South Sound

Feel Good Friday: A Cat Rescue, a New Playground, and a Youth Resource

Originally published on South Sound. A Cat-Rescue Mission Sixty cats were rescued this week from a sailboat stationed at Tacoma’s Owen Beach over the weekend. The vessel’s owner has since said that he couldn’t afford to neuter and spay the growing cat population that originated from a COVID-era adoption. King 5 reported yesterday that more […]
3 days ago

Tacoma Narrows Airport Day is Ready for Takeoff

Originally published on South Sound. The Tacoma Narrows Airport is on Aug. 29 celebrating Airport Day, an event designed to give community members an up-close look at aviation operations. Visitors can stop by the airport to participate in STEM-related activities, watch (depending on the weather and flight schedules) aircraft flybys, check out aviation booths and […]
3 days ago

Lakewood Playhouse Reveals Lineup, Theme for Upcoming Season

Originally published on South Sound. Lakewood Playhouse has confirmed the theme and lineup of its 88th season. The 2026-27 slate of shows is applying the theme “Heroic Acts” and will feature seven productions celebrating shared humanity, empathy, courage, and heroism in all forms, according to a press release from the South Sound theater organization. The […]
5 days ago

National Nonprofit Hosts Lakewood Back-to-School Event for Military Families

Originally published on South Sound. To ease the financial burden many military families face during the back-to-school shopping season, national nonprofit Operation Homefront provided 400 local military children with free backpacks filled with school supplies at its recent Back-to-School Brigade event in Lakewood. According to the Military Family Advisory Network, one in three military-connected families […]
5 days ago

How the Grit City Gala Sets the Table for Tacoma

Originally published on South Sound. A typical visit to the Tacoma Farmers Market — on Broadway between South Ninth and South 11th streets — might begin with a stop at Cha Boran’s stall for some traditionally inspired Thai coffee or tea. From there, shoppers might find themselves perusing fresh produce from Yakima Valley’s Amador Farms, […]
6 days ago

DuPont Historical Museum Unveils 3D-Printed Steamship

Originally published on South Sound. The DuPont Historical Museum is bringing the Pacific Northwest’s nautical past to life with a new exhibit featuring a 3D-printed model of the SS Beaver, the first steamship to ever operate on the region’s coast. Researched and curated by Jer Holm, the exhibit showcases how the Hudson’s Bay Co. vessel […]
6 days ago

Tacoma Senior-Living Community Celebrating Remodel with Soirée Event

Originally published on South Sound. Senior-living community Solstice at Point Defiance is commemorating its recent remodel with an event, the Summer Breeze Soirée, set for 3-5:30 p.m. on Aug. 12. The gathering will give residents, families, and community members a chance to tour the updated space, which features new paint, lighting, furniture, revitalized common areas, […]
6 days ago

Feel Good Friday: Wildfire Relief, Free Dental Care, and Children’s Literacy

Originally published on South Sound. How United Ways of the Pacific Northwest is Helping Spokane Fire Displacees UWPN has partnered with Airbnb to provide temporary housing for those who have been displaced. Additionally, the organization has set up the Greater Spokane Recovery Fund, whose proceeds will be used to support those impacted by the fires. […]
10 days ago

Out & About: Obliteride’s Return, a Tattoo Expo, and Free Museum Visits

Originally published on South Sound. Obliteride Returns to Seattle Thousands of cyclists, walkers, runners, volunteers, and general supporters are coming together on Aug. 8 for the Fred Hutch Cancer Center’s annual Obliteride fundraiser, which supports cancer research. The weekend begins with a Friday-night party at Gas Works Park from 4-8 p.m. featuring live music, dinner, […]
11 days ago

The Tacoma Rugby Club is Looking to the Future

Originally published on South Sound. For almost 50 years, rugby aficionados and teams from across the Pacific Northwest have been making the journey to a small park in Tacoma for the annual Aroma 7s tournament, hosted by the Tacoma Rugby Club. For the uninitiated, rugby is a close-contact team sport, typically played in teams of […]
12 days ago

Bates Technical College Hosts Free Dental, Denture Clinics

Originally published on South Sound. To improve access to local dental health care, Bates Technical College’s Dental Assisting and Denturist Programs hosted free dental clinics in Tacoma on July 24. Licensed dentists provided exams, X-rays, extractions, and fillings. Denture and partial repairs were also available through the Denturist program. In addition to improving access to […]
12 days ago

What Do a Historic Seattle Hotel and the LeMay Collections at Marymount Have in Common?

Originally published on South Sound. The time I learned to drive a Ford Model T isn’t something I get to mention very often. Recently, that personal milestone unexpectedly became the perfect introduction to one of Seattle’s most intriguing — and historically significant — hotels: the MarQueen. It’s been a few years since I took the […]
13 days ago

1889 Prime Steakhouse Turns 3, Names New Executive Chef

Originally published on South Sound. After 1889 Prime Steakhouse opened its doors in Olympia in 2023, South Sound magazine reported on the restaurant’s aim to bring elevated Northwest dining and hospitality to the region. Three years later, that vision is continuing to thrive as the award-winning steakhouse celebrates its third anniversary while welcoming a familiar […]
17 days ago

How Pierce County is Driving Awareness of the 988 Crisis Lifeline

Originally published on South Sound. To raise awareness of the state’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Pierce County has partnered with the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs to equip every county fleet vehicle with a 988 emblem. The emblems are displayed on the bottom of license plates. With 573 emblems purchased for fleet vehicles countywide, […]
18 days ago

Out & About: A Kite Event, a Mountainous Music Festival, and Sunflower Days

Originally published on South Sound. Kite Festival Taking Over the Skies in University Place Spend the day looking skyward during the annual Kite Festival, which is returning to University Place’s Chambers Creek Regional Park between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Aug. 1. The free event features professional kite demonstrations, family kite-flying opportunities, inflatables, food […]
18 days ago

Lacey Pulls the Curtain Back on Newest — and Largest — Park

Originally published on South Sound. The city of Lacey has announced the opening of its newest and largest greenspace. Greg Cuoio Park is located at 2711 Carpenter Road NE and encompasses 537 acres of forest, wetlands, tributaries, and sensitive habitat areas, according to a press release from the city. The full Greg Cuoio Park is […]
18 days ago

How LaDonna Olmstead’s Tea Madame Fills a South Sound Niche

Originally published on South Sound. This article originally appeared in the July-August 2026 edition of our sister publication, South Sound Business. LaDonna Olmstead didn’t know much about tea when she agreed to take the reins at the Sumner-founded Tea Madame 20 years ago. “I got a job (at Sumner’s Windmill Bistro) and the owner’s wife […]
20 days ago

Tacoma Art Museum Executive Director Steps Down

Originally published on South Sound. Andrew “Andy” Maus is stepping down from his position as executive director of the Tacoma Art Museum. Maus served in the role for the last three years. “The (Tacoma Art Museum Board of Trustees) is committed to ensuring a thoughtful and orderly leadership transition while continuing to advance the museum’s […]
24 days ago

Olympia Tumwater Foundation Shares Plans for New Educational History, Nature Center at Brewery Park

Originally published on South Sound. The Olympia Tumwater Foundation is updating the existing building in Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls and turning it into the History & Nature Center. The newly renovated space will have exhibits and classrooms for year-round gatherings, learning and school programs, and public events, according to a press release. “The center […]
25 days ago

Out & About: LeMay’s Summer Event, Haunted Farmers Market, and Trail Days

Originally published on South Sound. Super Summer Weekend at LeMay LeMay — America’s Car Museum in Tacoma is packing several events into one weekend for its Super Summer Weekend. The July 24-25 gathering includes an outdoor showing of Pixar’s “Cars” on Friday night and Tacoma Cars & Coffee on Saturday morning. Later in the day […]
25 days ago

Art on the Ave Previews August Return

Originally published on South Sound. Art on the Ave, presented by TAPCO Credit Union and the Sixth Avenue Business District, is returning to Tacoma on Aug. 9 with a day of art, music, food, and family-friendly activities. The free event runs from noon to 7 p.m. along Sixth Avenue between Alder and State Streets. It […]
25 days ago

When Emerald Queen Casino Was a Riverboat Venue

Originally published on South Sound. Driving along Interstate 5 through Tacoma, the hulking half sphere of the Tacoma Dome is no longer the only notable sight. In 2020, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians’ Emerald Queen Casino went live with its impressive big screen and LED accent lights, pulling the eyes of drivers cruising along that […]
26 days ago

Sip & Savor: Washington Hot Sauce Festival, Lacey Night Market, and Bite of Seattle

Originally published on South Sound. Washington State Hot Sauce Festival The Washington State Hot Sauce Festival is back for its sixth year at the McMillin Farm Brewhouse in Puyallup. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 25-26, brave the heat with tastings from more than 30 vendors from across the Pacific Northwest. For more information, […]
26 days ago

How to Bring Some Color Play Into the Garden

Originally published on South Sound. In a garden, all five senses are engaged, but the visual — particularly the sight of color — is especially powerful. How we use color catches the eye, making us stop, linger, and want to see more — all the things a garden should do. Color plays in the garden’s […]
27 days ago