May 2019
Your monthly news & updates

Greetings!

Warmer weather beckons, more fun activities, welcomed. Read through for details on events along with informational, timely, and newsy contents.

Happy reading! Mimi

p.s. Check out all the City updates - you can find them just past the "More May Events" section below
New Visitors Guides Hits Shelves!
The 2019-20 official Gig Harbor Visitor Guides are here! You can find copies at city park kiosks around town, including at Finnholm View Climb, Donkey Creek Park and Cushman Trail head, and in the Skansie House Visitor Information & Interpretive Center and the Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center.

Community organizations and businesses also carry copies, including Wesley Inn & Suites, (General Manager, Bleu Braaten,is pictured with his cute companion, Wesley) and the Downtown Waterfront Alliance, ( Heidi Gerling and Mary DesMarais of DWA, pictured replacing old guides with new).

The guide is chock full of information on events and fun things to do in Gig Harbor--so pick up a copy today!
Walk for Good Causes on May 4: Great Strides & Relay for Life
There has never been a better time of year or better reasons to get out and walk, then on May 4! Great Strides and Relay for life both offer a chance to support great causes, so mark your calendars.

At Gig Harbor’s Relay For Life event, the community comes together to support and celebrate survivors and caregivers. There will be music, free giveaways from Uptown merchants, and lots of fun activities for the whole family!  Click here for more info.

For more than 30 years, Great Strides – the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s largest national fundraising event – has supported the Foundation’s mission to cure cystic fibrosis and raise awareness for this rare, genetic, life-shortening disease that makes it difficult to breathe and shortens lives. Click here for more info.
Street Scramble Returns on May 25
The Gig Harbor Street Scramble is being held at SKANSIE BROTHERS PARK this year on Saturday, May 25, 8:30 am - 1 pm. How many locations can YOU find in 90 minutes or three hours on foot or bike? Bring family and friends to find out at this FREE event!

8th Annual Beer Fest is on May 18
The Gig Harbor Beer Festival benefiting the Gig Harbor Kiwanis Foundation, will be held Saturday, May 18, at the Uptown Pavilion from Noon - 5 pm. The Beatniks and Weezer tribute band Surf Wax Americans are slated to perform. Tickets go fast for this popular event so grab yours today!

Harbor WildWatch Events
Cocktails & Fishtales on Wednesday, May 15 at the Gig Harbor Brewing Co., 5:30 - 7 pm
The May Cocktails & Fishtales features Restoring Iconic Species to Puget Sound. Cost is $5 at the door, Harbor WildWatch Steward Club members have free admission.

Beach Monitoring - Purdy Sand Spit on Monday, May 20, 11 am - 2 pm.
Beach Monitoring - Kopachuck State Park on Tuesday, May 21, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Beach Monitoring is one of Harbor WildWatch's signature Community Science Programs where twice a year (summer & winter), we collect data from nine different beaches throughout the South Sound area.
May Events at Harbor History Museum
Tuesday, May 7, 6 pm: Gig Harbor Literary Society meeting, dedicated to exploring the literary world of historical fiction, nonfiction, and other works of interest. This event is FREE and open to the public. Seats are limited; RSVPs are encouraged.

The book for the May meeting is Rowing the Northwest Passage by Kevin Vallely. In this gripping first-hand account, four seasoned adventurers navigate a sophisticated, high-tech rowboat across the Northwest Passage. 

Thursday, May 9, 6 pm: "Entertaining the Troops in Wartime: The Early History of Armed Forces Radio", a Humanities in the Harbor presentation.

John Jensen shares rarely heard stories and anecdotes from Hollywood’s war effort (during World War II), and shows examples of one of the most effective and successful forms of communications that was used to entertain, educate and inform our men and women in uniform during the war

For more information on these and other Harbor History Museum, please visit their webpage at harborhistorymuseum.org/events
Cinco de Mayo Bash at Ocean5 will be on May 4
Ocean5 will be hopping Saturday, May 4, with amazing South of the Border food, live music and fun! Buy your tickets now for one of the South Sound's largest Cinco de Mayo-themed events and help raise important community funds on Cuatro de Mayo!

Gig Harbor Night Market: May Edition is on May 4
Enjoy art, music, food, vendors and beer at the Gig Harbor Night Market on April 13, 4 - 9 pm. Evening fun for all ages and free! Join in on this community event at 7 Seas Brewing, 3006 Judson St. #110.

May Workshops at the BoatShop
Sea Safety & Survival Workshop, Tuesday, May 14, 8 am - 5 pm: Washington Sea Grant and the Gig Harbor BoatShop at Eddon Boatyard are cosponsoring a Sea Safety and Survival (Drill Instructor) course for commercial fishermen and charter boat operators.

USCG-Approved First Aid at Sea Workshop , Wednesday, May 22, 9 am - 5 pm:
Washington Sea Grant and the Gig Harbor BoatShop at Eddon Boatyard are cosponsoring a Coast Guard-Approved First Aid at Sea course.
Meaningful Movies in Gig Harbor Presents "Generation Zapped" on May 10
Meaningful Movies in Gig Harbor presents the documentary,"Generation Zapped," on Friday, May 10, 6 pm, at the Agnus Dei Church, 10511 Peacock Hill.

"Generation Zapped" reveals that wireless technology poses serious health risks, from infertility to cancer. Through interviews with experts in science and public health, along with people who suffer from high sensitivity to wireless radiation, the film suggests ways to reduce your exposure and protect your family.

Gigging Up the Harbor May 18
Join the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance and volunteers from the community in sprucing up the downtown waterfront for the summer season on Saturday, May 18! Bring family, bring friends, the more the merrier. They will be picking up trash, weeding, planting, raking, cleaning etc., from 9 am - Noon. A volunteer appreciation lunch at Skansie Brothers Park will follow after.

May Events at Ocean5
Comedy Night at Ocean5 , Thursday, May 9, doors open at 6 pm
Hilarious host Cris Larsen (aka the Gr8t Cris) will be this month’s headliner. Food and drinks will be available for order from your seats. $10 cover charge. Limited to the first 100 guests. Ages 18 and over.

Teen Trivia Night , Friday, May 24, 7 - 8:30 pm
Hosted by PenMet Parks & Ocean5.
Grab your friends and put your pop culture knowledge to the test! Snacks and drinks provided by Table 47, prizes each round with the grand prize being a pack of 4 laser challenge games from Ocean5. 
Go With The Flow! Voluntary Paddlecraft Safety Program
The Gig Harbor Police Department is pleased to introduce a voluntary paddlecraft safety program called GO WITH THE FLOW. The goal is to add awareness, predictability, and safety to interactions between paddlecraft and larger vessels in Gig Harbor. Thanks to partners at Gig Harbor Marina and Boatyard for producing THIS VIDEO segment in support of the program. Go with the flow this summer!
Friday Family Fun Movie Nights Returns with FIVE Movies!
Mark your calendars for free summer movies in the park on Friday nights in July and on August 2! Watch movies on an outdoor jumbo screen at Skansie Brothers Park. Movies are FREE and start at dusk. 

Come early to enjoy Harbor WildWatch activities and grab a bag of free popcorn from Kitsap Bank. Movies are brought to you by the City of Gig Harbor, Taylor Thomason Insurance and Jaycox-Gig Harbor Police Benevolent Fund.

July 5, 9:15 pm:
“The NeverEnding Story,” (PG)
July 12, 9 pm:
“Inside Out,” (PG)
July 19, 9 pm:
" Mary Poppins” (1964), (G)
July 26, 8:30 pm:
“Mary Poppins Returns,” (PG)
August 2, 8:30 pm:
“Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero,” (PG)
Register for the Maritime Gig Fest's 5k Family Fun Run by May 15
Get a running start on your summer with the Maritime Gig Festival’s US Bank 5k Family Fun Run, Saturday, June 1, at 8:45 am!

The race starts on Judson St. and takes runners through beautiful downtown Gig Harbor to Peacock Hill Ave and back. Be sure to stick around after the run for the Maritime Gig Parade at 10 am.

Kids Dash: 8:30 a.m.
Fun Run: 8:45 a.m. 

Single entry: $10
Family entry: $25 (three or more people)

T-shirts are handed out to the first 100 registrants; select your size by May 15!

To register and for more information on the Fun Run, click here
Food Backpacks 4 Kids Fundraiser on May 18
PenMet Parks May Events
Saturday, May 11, 7 - 9 pm:
Mother Son Dance at Cheney Family Branch, Boys & Girls Club. Mothers and sons can enjoy an evening of dance, refreshments & fun! Tickets, click here.

Saturday, May 18, 10 am - Noon:
Storywalk Grand Opening at Sehmel Homestead Park. Read, dance, and sing to the book "How Do You Wokka-Wokka" by Elizabeth Bluemle as you walk around the trail. The grand opening ceremony will feature crafts, snacks and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Held at the Sehmel Playground and in partnership with Gig Harbor Pierce County Library. 

Saturday, April 20, Noon - 2 pm:
Kids Night Out! at Rosedale Hall, 8205 86th Ave NW. Kids have fun while parents enjoy a night out. Super Slime Science is the theme. $35, $5 sibling discount.
7th Annual Tides Tavern Classic Boat Show on May 18 & 19
Beach Volleyball Park Expansion This Summer!
The Gig Harbor Beach Volleyball (GHBV) Program of Peninsula Athletic Association (PAA) is teaming with the City of Gig Harbor to build two additional sand courts adjacent to the current courts in Crescent Creek Park. With generous grants from PenMet Parks and the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation, GHBV has raised nearly all of the $80,000 necessary to build these courts. Construction by City crew and volunteers is scheduled to start this coming August with completion in September.  There will be a significant amount of volunteer work needed during this time. If you would like to donate money now or your labor this summer or just want to learn more, please contact GHBV via email at [email protected]. You can also follow GHBV on Facebook or on Instagram @ghbeachvolleyball.
Get On Board the Trolley!
Come ride the Gig Harbor Trolley this summer! From June 1 through Sept. 2, the vintage-style Gig Harbor Trolley offers a convenient, inexpensive, and fun way for visitors and locals to travel between the historic downtown waterfront, north, and west Gig Harbor shopping districts. Passengers can catch a trolley at one of the brightly-branded stops every 30 minutes. Along the way they will experience beautiful parks, great shopping, delicious dining options, a thriving waterfront and all sorts of recreational activities. While on board, a recording will share information about the many points of interest along the route. The Gig Harbor Trolley is a partnership between the City of Gig Harbor, the Chamber of Commerce, Uptown Gig Harbor, the Downtown Waterfront Alliance, Heron's Key and Pierce Transit. 
Gig Harbor Film Festival Monthly Movie Night is May 29
Music & Comedy at Kimball Coffeehouse in May
More May Events
City Updates
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Bring Your Own Bag Law Goes Into Effect on June 18th
The Gig Harbor City Council passed the Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) ordinance on December 10, 2018. This law goes into effect June 18, 2019. At that time all retail establishments in Gig Harbor will be required to comply. The purpose of the BYOB law is to encourage shoppers to choose reusable bags which will help reduce waste and litter from disposable carryout bags.

Second Open House for the Planning Study for Cushman Trail Phase 5 Coming Up in June
A second Open House for Cushman Trail Phase 5 Planning Study will be held in early June, date and time to be determined. The Open House will begin with a short presentation followed by an opportunity for the public to view and comment on several draft alignments. Check the City's website for updates.
Coffee with Kit on May 7 and the Mayor's Latest Blog Post
Join Mayor Kit Kuhn next Tuesday, May 7, from 7 - 8 am at Kimball Coffeehouse, 6659 Kimball Dr a102, for "Coffee with Kit." This is a great chance to talk to the Mayor and let him know your thoughts in a casual setting. You can also read the Mayor's latest post on his blog at the City's website.
Apply for a Fireworks Permit
The City is accepting fireworks stand permit applications during the period between April 15 and June 1. All packets must be postdated or dropped off within that time frame.

Join Our Team!
Visit  www.govjobstoday.com  and select City of Gig Harbor for a complete listing of current openings. We look forward to seeing how YOU can add value to our team!
Thank YOU Parks Appreciation Day Volunteers!
The City thanks everyone who took part in Parks Appreciation Day on April 27! Special shout out to our Public Works crew who always do a great job coordinating the event. At the Soundview Forest site, the Garlick Family, (pictured), were awarded a Harbor Wildwatch family membership by Parks Commissioner Sara McDaniel. The Garlick family's young children ant their parents, worked hard to spread sawdust on the new park's trails. Check the City's Facebook page for more opportunities this summer to help clean up the new park, Soundview Forest.

Click here to view more photos.
On Going Events
Hike It Baby ® at Cushman Trail

Toastmasters

Baby, Preschool, Toddler Storytimes

El Grupo Spanish Talk Time

Find more information about these and other events at: www.gigharborguide.com
Travel to China with the Chamber
Through a partnership with Citslinc, International, the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce is offering a cost effective trip to China from September 30 - October 9, 2019. The trip includes stops in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou with opportunities to visit historic sites like the Great Wall of China and Tiananmen Square. There is also an optional opportunity to visit with a local Chinese business. Limited spots available. For costs and itinerary, click here.
May Dining Deal
Coming Next Month