If there’s one unmissable summer event in Tacoma in 2012, it must be the Maritime Festival at the end of August. The 20th Tacoma Maritime Festival will kick off on August 25th, with two action-packed days of celebration from 10:00-18:00 each day of the weekend.
Tacoma, the third-largest city in Washington State, is adjacent to Seattle and boasts a 46-mile coastline. A stroll along Ruston Way reveals all kinds of small boats and fishing vessels plying the waters between Alaska and Olympia in Washington State. The bustling Port of Tacoma handles container cargo from around the world from sunrise to sunset. The annual Maritime Festival is undoubtedly a major event that lets the public better understand and enjoy the pleasures of the sea.
The 20th Maritime Festival will last for two days, with main activities concentrated at Thea's Park and Foss Waterway in Tacoma. Visitors can immerse themselves in a variety of ocean-related activities over the two-day period.
Harbor Cruise Tour
Time: August 26, 10:00-11:30-13:00-14:30-16:00
Location: Thea Foss Park
Leave your weekday worries behind and head to the harbor on the weekend to board the comfortable deck of the “Lady Mary.” The Harbor Cruise Tour offers visitors the chance to get up close to one of the largest container ports in the United States.
Time: August 26, 10:00-11:30-13:00-14:30-16:00
Location: Thea Foss Park
Leave your weekday worries behind and head to the harbor on the weekend to board the comfortable deck of the “Lady Mary.” The Harbor Cruise Tour offers visitors the chance to get up close to one of the largest container ports in the United States.
Beer Garden
Location: Thea's Park
Anyone aged 21 or older can enjoy a drink with friends at one of the best and most vibrant beer gardens in the U.S. right here in Thea's Park. There’s also live music on stage to keep the good times rolling.
Location: Thea's Park
Anyone aged 21 or older can enjoy a drink with friends at one of the best and most vibrant beer gardens in the U.S. right here in Thea's Park. There’s also live music on stage to keep the good times rolling.
Tacoma Railroad Open House
Time: August 25, 10:00-14:00
A perfect choice for family outings. While the Maritime Festival is buzzing with maritime activities, the organizers haven’t forgotten about the “big brother” of transportation — railroads. During the Western Gold Rush, Tacoma was a key hub along the railway lines, so Tacoma’s railroad culture is infused with rugged Old West charm. At the Railroad Open House, visitors can ride a train for free on selected routes, visit locomotives and maintenance equipment, explore large-scale railway models, play games, sample food, and even pick out a small gift for friends at the gift shop.
Time: August 25, 10:00-14:00
A perfect choice for family outings. While the Maritime Festival is buzzing with maritime activities, the organizers haven’t forgotten about the “big brother” of transportation — railroads. During the Western Gold Rush, Tacoma was a key hub along the railway lines, so Tacoma’s railroad culture is infused with rugged Old West charm. At the Railroad Open House, visitors can ride a train for free on selected routes, visit locomotives and maintenance equipment, explore large-scale railway models, play games, sample food, and even pick out a small gift for friends at the gift shop.
One hundred and fifty years ago, majestic merchant ships carrying cargo landed at a natural harbor on the U.S. West Coast. Since then, generations of Tacoma residents have made this their home base and gradually expanded inland. The harbor has been the original and most cherished home of Tacoma residents, and the sea has been the source of inspiration for their lives.
The Tacoma 20th Maritime Festival offers many more colorful entertainment activities than can be listed here — for the full experience, you’ll have to be there to see it all.