Tacoma is booming with events this December! Come drink for a cause with your favorite brewery, shop the dozens of local markets, catch a holiday movie at The Grand, get your fill of holiday tunes, skate through a twinkling wonderland, or take advantage of one of the many opportunities to snap a picture with Santa himself. There are several ways to make memories and start new traditions around our Grit City this year. We ho-ho-hope to see you around!
Downtown Tacoma Partnership has brought together several downtown businesses for 12 days of Gifts, Giveaways, and Glee, that will all culminate in TWO live events! On December 4th, Tacoma's Antique Row will be bustling with free family carriage rides, Santa & Krampus photos, and an Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt end in a raffle entry. Be sure to thoroughly wander the row as several businesses like Artist & Craftsman, Urban Squirrel, and Liftbridge Coffee, will be offering deals, giveaways, and more! Then, on December 11th, the Haul Crawl is headed to UW Tacoma. At the bottom of the steps will be a flurried and magical Snow Globe phot booth, perfect for capturing a memory of this holiday season. Elf on a Shelf will have found a new location as well, so keep your eye out for the mischievous guy in shop windows. And guess what? Even more deals and giveaways from businesses like 7Seas Brewing, Hello Cupcake, Incline Cider House, and MORE!
Be sure to follow Downtown Tacoma Partnership on Instagram to see which businesses are participating and when they will be offering their treats!
December 5th
The 2021 Santa Parade is headed for South Tacoma Way! Festivities begin at 2:30pm and include live music, food trucks, and local vendors. Shop for treats and treasures while you wait for the parade to start or just sit back and enjoy some holiday tunes. If you come early, kiddos can snap a photo with Santa any time between noon and 3:30, before he leaves to headline the parade. The main event begins at 4:30pm when dazzling floats full of lights, fun, and artistry will travel along the way ending with a final send off from the big man himself! Get there early to snag a good seat.
Come drink for a cause because the Hoppy Holiday Food Drive is back for it's third year! This year, NINE breweries and cideries have come together to collect non-perishable food and hygiene items for Emergency Food Network (EFN). In 2020 the food drive collected over three tons in donations for EFN! These items were then distributed to families all over Pierce County. Last year, EFN served over 1.9 million Pierce County residents, distributing 19.5 million pounds in food. WOW!
This year, we're aiming even higher! To donate, simply bring non-perishable food or hygiene items (a list of most needed items can be found here) to your favorite participating brewery or cidery below:
7 Seas Brewing (Tacoma & Gig Harbor)
Black Fleet Brewing
E9 Brewing Co.
Fierce County Cider
Incline Cider House
Narrows Brewing Co.
Odd Otter Brewing Co.
Sig Brewing Co.
Wet Coast Brewing Co.
You can also make a monetary gift towards their totals here!
Then on January 6th, join us for an IN-PERSON celebration at Peaks and Pints, where the brewery or cidery who brings in the most donations will be awarded the Hoppy Holiday Tap Handle Trophy! There will be raffles for swag, guest taps from each participating brewery and cidery, and just a jolly good time. That's right! We get to gather with our brewery and cidery friends and family again!
So come thirsty and drink for a cause because the Hoppy Holiday Food Drive in on!
December 18th, 19th, 21st, & 22nd
Looking for a different kind of Christmas show? Check out Tacoma Arts Live's production of The Christmas Revels at the Rialto!
"It's a Québécois Christmas Revels this year set during Le Temps des Fêtes, a time that embraces the beautiful songs of Christmas Eve and the boisterous, secular songs of the new year: toe-tapping tunes; high energy clogging; the rousing and poignant songs of les voyageurs; a flying canoe; and a hasty bargain with the devil that creates a tricky predicament. Special performers include the Seattle Brass Ensemble, folk instrumentalists Kevin Carr and Cil Pierce, Revels friend and actor Bill Johns, and new Revels friend and fiddler/storyteller Benjamin Hunter."
There will be six showings, including three matinees. Grab your tickets here!
From November 29th - December 12th, the Hilltop Business Association is collecting new and unwrapped toys to be distributed to children in the Hilltop and surrounding areas. Donations can be dropped off at Red Elm Café, Spun, Sam and Terrys, Johnsons Candy, People’s Barbershop, and 2nd Cycle. Then on December 18th, with the help of Kawabi and The Peace Bus, the Hilltop Business Associations will be hosting a Toy Giveaway where families can come pick up toys for their little ones. Hot Cocoa and Cider will be provided by Red Elm and Santa is even stopping by to take photos. Donate what you can and if you know a family in need this holiday season, spread the word!
Holidays at The Grand