School is out and some parents may already be hearing the dreaded "I'm bored" from their children. If this is the case or you want to avoid hearing it for a bit longer, plan on being at the main entrance of Point Defiance Park, 5400 N. Pearl St., Tacoma,from June 29 to July 1.

This is the 27^th year of the annual Taste of Tacoma weekend event organized by Festivals, Inc., which also puts on the Bite of Seattle and Oktoberfest at the Puyallup Fairgrounds. The Taste of Tacoma is sponsored by Emerald Queen Hotel & Casino, which is its 12^th year of title sponsorship.

While admission to the event is free, vendors and providers of entertainment may charge. Since you will already be at the park, a visit to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium could be in order.  Please remember that normal admission fees will apply for entrance to the zoo.

This year's event proves to be a blast for all ages, as the weekend features everything from arts and crafts to good foods and fine wines.  Here are just a few things to look forward to during the weekend:

• 29 restaurants with food available for purchase with menu items not costing more than $8 each.
• Restaurants will be offering at least one heart-healthy menu item as part of the event's partnership with Hope Heart Right Bite.
• For those that enjoy beer, be sure to check out the beer gardens including one offering locally crafted beers.
• Enjoy wine tasting of Washington wines in the Taste Wine & Jazz Garden located in the park's rose garden.
• The Funtastic Carnival will be on location with their rides and games to help the kids not to be so bored.
• Six free entertainment stages featuring comedy acts, jazz, classic rock, country & blues, folk and more.
• Metro Parks Tacoma's Family Entertainment Zone will be showcasing its summer program offerings with activities including Rock the Bowl at Point D, an obstacle course, a zip line, rock climbing, hamster bowl, picnic areas and more. Some activities will require a pay-to-use pass available for purchase on site.

Grab the family, camera and sunscreen for a fun packed weekend. Event hours are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Free Taste Shuttles will be available at the Transit Center next to Tacoma Community College.

For more information, please visit their website at www.tasteoftacoma.com.