SUZY STUMP: WINTERFEST >>>
Many a strange phenomenon comes over us during this, the holiday season. People pretend they’re in ye olde Mesopotamian. What? You don’t? Television commercials start to rhyme. We use terms like “hustle and bustle†in everyday conversation voluntarily. But before you decide to curl up into a ball inside your big down parka and never come out, take into account all of the lovely things that accompany all of this weirdness.
Take Winterfest, for example. A holiday festival with “Go Local†on the brain and an ambiguous Santa and beer in their bag of gifts.
No, this rag didn’t orchestrate this. Nope, Angela Jossy and a huge crew of local artists and businesspeople present this family festival Saturday. Yup â€" family. Santa photos, children’s craft area, no women causing injury in the bargain sock bin.
If you’re a freak and plan on attending only one holiday event this year â€" This is the one. If only for the gift bag you’ll receive for being one of the first 250 through the gate. The gate being the Foss Waterway Seaport down on Dock Street.
Highlights of the two-day festival include Doyle’s Den beer garden, theatrical storytelling, fashion show, lighted boat competition, Elvis, and more than 70 local vendors selling stuff. And the creative folks at Tacoma Art Place are armed with wrapping paper.
Grab your GTD app:
Saturday, Dec. 13
Noon â€" Captain Claus arrives on Tug Boat
1 p.m. â€" Live Paint - interactive theatrical storytelling
2 p.m. â€" Stephanie Johnson
3 p.m. â€" Motopony
4 p.m. â€" Mary Win
5 p.m. â€" Holiday Pageant with Tacoma singers
6 p.m. â€" Jones Family Fortune
7 p.m. â€" Award Ceremony for winners of the Sea’s N Greetings Decorated Boat Competition
8 p.m. â€" Fashion Association of Tacoma Show
9 p.m. â€" DJ
Sunday, Dec. 14
Noon â€" Captain Claus arrives on Tug Boat
1 p.m. â€" Holiday Pageant with Tacoma singers
2 p.m. â€" Urban Orchestra
3 p.m. â€" Steve Stefanowicz
5 p.m. â€" Elvis Impersonator Danny Vernon
Food and drink round out the experience.
Tacoma shines on this one.
[Foss Waterway Seaport, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, $5, free younger than 12, 705 Dock Street, Tacoma]