Arts & Entertainment
- Newspaper Box Challenge Hits Art on the Ave Sunday July 20th
- When Weekly Volcano was gifted a storage unit full of newspaper boxes, we immediately saw them as blank canvases so we did a call to artists and over 40 of them answered. Artists participating are: Gwendoline Via, Jesse Peterson, Charles Burt, Steven Grice, Valerie Carr, Susanna Youngquist, Katy Pascal, Josey Browning, Jordan Taylor, Suni Cook Boucher, Teonna Manson-St. Ours, Ryan Weimer, Julie Collinge, Elizabeth Dodd-Deissler, Grace Witherell, Kristen “Kcie” Monk, Tabitha Conner, Maranda Cromwell, Harper D’Andrea, Chelsea Belle, Kristina Martin, Lauren Angelo, Mary Smith, Diane Hansen, Juan La Torre, Rachel Hoffman, Ann Stockdale, Danielle Bonner, Eileen Newton, Matt Zimmerman, Jonarra Swanson, Maila Cervania, Matthew Cheramy and Liz Morrow. See the exhibition of these hand painted boxes at Art of the Ave Festival this Sunday near Sixth and State Street from noon to 7pm and vote for your favorite. Can’t wait? Check out the online gallery here: weekly-volcano.com/newspaper-box-challenge
- MOSAIC: Tacoma’s Arts & Culture Festival
- On Saturday, July 26th and Sunday July 27th, 12-7pm Wright Park transforms into a celebration of international delights during this free community event highlighting traditional dance, music, art, and food. This year marks its 36th year under the park’s beautiful canopy of trees. MOSAIC includes performances from community groups both days on multiple stages, food trucks offering a wide variety of of cuisines, and a vendor village with nearly 100 booths featuring multicultural artists and crafters, local small business owners, and services. Learn more: tinyurl.com/4f3wuyt4
- Lakewood’s SummerFEST: A Celebration with Something for Everyone on Saturday July 19
- SummerFEST has it all-food trucks, beer gardens, flying trapeze, live music, fire dancers, a pop-up skate park, a car show, a balloon glow, interactive sports and art for all ages. Head to Fort Steilacoom Park early to nab the best free parking spots. Fort Steilacoom Park | 8714 87th Ave SW | Lakewood Learn more at: nearcation.com/summerfest
- Your Perfect Sunday Awaits at SavorFest PNW
- Sunday, July 20, 12-5pm in Tacoma’a Hilltop neighborhood. This curated event features an amazing selection of food vendors offering everything from mouthwatering savory dishes to sweet creations and refreshing sips. Visit the Caribbean Queen’s Mercado and show you love for local BIPOC women-owned businesses! Join two local chefs for exciting cooking demos. Bring the kids-there’s a dedicated Kids Zone with face painting and special visits from characters from Magic in the PNW! Enjoy unforgettable performances and community energy. 1208 S 10th St between South L St and South M St. Learn more: instagram.com/savorfestpnw
- Tripod Presents: Three Knock-Your-Socks-Off Presentations
- Friday July 18th 7-8:30 at Center for Spiritual Living (206 N. J St, Tacoma). Three presenters will show images as they speak. Doors open at 6:30pm. A $4 donation is requested; arrive early as parking is limited.
- Featured presentations include: Making the No Kings Puppet (A Community Collaboration); Procession of the Species, Olympia; and This Piece by New Zeland Artist Gillian Saunders-from WOW: A Show of the World’s Most Spectacular Wearable Art by Dan Adams and Cynthia Toops. Learn more: bit.ly/tripodwebsite
Neighborhood News
- Blood Drive at STAR Center
- Friday July 18, 9am – 3pm. Give blood and be entered to win your choice of a three-night, pet-friendly PNW Getaway! Schedule your appointment: www.parkstacoma.gov/event/blood-drive-at-star/
- DROP DAY: The eTceTera Show Brings Tacoma’s Streetwear Legacy to the Screen
- DROP DAY: The eTceTera Show is a new TV pilot spotlighting eTc Tacoma, a beloved Pacific Northwest streetwear brand known for its Saturday “drop days” and strong community ties. The episode captures the energy of release day while celebrating Tacoma’s creative spirit through behind-the-scenes moments, humor and cultural pride.
- Launched in July 2025 for eTc’s 11th anniversary, the show documents eTc’s evolution from local shop to regional icon, with collaborations ranging from local teams (like the Mariners and Rainiers) to national brands (like The Hundreds.)
- A private screening will be held August 2nd at the flagship store, featuring a Q&A with the founders Umi Wagoner and Perris Wright. The team is seeking partners, producers and investors to expand the series and elevate Tacoma’s stories for a broader audience. At its core, DROP DAY is a bold celebration of streetwear, entrepreneurship and Tacoma culture-created for the city, by the city. Learn more: www.etctacoma.com/shop2025
- Tacoma Public Schools and LeMay Launch New Innovation Partnership
- A bold new partnership between Tacoma Public Schools and LeMay-America’s Car Museum will transform how students in the region engage with technology, trades and innovation. A formal agreement outlines the co-development of a state-of-the-art innovation and technology center, scheduled to open in fall 2027 on the museum’s 7.75 acre campus in downtown Tacoma. The center will serve as a regional hub for immersive, real-world learning in fields like robotics, esports, design, and automotive customization. Programming includes competitive robotics, esports, applied tech innovations, and audio engineering. These experiences aim to spark curiosity, build technical skills, and connect students with future careers in engineering and technology. Learn more: www.americasautomotivetrust.org/future
Local Governance
- Stage 2 Burn Ban in Effect Immediately
- Pierce County: A stage 2 burn ban is now in effect. All outdoor burning is prohibited, including recreational burn pits, and fireplaces in unincorporated Pierce County. Official Notice: tinyurl.com/3yp9tcs6
- Tidy Up Tacoma: Fighting Graffiti Citywide
- Tidy Up Tacoma is working in partnership with the Safe Streets Campaign to remove graffiti throughout the city. A local graffiti removal contractor assists private property owners in keeping neighborhoods clean, safe, and welcoming. Report graffiti:
- In progress: Call 911 immediately
- On private property: Call 311 or submit a “graffiti” concern via Tacoma First 311
- On WSDOT property: report here: wsdot.wa.gov/about/contacts/report-graffiti
- If you are a victim: File a police report, document damage for insurance, and contact your homeowner’s insurance agent if submitting a claim.
- Tidy Up Tacoma is working in partnership with the Safe Streets Campaign to remove graffiti throughout the city. A local graffiti removal contractor assists private property owners in keeping neighborhoods clean, safe, and welcoming. Report graffiti:
Business & Opportunities
- Hire-A-Vet Resource and Job Fair at Mount Tahoma – July 24
- Thursday July 24 at Mount Tahoma High School. Members of the military community-including active duty, National Guard, Reserves, veterans, and DoD employees-are invited to meet with more than 60 private and government employers. The fair will feature job opportunities, resume help, interview prep, and resources from WorkSource and other organizations. Many employers are YesVets-certified for hiring veterans. Register and learn more: tinyurl.com/wvhww8kk
- Internships with Tacoma Venues & Events
- Looking to build skills in marketing, finance or event operations? Tacoma Venues & Events is accepting fall internship applications across several departments. Interns work up to 20 hours per week starting September 8. Apply at www.tacomavenues.org/employment
Recreation & Wellness
- History Walk at Job Carr Park – July 19, 10-11am
- Saturday July 19, 10am. Join Park Guide Jenn for a free walking tour beginning at Job Carr Museum. Learn about Job Carr’s role as Tacoma’s founder, his journey west, and his impact on Old Town. Participants should be able to walk up to 3 miles at a leisurely pace, including some incline. Let them know you’re coming: tinyurl.com/fw3xvf3e
TV & Film Reviews
- TV Review: Squid Games Season 3, by Elizabeth Mulloy
- In the lead-up to the season finale of the Korean drama that completely took over the world, fans were buzzing with theories about how Squid Game might wrap up. One of the more popular ideas floating around was that Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) would step into the role of the new Front Man. After witnessing the sheer cruelty and desperation of the players around him, he’d come to understand the Front Man’s (Lee Byung-hun) twisted philosophy: the poor are all equal and deserve a shot at wiping the slate clean. And if they don’t make it? You’re just “taking out the trash.”
- Another theory gaining traction was that Gi-hun and Detective Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) would succeed in exposing the notorious Squid Game to the public. But instead of justice being served and the masterminds being brought down, the games would explode in popularity, turning into a global franchise. Soon, Squid Games would be popping up everywhere, with thousands lining up for their shot at a fortune and their deaths livestreamed for millions. And weirdly enough, that’s basically what’s happened in real life with games such as, Squid Game: The Challenge and Beast Games. Unfortunately, neither of these theories came true. The show went in a totally different direction. And while I can respect the creative choice, the ending was so bleak that I couldn’t help but wonder: what was the point?
- Gi-hun’s attempt to end Squid Game completely backfires, with almost every ally he had along the way being executed. His mission to take down the games? A total failure. With most of the remaining players fully on board to keep the nightmare going, Gi-hun is left a hollow version of himself, broken, defeated, and done. But when a new player enters the arena, everything shifts. Gi-hun finds a new sense of purpose, redirecting his fight not just against the games, but against the greed and corruption infecting the players themselves.
- Before I bog the room down too much, let me give Squid Game credit where it’s due. Even if the narrative is kind of a mess, the show is still undeniably well-crafted. The direction? Razor sharp. The editing? On fire. The score soars when it needs to and drops like a hammer when it wants to terrify. The games are still wildly entertaining. And the acting is easily one of the strongest ensembles on television. Led by Lee Jung-jae, who dominates the screen with a presence that’s as terrifying as it is heartbreaking, the cast dives headfirst into the absolute worst parts of human nature. Their performances are raw, gripping, and devastating, as their characters are pushed to the edge physically, psychologically, and morally. But even with all of that, they can’t save the show from its chaotic storytelling.
- There were two major narrative flaws that ultimately doomed this show. The first was that the series overstuffed its story. What made the original Squid Game work so well was its self-contained structure. It really only had two main threads: Seong Gi-hun trying to survive the games alongside his fellow players, and Detective Hwang searching for his missing brother while investigating the games. It was tight, focused, and left very few loose ends.
- But in seasons two and three, or more accurately, Season Two Part Two, the story bloats with multiple arcs, most of which never really connect. We’ve got a brand new group of players, but instead of following a small handful like before, the show now tries to juggle over ten character arcs at once. There’s a North Korean defector who works for the games and is searching for her lost daughter. There’s the Front Man grappling with his own morality and the ethics of the games. And, of course, there’s still Detective Hwang, endlessly island-hopping in search of his brother. Stuck in the same narrative loop as before.
- The problem is none of these arcs are meaningfully tied together. Honestly, if you cut the defector’s storyline entirely, nothing changes. Same with Hwang’s arc, it spins its wheels, adds nothing, and goes nowhere. If the series had just trimmed some of these storylines and actually given Detective Hwang something to do that mattered, it might’ve landed the plane, even if it was a bit repetitive. But even that couldn’t save it from the second fatal flaw: a newly introduced character that takes the show off the rails completely.
- The second narrative decision that tanked the show was the sudden introduction of Kim Jun-hee’s baby. Not only was it one of the fastest births I’ve ever seen on television, but it completely derails Gi-hun’s entire arc. He came back to the games to end them. After his rebellion fails, he’s left shattered physically, psychologically, and morally. At that point, I honestly expected him to finally understand the Front Man’s twisted logic. But then the baby is born and instead of reigniting Gi-hun’s mission to stop the games, the entire story pivots into a desperate attempt to save this newborn. And just like that, every narrative thread and thematic buildup we’d been following gets tossed aside.
- The show could have salvaged it. If Gi-hun had watched the other players try to kill the baby, and become so disillusioned by their cruelty that he abandoned his morals and took on the role of the new Front Man, with his adopted daughter by his side, that would’ve made sense. It would’ve tracked with the show’s recurring idea that those who try to break the wheel often end up joining it. But no. Gi-hun sacrifices himself to save the baby, and the games just pack up and move somewhere else. On one hand, I get it. Thematically, it still kind of works. On the other hand, I’m left asking, what was the point? Our protagonist has no real effect on the outcome. Nothing changes, not for better or worse. His story ends in a whimper. And while I respect the creative decision, it’s such a bleak, hollow conclusion that I can’t help but wonder why I stuck around for it.
- In the end, Squid Game should have remained a limited series. Its first season was a near-perfect self-contained story as it was sharp, thematically rich, and emotionally devastating. But in trying to expand its world, the series lost its focus and muddled what once made it great. Instead of deepening the narrative, the later seasons overcomplicated it, trading clarity for excess. Sometimes, the most powerful stories are the ones that know when to end and Squid Game sadly didn’t.
- My Rating: C
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