Neighborhood News
- UW Tacoma Is Going Residential: 500 Beds, First-Ever Dining Hall
- UW Tacoma’s 35-year campus master plan is moving from paper to construction, and the marquee project is a new residence hall adding 500 beds — plus the university’s first dining hall. Swiss Hall, the Tacoma landmark on the edge of campus, gets a new life as a student programming hub and welcome center, and the Tioga Library Building is also in line for renovation. The full plan maps out what comes next for a campus making its shift to a full residential, 24/7 environment. tacoma.uw.edu/news/uw-tacoma-campus-master-plan-whats-next
- Three Penguin Chicks Hatch at Point Defiance Zoo – Tenth Year Running
- Three Magellanic penguin chicks hatched at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in mid-May, marking the tenth consecutive year the zoo has welcomed chicks through the AZA Species Survival Plan for the threatened species. Two hatched to pair Pink and Red; a third required artificial incubation at a steady 97.8°F before being returned to parents Purple and White just as it began to pip — “the parents instinctively knew what to do,” said Rocky Shores curator Jen DeGroot. For the next few weeks the chicks will stay tucked under their parents, with swimming lessons beginning around month one. Catch a glimpse at Penguin Point. pdza.org/three-magellanic-penguin-chicks-hatch
- Key Peninsula Senior Nonprofit Earns National Aging Award
- The Mustard Seed Project of Key Peninsula has been recognized by the National Council on Aging for its work serving seniors and adults with disabilities in a rural community. Based out of Lakebay, the organization provides transportation, social activities, home-delivered meals, and more — the kind of infrastructure that keeps older adults healthy and independent in places where those services are thin on the ground. themustardseedproject.org
- STAR Center Closing June 22–26 for Annual Maintenance
- Parks Tacoma’s STAR Center goes dark June 22–26 for routine annual maintenance: all areas, all programs. Other Parks Tacoma community centers remain open in the meantime; find schedules and amenities at ParksTacoma.gov/communitycenters.
- Whittier Elementary Breaks Ground in Fircrest
- Students at Whittier Elementary broke ground May 27 at 777 Elm Tree Ln in Fircrest, kicking off construction on the school’s replacement building, one of eight funded by the $535 million bond Tacoma voters passed in 2020. The new school is slated to open in September 2027.
- Poverty Summit: Transforming Systems Together @ Evergreen State College Tacoma | Thursday (6/25)
- Pierce County Community Action Programs, in partnership with Aging and Disability Resources, CHOOSE 180, and Thoughts Cost, is hosting a free Poverty Summit on June 25 at Evergreen State College Tacoma, 1210 6th Ave. The day is built around three focus areas: aging, education, and criminal justice, with panel discussions centered on lived experience alongside subject matter experts and system representatives. The goal is actionable solutions, not just conversation. Keynote is Anthony Washington, CEO of Thoughts Cost and special education advocate, who will challenge attendees to rethink how we empower students through culturally responsive practices. About 9 in 100 Pierce County residents don’t earn enough to meet basic needs; 18 in 100 may qualify for SNAP. Registration required: cognitoforms.com/PierceCounty2/PovertySummit
Local Governance
- Parks Tacoma Cutting Irrigation by 50% – Expect Browner Grass This Summer
- Heads up: Parks Tacoma is reducing irrigation across its roughly 80 properties by 50% or more this season. The shift was accelerated as a budget-shortfall measure — it saves an estimated 54 million gallons of water and $365,000 through the end of 2026 — but it also aligns with the district’s Climate Action Plan, which aimed for a 15–20% reduction by 2030 anyway. Expect browning or dry grass as early as June; athletic fields, event lawns, and spaces used for day camps will still be watered. The Park Board takes up a budget amendment in June. parkstacoma.gov/parks-irrigation
- WA Renters Get the Right to Cool Off. New Law Takes Effect June 11
- Senate Bill 6200 takes effect June 11, limiting landlords’ ability to ban portable cooling devices: air conditioners, portable heat pumps, and most window units. The law was passed in response to extreme summer heat and tenant safety concerns. Landlords can still restrict devices that violate building codes, overload electrical systems, or risk falling from windows, and may require proper drainage to prevent moisture and mold damage. Renters must give two days’ notice before installing a window unit. The law doesn’t require landlords to provide AC or cover electricity costs. Landlord groups are advising property owners to update lease agreements before June 11.
- Pierce Transit Goes Fare-Free June 1; Public Meetings on Future Growth Plan
- Pierce Transit kicks off Ride Transit Month with fare-free rides on all services: buses, SHUTTLE paratransit, and Runner on-demand, on Monday, June 1. That same month, the agency wants public input on a draft expansion plan that includes new routes, shorter headways, later evening service, more direct trips, and expanded paratransit. In-person session: Wednesday, June 3, 5:30–7 p.m. at Tacoma Library Main Branch, 1102 Tacoma Ave S, Carnegie–Cascade Board Room. Virtual sessions: June 5, noon–1 p.m., and June 11, 5:30–6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Registration required for all: PierceTransit.org/more-transit/#sessions. Transit Trivia (family-friendly, registration required) is also on the calendar for June 9 at 5:30 p.m.
Arts & Entertainment
- Juneteenth WA Returns June 19 at LeMay
- The largest Juneteenth celebration in Washington State moves to a new home this year: Haub Family Field at LeMay – America’s Car Museum. Juneteenth WA returns Friday, June 19, with a theme of “A Road to Economic Freedom” centering Black economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, and community investment. Grammy-winning gospel powerhouse Erica Campbell of Mary Mary headlines, joined by R&B singer-songwriter Lyfe Jennings and gospel artist Crystal Aikin, plus a Washington community choir. Also on the bill: a car and bike show, the annual Juneteenth Prayer Breakfast, local food trucks, vendor and community resource booths, and youth and family programming through WayOut Kids. Free, all day, all ages. VIP Community Champion Lounge passes available for those who want the premium experience. Last year drew more than 20,000 people.
- Glass Art Scavenger Hunt “Art of the Game” Launches June 1 Across Pierce County
- Visit Tacoma-Pierce County is hiding handcrafted glass medallions and floats at public spots across Pierce County and the Mount Rainier area from June 1 through July 13 — and finders get to keep them. The “Art of the Game” scavenger hunt runs alongside the summer soccer action in Seattle, with weekly video clues dropped on Visit Tacoma-Pierce County’s Instagram and Facebook under #ArtOfTheGame. Find a numbered glass float and you can also bring it to the Puyallup Tribe Fan Zone booth at the Tribal Administration Campus in Tacoma during activations for an additional prize. No climbing, breaking, or disturbing anything required, pieces are clearly marked with QR codes. visitpiercecounty.com/art-of-the-game
Opportunities
- Vendors Wanted for Father’s Day Market @ The Poet | Saturday (6/21)
- Sage + Soul Photography is putting together a Father’s Day market at The Poet inside Manuscript at 202 St Helens Ave on June 21, with live music. They’re curating vendors with products that appeal to men: leather goods, vinyl records, beard products, handmade knives and tools, Tacoma apparel, woodcraft, cigars, local art prints, coffee roasters. If that sounds like your work, get in touch: hello@sageandsoulphotography.com or 253-224-0300. instagram.com/thepoettacoma
- Veterans Resource Fair @ Tacoma Dome | Saturday (5/30)
- A free, one-stop resource fair for veterans, active duty, and their families runs this Saturday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event organized by veterans for veterans, brings together VA benefits reps, housing and home ownership resources, disability claims and legal services, employment and apprenticeship programs, medical and dental screenings, services for unhoused veterans, educational benefits, and resources specifically for female and non-binary veterans, among others. Pierce, King, Kitsap, and Thurston County veterans and families are all welcome. Help@9linevets.org | (253) 922-7225
- Tacoma Studio Tour & Arts at the Armory: Applications Open, Deadline June 22
- The Tacoma Arts Commission is accepting applications for two fall events: the Tacoma Studio Tour (October 17–18) and Arts at the Armory (November 14–15 at the historic Tacoma Armory, 1001 S. Yakima Ave). One free application covers both. For the Studio Tour, you open your Tacoma-based working space, or a borrowed community space that reflects your active practice, to the public for free, self-guided exploration. For Arts at the Armory, you get up to a 10’x10′ space to show or sell your work at this juried arts market with no commission taken on sales. Applicants must live or maintain a studio within Tacoma city limits; all work must be your own (no AI-generated or commercially acquired work). Artists from BBIPOC, ALAANA, and LGBTQIA+ communities, people with disabilities, and economically marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply. Deadline: June 22 at 11:59 p.m. tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit
Recreation
- Two FIFA World Cup Mini-Pitches Coming to McKinley Hill
- Tacoma Schools, in partnership with Street Soccer USA and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians is installing two soccer mini-pitches at the southeast corner of the former Gault Middle School site. The fields are being built for World Cup festivities and are designed to accommodate blind players. After the games, they’ll stay available to the community and Tacoma Schools. Construction won’t affect the future IDEA school planned for the same site. For FIFA Cup events and parade road closures, check the Puyallup Tribe of Indians website at puyalluptribe-nsn.gov.
- Point Defiance Flower & Garden Festival @ Point Defiance | June 6–7
- Tacoma’s biggest bloom-filled weekend is almost here. The Point Defiance Flower & Garden Festival returns June 6–7 with two days of flowers, food, garden inspiration, live music, and shopping. Register online ahead of time to skip the line. Details and tickets at parkstacoma.gov.
- Bubble Run 5K @ Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup | August 1
- Free registration is still available for the Bubble Run, a non-competitive, untimed 5K coming to the Washington State Fairgrounds on August 1. Participants walk, run, or stroll through colorful bubble bogs and clouds of foam — all ages and fitness levels welcome, strollers included. It’s the kind of event where finishing covered in bubbles counts as a win. Spots fill fast. bubblerun.com/locations/bubble-run/seattle
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