without Burning Out workshop. This workshop is presented by Chris Brown, founder at Chaleur Creative. Chris will be sharing his experience working with a wide array of ventures from early-stage startups, growing nonprofits and service-based businesses by “helping them strengthen their brand identity, streamline operations, and create clear paths to profitability.” Chris is passionate about teaching the next generation of founders how to “scale with intention, avoid burnout, and create meaningful impact! RSVP here!
  • May 28th at the Tacoma Arts and Community Center, you can learn How to Take Professional Looking Cell Phone Photos with Tiffany Burke. This workshop will help you can create more polished content that sells. In this workshop we will go over product placement, lighting, set-up and spend a small amount of time on editing tips so you can start taking better cell phone pictures. *If you have a product, please bring it and you will get to practice on it during this workshop. Spaceworks Alum, Tiffany Burke, is a commercial and portrait photographer for 15 years. She has also been teaching social media marketing for the past 12 years helping small business owners with their branding and content. RSVP here!

• Tacoma Creates Advisory Board is Seeking Volunteers
  • Do you care about community engagement, culture, and making a difference in Tacoma? This opportunity is for you. The Tacoma Creates Advisory Board is seeking volunteers for 3-year terms. Applications are due by Sunday May 25^th at 5pm. They are currently looking for one district specific position. It is open to any resident of City Council District 5 and two experience positions open to any Tacoma resident with a background in community engagement and culture. This volunteer opportunity is a great way to help shape how public funding supports arts, culture, heritage and science in Tacoma. Apply now at cityoftacoma.org/cbcapplication

Recreation & Wellness

• Looking for A Fun Way to Cool Down This Summer? Look to the Fircrest Pool
  • The Edwards Family Aquatic Center opens May 24^th and Fircrest residents can now grab their season passes for a summer full of pool time. Don’t forget your pass card – you’ll need it to use the express entry gate. Lost your card? No problem – replacements are available for purchase. Find details on swim team, lessons and open swim here. See you at the pool.

• You’re Invited to Fitness Fest from May 12-18 at the YMCA
  • Check out this free fun event, pay $0 to join, and get a free 5 day guest pass! Fitness Fest is a week-long celebration of discovering a healthier, happier, and stronger you. Geared for adults, this interactive event highlights everything available to you at the Y – their team of fitness experts is here to simplify fitness that works for your schedule, lifestyle, and health goals. PLUS, you’ll get exclusive deals all week long during this special event only available at the YMCA: $0 joining fee when you join the Y community! Try a class with no guest fees for group exercise classes, and access to expert staff, dynamic workouts, and a supportive community!

Film & TV Reviews

• Film Review: The Shrouds by Elizabeth Mulloy
  • Few filmmakers divide me as much as Canadian director David Cronenberg. When he’s on point, like with The Fly, his work is unforgettable. But when he stumbles, as in Crimes of the Future, the result can be downright unpleasant. Still, I have a soft spot for auteurs, and I’ll always show up for their latest visions. Going into The Shrouds, I had no idea what to expect. The split reactions from Cannes suggested this might be one of Cronenberg’s most polarizing films yet, but not for the usual reasons. This time, the controversy lies in its intimacy: this is arguably his most personal film to date. We follow Karsh (Vincent Cassel), an innovative businessman and grieving widower after the death of his wife, Becca (Diane Kruger). In his grief he creates a burial shroud that allows the living to view the body of their decomposing loved one. However, his burial technology is vandalized and hacked, which sends him into a spiral of grief and paranoia as he tries to figure out who is behind it. So it is needless to say that David has been processing his wife’s death, in a way that is very much like him.
  • As with much of David Cronenberg’s work, The Shrouds is designed to make viewers uneasy. But unlike the visceral discomfort evoked by his trademark body horror or provocative sexuality, both of which are present but surprisingly muted here, the source of unease in this film is harder to pin down. There’s something uncanny about the world Cronenberg constructs. The cinematography, production design, performances, even the dialogue all contribute to a disquieting sense that something is just… off. It’s a subtle but persistent dissonance that lingers throughout the film, unsettling in a way that’s more psychological than physical.
  • Narratively, however, The Shrouds is far less cohesive. At its core, the film flirts with the structure of an investigative thriller, but its execution is erratic and scattershot. One moment, we’re immersed in a man’s grieving process; the next, we’re pulled into a mystery involving technological sabotage; then suddenly, we’re watching him sleep with a potential client, followed closely by an encounter with his sister-in-law, only for the following scene for him to be locked in paranoid conversations with an AI version of his deceased wife. The film becomes a patchwork of loosely connected threads that never fully cohere. There’s a sense that something profound lies beneath the surface, but the pieces are too fragmented to form a clear picture.
  • This narrative disjunction also bleeds into the film’s thematic exploration. Cronenberg engages with weighty ideas, grief, memory, technological mediation of death, but does so in a way that feels more speculative than conclusive. His vision of mourning is filtered through an unsettling invention: a shroud-like MRI that allows the living to watch their loved ones decompose in real time. It’s a concept rife with potential for social and psychological commentary. Yet unlike his earlier critiques of technological overreach, Cronenberg seems to treat this device less as a dystopian warning and more as a strange, clinical tool for healing. The result is fascinating, but ambiguous. By the film’s end, one is left with more questions than answers, about both the narrative and what Cronenberg ultimately wants to say.
  • Ultimately, The Shrouds is a film that resists easy interpretation, and perhaps that’s the point. Even as I reflect on it, I find myself struggling to fully grasp how I feel about the experience. It’s intellectually provocative and thematically ambitious, delving into the intersection of grief and technology in a way only Cronenberg could attempt. Yet emotionally, it left me distant, more puzzled than moved. It may be a film that reveals more upon a second viewing, or perhaps it’s simply not aligned with my sensibilities. Either way, it’s clear that The Shrouds is a deeply personal work from a filmmaker still unafraid to challenge and confront. Whether it resonates or not, it certainly lingers.
  • My Rating: Not for me.

• Film Review: Until Dawn by Elizabeth Mulloy
  • Loosely based on the beloved horror video game, Until Dawn follows a group of college friends caught in a deadly time loop, relentlessly hunted and killed in gruesome ways by mysterious forces. Their only hope of escape? Survive until dawn. If that synopsis sounds unfamiliar to fans of the game, that’s because this adaptation shares little more than the title and a few scattered Easter eggs with its source material. For those hoping for a faithful translation of the game, disappointment is almost guaranteed, this is an adaptation in name only. That said, taken on its own terms, the film lands squarely in the middle of the horror spectrum. It delivers a few solid scares and some creatively gory kills, but otherwise struggles to stand out in a crowded genre.
  • The strongest aspect of the film is undeniably its core concept. A Groundhog Day-style horror story, where characters are trapped reliving the same terrifying night until they either break the cycle or die trying, is a killer idea, one loaded with potential. The notion of facing a new horror with each reset opens the door to endless possibilities. So credit where it’s due: the premise is genuinely solid. Unfortunately, the film squanders that potential. Instead of exploring creative variations, it quickly devolves into a repetitive slog, with the characters being killed by the same creatures in nearly identical ways. When the film does break that pattern, like in the standout bathroom scene, it’s a welcome and effective change of pace. But any real variety is largely relegated to a half-baked montage viewed on a character’s phone, which feels like a lazy afterthought. In the end, Until Dawn never quite reaches the promise of its premise, and when it comes to its characters, it falls even shorter.
  • Until Dawn aspires to replicate the emotional resonance of its video game counterpart, but fails to lay the necessary groundwork. The characters are thinly drawn, defined more by genre archetypes than by any real depth, and their interpersonal dynamics feel manufactured rather than earned. What’s more, the ensemble cast struggles to elevate the material, delivering performances that range from flat to forgettable. Tonally, the film is caught in an identity crisis, torn between being a conventional teen slasher and a more somber meditation on trauma and loss. It wants to have the emotional weight of a serious horror drama while still indulging in the clichés of its genre. The result is a muddled narrative that satisfies neither ambition. In trying to be both, Until Dawn ends up being neither.
  • Ultimately, Until Dawn is a serviceable but forgettable entry in the horror genre. It boasts flashes of visual flair and a handful of inventive kills, all built on a premise with undeniable potential. Yet, the film never fully capitalizes on that promise—distancing itself from the spirit of the original game while failing to explore its own intriguing setup in any meaningful way. For those seeking a quick jolt of horror entertainment, it offers some fleeting thrills, but little that lingers. It’s a modest ride, occasionally fun, rarely remarkable.
  • My Rating: C+

Screenshots: We Scrolled So You Don’t Have To…