Ethnic Fest has been celebrating culture & community for Over 30 years!

July 7, 2019 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

Metro Parks. Wright Park Ethnic Fest 2018 Photos by Russ Carmack.

July 27-28, 2019
Noon – 7 pm

Wright Park
501 South I St., Tacoma, WA

Ethnic Fest has been celebrating culture & community for Over 30 years! Enjoy two full days of music, dance, art, and foods from around the world.

Since 1986 Ethnic Fest has grown to become the largest celebration of culture and community in Tacoma. Voted the best festival of the South Sound; this year Ethnic Fest takes place Saturday, July 27 – Sunday, July 28 from Noon to 7 pm at historic Wright Park in Tacoma, WA.

This family-friendly, free festival has grown in size and hosts Kid’s Zones, hands-on cultural activities and experiences, performer stage, as well as numerous specialty arts and crafts, food, and information vendor booths. This year’s festival will also include a 3 on 3 basketball tournament, for Youth (15U) and Adaptive Recreation divisions.

Vendors and performers

View the stage schedule
View the vendor lineup

Basketball Tournament

3 on 3 Basketball Tournament-Hoop It Up @ Ethnic Fest July 26-28

July 7, 2019 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

Learn More About:

3 on 3 Basketball Tournament-Hoop It Up @ Ethnic Fest July 26-28Date: July 26-28

Price:$85-$95

Teams will be sorted by grade level.

3rd-8th Grade Registration

9th-12th and Family Divisions Registration

Soccer
Volleyball
Golf
Flag Football
Basketball
Baseball
- Competitive Baseball
- T-Ball, Baseball, Fastpitch
Sports for pre-school age
Coaching

Already Participating?

Rainouts
Report Scores
Schedules
Standings
Field/Gym Locations
Rules

Metro Parks Tacoma Youth Sports provides recreational league play in five different sports during the year for boys and girls ages 5-12.

Coaches:
All teams are coached by volunteers who are background checked at national and state levels. MPT Youth Sports staff also provides guidance for any individuals willing to coach, including potential full team practice plans and coach training. Teams and players are registered as coaches are available. For more information please visit this page.

Sports Instruction:

MPT Youth Sports also provides instructional opportunities. Kidz Love Soccer and Skyhawks Sports Academy have contracted instructors that provide sports quality instruction on Metro Parks Tacoma fields and facilities.
Kidz Love Soccer provides year-round instruction in multiple-week sessions.
Skyhawks offers one-week tennis camps during the summer months at Stadium High School and Point Defiance Park.
MPT staff also provide instructional camps during the summer for basketball, soccer, flag football, and others.

Black Girls Ride: Women of Color Blaze New Trails in Motorsports

June 28, 2019 by Admin NW FACTS Leave a Comment

225 female riders will leave biker stereotypes in the dust during a 200,000-combined-mile journey to the Big Easy

Black Girls Ride Founder Porsche Taylor has made it her mission to increase the number of female motorcyclists across the nation, provide safe riding adventures and inspire riders through safety education and celebration.

Two hundred twenty-five unapologetic, fearless and trend-setting female bikers, brought together by Black Girls Ride (BGR), will ride nearly 200,000 miles, collectively, from more than 5 states for the largest African-American music and entertainment celebration in New Orleans July 5-7. The rides, powered by Indian Motorcycle and Polaris Slingshot© represent the growing emergence of African-American and female motorcyclists in the U.S.

“This is the ultimate girls trip,” BGR Magazine Founder Porsche Taylor said. “We are celebrating our femininity, individuality and showing the world that there’s an indescribable feeling of accomplishment and freedom that women get when they conquer their fears on a high-quality motorcycle.”

As reported in a 2018 Motorcycle Industry Council study, female motorcycle ownership doubled in the U.S. in the last decade, with nearly one in five motorcycle riders being female. Among African-American motorcycle owners, women dominate at 53% over men, according to another 2018 survey of American consumers.

The majority of the riders, some of which will be riding Indian Motorcycles or the three-wheeled Polaris Slingshot vehicles, will make the multi-state journey from five states: Texas, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana. Other riders will come from as far as California. Riders will either make the joy ride solo or in a group. The 225 riders will bring their mission to the largest African-American female festival in the nation.

“Polaris has fueled the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts for more than 60 years,” Polaris Marketing and Customer Engagement & Growth Manager Joey Lindahl said. “Indian Motorcycle and Polaris Slingshot are proud to support and celebrate the growing national sisterhood of riders as they blaze new trails in the industry.”

“Women continue to break barriers and defy stereotypes in motorcycling, and the sport has brought us together like never before,” Tayor said. “Our fellow biker sisters come from all walks of life. We work in boardrooms and classrooms across the nation but on the free road, we are one. We are a family.”

ABOUT BLACK GIRLS RIDE™
Black Girls Ride Magazine (BGR) is an inclusive celebration of women who live to ride. BGR is an all-access source for product launches & reviews, women’s rider fashion and events across the nation. The magazine profiles the unique stories of female motorcycle clubs, professional racers and stunt riders, while also shining a light on the sisterhood of biker culture. BGR’s mission is to continue increasing the number of female motorcyclists, provide safe riding adventures and inspire riders through safety education and celebration. For more information about Black Girls Ride Magazine, please visit blackgirlsride.com.

ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit indianmotorcycle.com.

ABOUT POLARIS SLINGSHOT®
Polaris Slingshot®, a product of Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), is a three-wheeled motorcycle that delivers a ride like nothing else you’ve ever experienced. The Slingshot is powered by a 2.4-liter engine with a five-speed manual transmission and comes in a variety of models that will leave you grinning from ear-to-ear. To learn more, visit slingshot.polaris.com.

Seattle’s multicultural history comes alive in Sara Porkalob’s newest play… A True Must See

June 28, 2019 by Admin NW FACTS Leave a Comment

(Clockwise from left) Sarah Russell will play Ada, Corinne Magin will play Min, Van Lang Pham will play James, Anasofia Gallegos will play Lee andAaron Jin will play Robert, as well as leading the live band on keys.

Café Nordo Presents
A WORLD PREMIERE PLAY WITH FOOD AND MUSIC

7th and Jackson

The vibrant, multicultural history of Seattle’s International District comes alive in Sara Porkalob’s latest work at Nordo’s Culinarium

July 19 – August 11, 2019 – Tickets on sale now

Café Nordo is proud to present the world premiere of 7th and Jackson created by award-winning theatrical creator Sara Porkalob (The Dragon Cycle). Set in the early 1960s, it’s an intimate experience that transports audiences to Seattle’s vibrant and multicultural International District and, true to Café Nordo’s signature format, blends authentic jazz, ethnic cuisine and unforgettable history for a full-sensory experience
like no other. 7th and Jackson runs July 19 – August 11, 2019 at
Café Nordo’s Culinarium and tickets are on sale now.

“I wanted to write a play about Seattle’s International District in the 1940’s because most of the stories I heard, read, and seen about that time period focused specifically on the Japanese community in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor,” said creator Sara Porkalob. “And, I wanted to dive deeper into what life was like for the other ethnic enclaves of the period.”

7th and Jackson follows three best friends with big dreams of owning their own jazz club. As the 1961 grand opening of the club 7th and Jackson progresses, the childhood history of Lee, Min and Ada is revealed. Despite the bombing of Pearl Harbor, WWII and rising tensions in their neighborhood, these young women remain determined in their pursuit of the American Dream.

“The beating heart of my play is the friendship between three young women: one of them Black woman, one of them Filipina, and the other Korean. These diverse friendships existed during this time period and I want to shine a light on their rich existence.” Porkalob continues. “This era was a tumultuous time in American history and it’s important that I contribute to our historical narrative from the perspective of women and people of color. So much and so little has changed in our American Landscape since then.”

THE FOOD: Heavily influenced by true stories of Seattle’s 7th Avenue and the International District food scene of the early 60s, this 4-course menu, which is included in the ticket price, explores cultural diaspora from street food to family meals. Inspired and informed by the cuisines native to and emergent from Seattle’s historic communities of color, including International District/Chinatown and the Central District, the menu pays homage to this cuisine history in Nordo’s signature style of interactive plating.”

THE MUSIC: With Musical Direction by Andrew Pang, 7th and Jackson treats our guests to live renditions of soulful era classics including memorable songs from The Andrews Sisters, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald.

THEATRICAL CREDITS

Director and Playwright: Sara Porkalob

Executive Chef: Erin Brindley

Menu Design: Christian Rosso

Musical Director: Andrew Pang

Actors: Corinne Magin, Anasofia Gallegos, Aaron Jin, Sarah Russell, Van Lang Pham

Set Design: Lex Marcos

Sound Design: Evan Mosher

Costume Design: Katrina Hess

Properties: Robin Macartney

Lighting Design: Emily Leong

FOR CALENDAR EDITORS:

WHAT: On Friday nights, three best friends meet in the alley outside their favorite place, an underground Seattle jazz club hosting touring jazz legends, home to raucous gambling, and even louder dinner parties. Lee, Min, and Ada are unlikely playmates but they all share the same dream: to own and run their own restaurant and jazz club. When the bombing of Pearl Harbor and rising WWII tensions tear apart their homes, they make a sacred promise to keep their dream alive. Spanning three decades, 7th and Jackson pairs local history with cultural diaspora and live music, all served on one plate.

WHERE:

Nordo’s Culinarium,

109 South Main Street,

Seattle WA 98104

206-209-2002

WHEN:

July 19 – August 11, 2019

Wednesday – Saturday 7:30pm

Sundays at 6:00pm

TICKETS:

$79.00 includes the performance and a prix fixe menu. Beverage and cocktail service additional.

*Suitable for audiences 18 and older

Online Box Office: bit.ly/7thJacksonNordo

20 blocks. For the public, by the public.

June 27, 2019 by Admin NW FACTS Leave a Comment

Waterfront Seattle: Powered by Partnership

Waterfront Seattle is more than a park — it is a once-in-a-generation opportunity when the community’s values, vision and investments align to achieve lasting economic, social and environmental value—now, and for the benefit of future generations. Friends of Waterfront Seattle is the nonprofit partner to the City of Seattle, helping to execute, steward, and program this park, designed by James Corner Field Operations.

Our mission is to build awareness, fundraise, and lead strategies that support the long-term health of the park, all with the goal to ensure that the waterfront is beautiful, vibrant, and welcoming to all.

VISIT US AT WATERFRONT SPACE

Open Wednesday – Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

1400 Western Ave
Seattle, WA 98101

Waterfront Space is the project showroom for the future waterfront park. Swing by and one of the Friends team will guide you through the project with interactive models and visuals.

Friends of Waterfront Seattle

Friends of Waterfront Seattle is the City of Seattle’s nonprofit partner helping to build the park and ensure its lasting success. Following the public-benefit partnership model, we educate the public about the park and its benefits, raise philanthropic funds to build the park, and will partner with the City to steward and program the park long-term.

Our goal is to make the central waterfront a public mixing ground where all communities can share cultural, recreational, and civic experiences in a beautiful environment. Waterfront Seattle / Friends is a founding member of the High Line Network, a movement in cities across the world to reclaim underutilized infrastructure and reimagine it as public space.

We would love to show you what Friends is doing today. Come explore the future park at our project showroom – Waterfront Space – located at 1400 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98101. We are open Wednesday – Sunday, 12:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Website images courtesy of Robert Wade Photography, Old Army Jacket Photo, Jordan Monez and Nick Brown.

BOYZ II MEN & 98 DEGREES

June 25, 2019 by Admin NW FACTS Leave a Comment

Online Only Presale

Pre-sale starts Wednesday, April 10 at 10 am and ends Saturday, April 13 at 10 am.
Tickets go on sale to the general public Saturday, April 13 at 10 am.

To get the pre-sale password, subscribe to the Fair’s E-Club and select Concerts as one of your interests. You’ll automatically receive an email with the password the morning of the pre-sale.

Tickets

Reserved Concert Seating – $40 – $65^*
Concert tickets include Washington State Fair gate admission, a $14 value.
Ticket required for children 2 years of age and older.

*Online orders subject to standard fees. A $4.50 service fee will be added to each ticket purchased in person at the Box Office.

98 Degrees VIP Packages available at: https://vipnation.com

About the Artists

Boyz II Men

Boyz II Men remains one of the most truly iconic R&B groups in music history. The group redefined popular R&B and continues to create timeless hits that appeal to fans across all generations, the band has penned and performed some of the most celebrated classics of the past two decades. The group’s 4 Grammy Awards are just the tip of the iceberg: throughout their 25-year career, Boyz II Men have also won a whopping 9 American Music Awards, 9 Soul Train Awards, 3 Billboard Awards, and a 2011 MOBO Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a Casino Entertainment Award for their acclaimed residency at the Mirage Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, which has been ongoing since 2013.

The trio holds the distinction of being the best-selling R&B group of all time, with an astounding 64 million albums sold. And the reason is abundantly clear: for the past two decades Boyz II Men have given fans a rich catalogue of hits filled with smooth harmonies and enduring themes. And for Boyz II Men the hits just keep on coming—the group continues to craft new albums and bring their legendary act to stages across the world.

Boyz II Men’s past hits include: “End of the Road,” “I’ll Make Love to You,” “One Sweet Day,” “Motownphilly” and many others.

98 Degrees

In five short years — from 1997 to 2002 — 98° sold a staggering 10 million records, scored a chart-topping single, “Thank God I Found You,” with Mariah Carey and Joe, and collaborated with their collective idol, Stevie Wonder, on “True to Your Heart,” for the 1998 animated Disney film, Mulan. Their four-million-selling album, 98° and Rising (1998, Motown), spawned the top-5 favorites “Because of You,” “I Do,” and “The Hardest Thing,” while 2000’s Revelation (Universal Records), which sold two million copies, peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200 and yielded a trio of hits, “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche),” “My Everything” and “The Way You Want Me To.”

The group emerged at a time when teen-oriented acts such as the Spice Girls, The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC were just hitting the top of the charts around the world. They differentiated themselves from many of the other teen bands at the time as they wrote much of their own material, which reflected their own R&B influences.

Boyz II Men Video

GETTING TO THE TASTE: FREE PIERCE TRANSIT TASTE EXPRESS, POINT RUSTON WALK, BICYCLE CORRAL, AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

June 5, 2019 by Admin NW FACTS Leave a Comment

Emerald Queen Casino’s Taste of Tacoma® presented by BECU has taken steps to ensure easy and affordable options for guests attending the Taste, Friday through Sunday, June 21st – 23rd, 2019, at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington.

Park and ride Pierce Transit’s Taste Express, provided by Taste of Tacoma® for free from Tacoma Community College, every 30 minutes, to and from the festival entrance.

The Pierce Transit Taste Express hours of operation will be Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22 from 10:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. On Sunday, June 23, it will run from 10:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Pierce Transit’s Taste Express will run starting at Tacoma Community College at South 19th St. and South Mildred St. and drop off guests at Point Defiance Park.

Taste staff will be on hand at Tacoma Community College, and Point Defiance Park to ensure a positive guest experience, and to assist in the load and unload process from Pierce Transit’s Taste Express, of which will be signed.

Guests should note that there will be no parking on site at Point Defiance Park, and that, there will be limited street parking near the Taste. Plan ahead!

Guests who have accessibility needs are encouraged to take Pierce Transit’s Taste Express, which provides ADA compliant buses. Guests can ride this free option round-trip. Guests are reminded that Point Defiance Park offers some paved areas, while much of the park is grass or gravel paths. The event does not have motorized vehicles or wheelchairs for rent. Guests should come prepared and utilize options that best suit their needs.

POINT RUSTON TO THE TASTE – Enjoy live music, and all that Point Ruston offers, then walk to the Taste of Tacoma® for more great food and fun, all weekend. Follow the sidewalk signs to the Taste from Point Ruston.

Special Discounted Taste It! Food Offer: Stop by Farrelli’s Pizza Truck at Point Ruston between June 21-23, purchase a Taste It! menu item, and receive a coupon for $3 off a Craft Beer & Wine Tasting Package OR $2 off a Taste It! Package* Conditions apply.

The Taste of Tacoma® encourages visitors arriving on bicycle, skateboard, or any other form of environmentally-friendly wheels, to check out the Bicycle Corral near the main entrance of the park. Guests can check their strollers, bicycles or other non-motorized wheeled items at the corral, and return at the end of the day to retrieve their items using the numbered tag provided by corral staff. Volunteers from Tacoma Fire Fighters Union Local 31 will be running the corral to ensure your items are safe. Bicycle Corral services are free, however donations encouraged to support Tacoma Fire Fighters Union Local 31

If you’re coming from Vashon on the ferry, we recommend you walk on, and ride the ferry across. If you choose to drive, please be advised there is limited street parking near the Taste. If you choose to walk from the ferry, there is a hill to climb to get to the park, which may pose some issue for those in wheelchairs or who have mobility issues.

The Taste of Tacoma® is a free-to-attend community festival, and, in an effort for attendees to experience the best of the Taste of Tacoma®, we are excited to offer online discounted food and beverage options: Experience Taste Package which includes Craft Beer & Wine Tasting + Taste It! Food Tickets, and the new Taste It! Food Only Package. Discounted online packages available for sale until 11:00 p.m. Thursday, June 20th, 2019.

Discounted Taste Packages are available for purchase at www.tasteoftacoma.com

The Taste of Tacoma® also features handcraft & commercial goods vendors, 70+ live bands on 3 stages, The Taste Cooks! chef demos & cook-off battles, presented by Albert Lee Appliance, Craft Beer and Wine Tasting in The Rose Garden, beer gardens serving up cool brews and local spirits by Gig Harbor’s Heritage Distilling Co., Funtastic Carnival rides and games, sponsor samples and more!

For more information on Pierce Transit’s Taste Express, or for other Taste of Tacoma® event details, head to www.tasteoftacoma.com.

#MeetMeAtTheTaste

*21+ for Craft Beer & Wine Tasting. One coupon per person, per purchase of a Taste It! menu item at Farrelli’s Pizza Truck, between June 21-23, 2019. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with Happy Hour, or any other deal. Offer redeemable at the Taste – June 21-23, 2019.

Festival Sundiata Black Arts Fest

June 5, 2019 by Admin NW FACTS Leave a Comment

The board of Festival Sundial would like to invite you to join with us in supporting Festival Sundiata presents “Black Arts Fest ′: This will be a wonderful family event held at Seattle Center . The festival celebrates the arts and educates the community about people of African descent who form a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. The festival will encompass, music, spoken word, food, vendors, information, employment opportunities an incredible art exhibition and sale, drill team exhibition, and much, much, more. Millions of people have been touched by the Festival Sundiata experience and come back annually. The free programs will be even more entertaining, with great production value and classic performances. Most importantly, Festival Sundiata creates an opportunity to bring families and diverse communities together in unprecedented ways.

Ultimate Art Experience at Festival Sundiata

The Ultimate Art Experience is a glimpse into the talent, imagination, experiences and artistic world of African American artists. This is an opportunity for our visitors to experience these creations up close and personal. Friday night during the weekend of Festival Sundiata Black Arts Fest there will be a reception where the opportunity to meet the artists and hear their stories will be afforded to all. Festival Sundiata has a tradition of presenting breathtaking art and this year will be no different as we carry-on the tradition. One of the advantages of Festival Sundiata’s Ultimate Art Experience is the art will be available for purchase. There are many components to Festival Sundiata and the campus of Seattle Center spans many acres, however the Ultimate Art Experience is a not to be missed component, make sure you take in the Ultimate Art Experience. Our Art Curator is Ms. Kimberly Ann Phillips

Neighbor Day on May 4 by indulging in random acts of kindness.

April 30, 2019 by Admin NW FACTS Leave a Comment

We invite all Seattle residents to celebrate Neighbor Day on May 4 by indulging in random acts of kindness.

Neighbor Day is a special day set aside to reach out to neighbors, make new friends, and express thanks to those who help make your neighborhood a great place to live.

Residents, businesses, or community groups are all encouraged to participate however they like. The main goal is simply to reach out and connect with your neighbors through generosity.

Learn more & get ideas at http://www.seattle.gov/neighborday

UP BEAT on Jackson – Kenisha Blackman & Lady Jay

April 13, 2019 by Admin NW FACTS Leave a Comment

Upbeat on Jackson Concerts are free, including refreshments! Friends, neighbors, music lovers of all ages are invited to attend! The series honors the legacy of Ernestine Anderson and the rich diversity and musical history of the Central Area, welcoming friends and neighbors to connect, celebrate community and enjoy music. We thank the Seattle Department of Neighborhood for a Neighborhood Matching Grant for this concert series.

July 27-28, 2019 Noon – 7 pm