Fall 2017 Event Calendar MetroParksTacoma.org
Did you know Park Ranger programs at Point Defiance provide unique opportunities to explore the forest, learn about wildlife and discover hidden treasures. September S M T W Th F S September is Senior Month at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Seniors (age 65+) enjoy half-price general admission plus a 10% discount at the Forest Café and the gift shop. nwtrek.org 1 2 End of Summer Blast Feeding Frenzy Relax and Renew Succulent Love 3 Feeding Frenzy End of Summer Blast 4 Feeding Frenzy Free Swimming at Outdoor Pools End of Summer Blast 5 6 7 8 9 Dog Gone Run & Pool Party Pooch Pool Party Ranger-led Nature Walk Harvest Home Ikebana by Megumi at the Conservatory
10 Second Sunday Music Series 11 12 13 14 15 16 Run Wild Point Defiance Beach Cleanup Coffee with the Birds Relax and Renew 17 Coffee, Coffee, Coffee! 18 19 20 21 22 United Way Day of Caring 23 Branch Out! 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Tacoma Giants: Part 1 Trees of Point Defiance Tacoma Giants: Part 2 Immersion Tree Walk SPLASH! Fort Nisqually Living History Museum From the Islands to the Inland Sea: Hawaiians at Fort Nisqually Through September 17 This exhibit explores the connections between Hawaii and Puget Sound during the mid-1800s. FortNisqually.org; (253) 591-5339 Tolmie the Ethnographer September 23-January 6 Explore the work and ethnographic interests of Fort manager William Fraser Tolmie in this exhibit of Native American baskets and cultural artifacts. FortNisqually.org; (253) 591-5339 Details for each event can be found on the pages following December.
Did you know Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium provides pumpkin enrichments to many animals, including Southern tamandua Gonzo, for the annual Zoo Boo event. October S M T W Th F S 1 SPLASH! 2 3 4 5 6 Candlelight Tour 7 Ranger-led Nature Walks Fall Native Plant Sale Relax and Renew Fall Swap Meet Candlelight Tour Nature at Night 8 Second Sunday Music Series 9 10 11 Story Hour 12 13 Harvest Fest at Center at Norpoint 14 Coffee with the Birds Zoo Boo Green Tacoma Day Family Nature Walks
15 Zoo Boo 16 17 18 19 20 Harvest Fest at Portland Ave Hoot n Howl 21 Family Nature Walks Point Defiance Beach Cleanup Relax and Renew Tacoma Giants: Part 1 Trees of Point Defiance Tacoma Giants: Part 2 Immersion Tree Walk Hoot n Howl Black Cat Fun Run 22 23 24 25 26 Blossoms and Haunts 27 Harvest Fest at STAR Center Harvest Fest at People s Center 28 Family Nature Walks Pumpkin Chomp & Stomp Everything Chocolate 29 30 31 Halloween Hurrah! Looking for more to do? Metro Parks classes offer something for everyone. MetroParksTacoma.org/GO Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Tolmie the Ethnographer September 23-January 6 Explore the work and ethnographic interests of Fort manager William Fraser Tolmie in this exhibit of Native American baskets and cultural artifacts. FortNisqually.org; (253) 591-5339 Crisp: An Ode to Autumn October 10-November 19 Celebrate the turning of the seasons with the rich colors of fall. ; (253) 591-5330 Halloween Pumpkin Patch October 17-November 1 The Conservatory pumpkin patch offers a great back drop for your Halloween photos. ; (253) 591-5330 Details for each event can be found on the pages following December.
November Did you know The Norpoint Turkey Trot has been bringing families together on Thanksgiving morning since 1995! S M T W Th F S Follow us and stay connected! Look for us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 1 2 3 4 Family Nature Walks Ranger-led Nature Walks Chillin with Polar Bears Totally Kids Only Heritage Skills Workshop Making Bacon Squid Fishing Derby 5 Chillin with Polar Bears 6 7 8 Story Hour 9 10 Veterans Appreciation Days 11 Family Nature Walks Tacoma Giants: Part 1 Trees of Point Defiance Tacoma Giants: Part 2 Immersion Tree Walk Veterans Appreciation Days
12 Second Sunday Music Series Veterans Appreciation Days 13 14 15 16 17 18 Point Defiance Beach Cleanup Coffee with the Birds Family Nature Walks Relax and Renew 19 20 21 22 23 Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Dinner 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Nov. 18 to Jan. 1 CHI Franciscan Polar Plaza Enjoy the festive fun of holiday ice skating in downtown Tacoma s Tollefson Plaza. PolarPlaza.com Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Tolmie the Ethnographer September 23-January 6 Explore the work and ethnographic interests of Fort manager William Fraser Tolmie in this exhibit of Native American baskets and cultural artifacts. FortNisqually.org; (253) 591-5339 Crisp: An Ode to Autumn October 10-November 19 Celebrate the turning of the seasons with the rich colors of fall. ; (253) 591-5330 Halloween Pumpkin Patch October 17-November 1 The Conservatory pumpkin patch offers a great back drop for your Halloween photos. ; (253) 591-5330 Details for each event can be found on the pages following December.
Did you know Every year on January 1, Point Defiance Marina hosts a fun, free way to plunge into the New Year. Bring family and friends to start a cool new tradition! December S M T W Th F S Nov. 18 to Jan. 1 CHI Franciscan Polar Plaza Enjoy the festive fun of holiday ice skating in downtown Tacoma s Tollefson Plaza. PolarPlaza.com 1 2 Santa Visits the Conservatory 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Victorian Holiday Festival
10 19th Century Christmas Second Sunday Music Series 11 12 Story Hour 13 14 15 16 Breakfast with Santa and the Grinch Point Defiance Beach Cleanup Cocoa and Caroling 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Jingle Bell Run 25 26 27 28 29 Winter Wildland 30 Winter Wildland 31 Jan. 1 Polar Bear Plunge Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Details for each event can be found on the following pages. Tolmie the Ethnographer September 23-January 6 Explore the work and ethnographic interests of Fort manager William Fraser Tolmie in this exhibit of Native American baskets and cultural artifacts. FortNisqually.org; (253) 591-5339 Lavish: A Festive Victorian Holiday December 1-January 7 Immerse yourself in the rich aromatic scents of seasonal favorites that welcome you home for the holidays. ; (253) 591-5330
September Senior Month at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park September 1-30 Senior Citizens (Ages 65 and older) enjoy half-price general admission to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park all month. nwtrek.org Succulent Love September 2 1-2 pm Learn how to care for and design with cactus and succulents. $3 suggested donation End of Summer Blast September 2-4 9:30 am-6 pm Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Visit the Zoo for an end-of-summer celebration featuring amazing animals and engaging activities. Free with zoo admission pdza.org Feeding Frenzy September 2-4 9:30 am-6 pm Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Chomp! Gobble! Chew! Watch Northwest Trek Wildlife Park s animals enjoy meals designed to stimulate their natural foraging behaviors. Free with admission nwtrek.org Free Swimming at Outdoor Pools September 4 12-5 pm Kandle Pool & Stewart Heights Pool It s customer appreciation day! Pool capacity is limited. Free MetroParksTacoma.org/pools Run Wild September 16 7-11 am Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Choose a 5K/8K race or 5K walk along Northwest Trek s paved forest trails. Proceeds benefit conservation. $50-$60 nwtrek.org Coffee, Coffee, Coffee! September 17 11 am-12 pm Hear the story of coffee from bean to cup and enjoy samples. $3 suggested donation Branch Out! September 23 1-3 pm Explore Wright Park from an artistic perspective and learn how to sketch a botanical illustration. $15 SPLASH! September 30-Oct. 1 9:30 am-4 pm Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Watch marine mammals enjoy special treats and learn how you can help their wild counterparts. pdza.org October Candlelight Tour October 6-7 7-9 pm Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Campfires and candlelight provide illumination for this magical walking tour of Fort Nisqually. $0-$15 FortNisqually.org Zoo Boo October 14-15 9:30 am-4 pm Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Go Boo at the Zoo! Come in costume for a weekend featuring fall-themed decorations and special treats for the animals. Free with zoo admission pdza.org Hoot n Howl October 20-21 5-9 pm Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Come in costume, take a nighttime tram ride through the free-roaming area, play games and go trick-ortreating during the spookiest event of the year. Admission prices vary nwtrek.org Black Cat Fun Run October 21 7 pm Point Defiance Park Come run or walk along a glowing Point Defiance Five Mile Drive in the dark. $20-$30 MetroParksTacoma.org/races Blossoms and Haunts October 26 7-9 pm Adults ages 21 and older are invited to an evening of spooky Halloween stories and spectral-inspired beverages. $3 suggested donation Everything Chocolate October 28 1-2 pm Celebrate National Chocolate Day at the Conservatory with a local chocolatier. $3 suggested donation Squid Fishing Derby November 4 3-6 pm Point Defiance Marina Enjoy a timed squid derby with prizes for winners. $10 PointDefianceMarina.com Totally Kids Only November 4 9 am Wapato Park It s just for kids! Kids will have the option to run either a 2 mile or 1 mile loop around beautiful Wapato Lake. $5-$10 MetroParksTacoma.org/races Chillin with Polar Bears November 4-5 9:30-4 pm Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium See polar bears enjoy special treats and learn about the crucial role Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium plays in their conservation. Free with zoo admission pdza.org Veterans Appreciation Days November 10-12 Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium All men and women who are serving or have honorably served in the U.S. Armed Forces will be admitted free. Immediate family members receive half-off general admission. pdza.org; nwtrek.org CHI Franciscan Polar Plaza Nov. 18-Jan. 1 Tollefson Plaza in Downtown Tacoma Enjoy the festive fun of holiday ice skating in downtown Tacoma s Tollefson Plaza. PolarPlaza.com December Santa Visits the Conservatory December 2 10 am-3 pm Botanical Conservatory Enjoy the much anticipated visit from Santa and his reindeer friends and memorialize the holidays with a professional photograph. $3 suggested donation. $15 for photo. Victorian Holiday Festival December 9 10 am-3 pm Enjoy live music, crafts and delightful refreshments at this annual holiday festival. $3 suggested donation 19th Century Christmas December 10 11 am-4 pm Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Take a break from the hustle and bustle of modern holidays and experience a real old-fashioned Christmas. $0-$10 FortNisqually.org Breakfast with Santa and the Grinch December 16 9 am-12:30 pm Portland Avenue Community Center Enjoy breakfast, a family picture with Santa and ornament making. $8-$10 MetroParksTacoma.org/Portland Cocoa and Caroling December 16 6-8 pm Bring the family and enjoy a hot cocoa bar and caroling at the Conservatory. $3 suggested donation CHI Franciscan Polar Plaza Jingle Bell Run December 24 10 am, 12 pm Wright Park This race features hundreds of jingling bells that will definitely put you in the holiday spirit! $10-$20 MetroParksTacoma.org/races Winter Wildland December 29-30 9:30 am-3 pm Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Take a Winter Break at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and see animals enjoy treats specially prepared for them to reflect the season. Free with admission nwtrek.org January Polar Bear Plunge January 1 11:30 am Point Defiance Marina Begin the New Year with a fun leap into the frigid water of Puget Sound! Presented by BECU. Free PointDefianceMarina.com
Ikebana by Megumi at the Conservatory September 9 1-2 pm Discover the history of Ikebana. $3 suggested donation Harvest Home September 9 11 am-5 pm Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Celebrate the sights, sounds, and smells of autumn. $0-$10 FortNisqually.org Dog Gone Run & Pool Party September 9 8 am Stewart Heights Park Bring your furry friend on fun run followed by a pool party. $20-$30 MetroParksTacoma.org/Races Pooch Pool Party September 9 10 am & 12 pm Stewart Heights Pool Dogs get their turn in the pool during this fun pooch pool party. $7-$12 MetroParksTacoma.org/Dogs Fall Native Plant Sale October 7 9 am-2 pm Tacoma Nature Center Landscape your yard with plants that are native to the area. Free TacomaNatureCenter.org Fall Swap Meet October 7 10 am- 3 pm Point Defiance Marina Purchase or sell a large variety of boating, fishing, sporting, and other items. $10 for booth space. Free to shop. PointDefianceMarina.com Nature at Night October 7 7:30-9 pm Tacoma Nature Center Take a guided walk on the trails after dark and learn about the nocturnal residents in the park. $7 TacomaNatureCenter.org Green Tacoma Day October 14 10 am-1 pm Various Locations Help with restoration projects in Tacoma s parks or bring the kids to climb a giant sequoia. Free ChipInForParks.org Pumpkin Chomp & Stomp October 28 9:30 am-3 pm Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Enjoy a day that s certain to be a smashing success as animals throughout Northwest Trek Wildlife Park receive special pumpkin treats. Free with admission nwtrek.org Halloween Hurrah! October 31 4-7 pm Visit the Conservatory for a haunting good time and sweet treats. $3 suggested donation November Heritage Skills Workshop Making Bacon November 4 10 am-12 pm Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Learn to cure your own bacon. Ages 16 and older. $25 FortNisqually.org Thanksgiving Dinner November 23 12-5 pm People s Center Come enjoy a Thanksgiving Dinner and meet the community. Free MetroParksTacoma.org/peoples Turkey Trot November 23 9 am Center at Norpoint Don t let this Thanksgiving have you feeling like a turkey. Come out for a 5k, 2 mile, and a kid s dash before your holiday gets underway. $25-$35 MetroParksTacoma.org/races November 24-January 1 5-9 pm Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium More than 600,000 sparkling, energy-efficient LEDs transform Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium into a winter wonderland where animals spring to life in lights. Come celebrate the 30th annual edition of! $5-$10 pdza.org Second Sunday Music Series Sept. 10, Oct. 8 Nov. 12, Dec. 10 1-2:30 pm Botanical Conservatory Enjoy live acoustic music among the lush tropical floral displays. $3 suggested donation Point Defiance Beach Cleanup Sept. 16, Oct. 21 Nov. 18, Dec. 16 9 am-12 pm Point Defiance Marina PointDefianceMarina.com Story Hour Oct. 11, Nov. 8 Dec. 13 11 am-12 pm Botanical Conservatory Bring the kids to enjoy stories and art projects among the Conservatory s flowers. Presenting Sponsor: Sound Credit Union. $3 suggested donation Coffee with the Birds Sept. 16, Oct. 14 Nov. 18 9-10:30 am Point Defiance Park Bring your coffee mug and learn about the birds of Point Defiance Park. $4 PointDefiancePark.org Family Nature Walks Oct. 14, 21, 28 Nov. 4, 11, 18 Times and locations vary; visit website for details. Explore Tacoma s Parks during these naturalist-led walks. Free TacomaNatureCenter.org Ranger-led Nature Walks Sept. 9, Oct. 7 Nov. 4 1-2 pm Point Defiance Park Meet the Park Ranger at the Rhododendron Garden for an exploration of nature in the park. Free PointDefiancePark.org Ongoing Events Relax and Renew Sept. 2, 16, Oct. 7, 21 Nov. 18 9-10 am Botanical Conservatory Enjoy guided relaxation among the flowers in the Conservatory. $10 suggested donation Tacoma Giants: Part 1 Trees of Point Defiance Sept. 30, Oct. 21 Nov 11 9-10 am Point Defiance Park Learn about the trees of Point Defiance. This event requires less than 500 feet of walking. $4 PointDefiancePark.org Tacoma Giants: Part 2 Immersion Tree Walk Sept. 30, Oct. 21 Nov 11 11 am-1 pm Point Defiance Park A one-mile walk that will immerse you in the living natural history of the forest. $8 PointDefiancePark.org Sponsored by These free community festivals are a safe alternative to trick-or-treating with games, prizes and goodies. MetroParksTacoma.org/HarvestFest Oct. 13, 5:30-7 pm, The Center at Norpoint Oct. 20, 6:30-9 pm, Portland Avenue Community Center Oct. 27, 5-8 pm, People s Community Center Oct. 27, 4-9 pm, STAR Center
MetroParksTacoma.org Board of Park Commissioners Andrea Smith Aaron Pointer Jessie K. Baines Jr. Erik Hanberg Tim Reid Executive Director Shon Sylvia General Information (253) 305-1022 TTY (253) 759-9286 Metro Parks Headquarters 4702 S. 19th St. 98405 Mon-Fri 7:30 am-5:30 pm Adaptive Recreation...(253) 404-3955 Aquatics...(253) 591-2042 Athletics...(253) 305-1025 Customer Service...(253) 305-1022 Facility & Picnic Rentals...(253) 305-1090 Inclusion Requests & Assistance...(253) 404-3950 Parks & Building Services...(253) 305-1050 Specialized Recreation...(253) 404-3950 Partner support helps us to provide the highest quality park and recreation experiences possible. Join us in thanking our partners: Learn more about business partnership opportunities at MetroParksTacoma.org/Partners Metro Parks Tacoma strives to create an atmosphere of accessibility in our diverse community. If you have comments and suggestions to help us meet your expectations, please call Matthew F. Keough: (253) 305-1019 or email inclusion@tacomaparks.com.