One of Tacoma’s biggest neighborhood celebrations returns Saturday when the 11th annual Hilltop Street Fair takes over Martin Luther King Jr. Way and the streets surrounding People’s Park.
The free festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, bringing together more than 100 vendors, food trucks, live entertainment, a classic car show, children’s activities, artists, nonprofits and community organizations throughout the Hilltop business district.
Organizers with the Hilltop Business Association describe it as Tacoma’s largest street fair, and this year’s vendor list backs up the claim.
There will be plenty to eat. Food vendors scheduled to participate include Buddy’s Chicken & Waffles, Gigos Jamaican Cuisine, Stacks Burgers, Dipps Smokehouse, The Original Phillys, The Man BBQ, Trini Plate, Civic Roasters Coffee and Tee’s Lemonade, along with ice cream, cookies, kettle corn and other treats.
But the Street Fair is as much a giant outdoor Tacoma marketplace as it is a food festival.
Local artists and makers will be selling everything from handmade jewelry and ceramics to clothing, artwork and personal-care products. Tacoma artist Dani Ursula Bonner will bring DUB’s Doodles, featuring her surrealist artwork on paintings, stickers, comics, pins and art dolls. Magpie Mouse Studios will have handmade enamel jewelry, while a long list of other independent makers will fill out the fair.
Families will find plenty to do beyond shopping. Klayducks Ceramics Association of Washington plans to let children paint a ceramic piece for free, while Tacoma-based Swan Creek Art Academy will be among the organizations showcasing programs for young people. A classic car show and live entertainment are also part of the day.
There’s also a particularly Tacoma-ish opportunity hiding among the booths: the Tacoma Tool Library will be there. The organization operates much like a conventional library, except its collection contains nearly 4,000 tools that members can borrow for home repairs, yard projects and other DIY jobs.
Radio Tacoma will also invite visitors to record station IDs, offer feedback and learn what it takes to produce their own radio show. Mi Centro, Tacoma Public Library, Tacoma Public Utilities, Pierce Transit, Tacoma Community College, The Grand Cinema and dozens of other community organizations and public agencies are also scheduled to participate.
The fair brings independent businesses and artists together with schools, nonprofits, public agencies and neighborhood groups in one of Tacoma’s most diverse neighborhoods. And unlike plenty of summer activities, you don’t need to buy a ticket just to walk through the gates.
Admission is completely free, and no RSVP is required.
Hilltop Street Fair
Saturday, Aug. 29 | 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
MLK Jr. Way around People's Park
Admission: Free
For more information, click here.
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