by Molly Walsh
This June, the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma will deliver a fresh take to Tacoma Ocean Fest. The menu of events will include water-based activities, live music, educational booths and art installations. And to couple the summertime festivities, attendees can take in the local marine landscape and waterfront’s natural beauty.
Tacoma Ocean Fest was originally established and organized by former festival director Rosemary Ponnekanti, with the support of the Foss Waterway Seaport, a maritime-related history museum and event venue located along Tacoma’s waterfront. Brent Mason, executive director of the Foss Waterway Seaport said Ponnekanti is a strong supporter of the environment and combined her passion for the natural world with the arts, inviting the community to join in that celebration during Ocean Fest. After Ponnekanti moved back to her home country of Australia, Mason said 2024 marks the first year the seaport is fully organizing the festival.
In this new era of Tacoma Ocean Fest, the Foss Waterway Seaport plans to stay true to the original mission of the event by coupling the main festival with additional gatherings that may resonate with different facets of the community. Mason added that the diverse festivities will also help to bring the focus of the festival to the water and emphasize the importance of conserving this vital local resource.
There will be opportunities for attendees to be in the water itself, including paddle boarding or kayaking during the Lantern Paddle. Foodies can take in the delectable treats and eats, and for creative spirits, art installations and live music will abound.
“Whether it’s dance, music, maybe it’s a lecture, whatever it might be,” said Mason. “The whole idea is to be able to get people motivated to come down and learn, listen, enjoy, experience.”
Through the Lantern Paddle of the Species, participants can take in the beauty of the Thea Foss Waterway alongside loved ones and fellow community members, while also raising awareness about the water’s vital role in the environment. Mason described the event as reminiscent of a holiday or charity run, where participants can decorate their crafts to resemble familiar critters and wildlife with illumination to float into the evening hours. For those wanting to stay on land, there will be food, drink and music available.
For those interested in protecting and beautifying the waterfront near the Foss Waterway Seaport, the Waterfront Clean-up is a way to give back ahead of the main festival. Mason said it can be a great way for participants to make a difference and connect with fellow community members toward a shared goal.
Visual art is a primary component of Tacoma Ocean Fest, with artists utilizing mediums such as glass and paint, and Mason said art displayed at the festival will all connect through celebrating the water. River Meschi, a Tacoma-based painter will display a mural during the festival, as well as another Tacoma-based visual artist, Ricky Loves Painting, who will be working on an orca-themed mural at the festival, according to Mason. Other festival artists include Amber Stephens, who will present a paddle carving, Joseph Rossano, Nives Čičin-Šain, as well as Tacoma Ocean Fest’s featured artist for 2024, Paula Nishikawara.
Food and drink vendors, as well as live music will be abundant, in addition to Eco-Booths which will be located on the promenade outside the Foss Waterway Seaport. These booths will include educational activities and displays that highlight environmental conservation and methods to support local marine life and landscapes. The Foss Waterway Seaport Museum will also be open and additional activities and attractions will take place inside the Heritage Boat Shop during the festival.
“I’m pretty certain that if you come down the first time…this year, that you’ll want to come back and check it out years after that,” said Mason.
Mason also noted that onsite parking is limited and it is recommended that Tacoma Ocean Fest attendees park in or around downtown Tacoma, then walk to the festival.
Ocean Fest will be family friendly, with attractions for attendees young and young-at-heart, and at its core, Mason said the festival is an invitation to the Tacoma community and beyond, welcoming those who are longtime maritime enthusiasts, alongside community members who don’t often make it down to the waterfront.
“Our mission is to be able to celebrate Tacoma’s rich maritime history, past, present future,” said Mason. “But there is no maritime history without the water, right? There is no future without the water. We’re all about being able to teach our kids about…why it’s important to take care of it. We’re already seeing, right the…impact of not taking care of our planet…with climate change, which is going to impact the water. So we’ve got to be able to draw attention to it.”
WHAT
Tacoma Ocean Fest 2024
WHEN
Lantern Paddle for Species Friday, June 28, 7 to 10 p.m.
Waterfront Clean-up, Saturday, June 29, 10 a.m. to noon
Festival, Saturday, June 29, noon to 5 p.m.
WHERE
Foss Waterway Seaport
705 Dock Street
Tacoma, WA 98402
COST
Free
LEARN MORE
https://tacomaoceanfest.org/