📆 Tacoma Area Events

🎥The Grand Cinema Reopens After Threats Prompt Safety Closure

🎆Fireworks, Food Trucks, and Live Music Are Back on Tacoma’s Waterfront

🚧Southbound I-5 ramps closing near JBLM this week for widening project

The Grand Cinema is back open after a weekend safety scare temporarily shut down the beloved Tacoma theater.

The theater canceled all Sunday showings after receiving threats that raised safety concerns. Tacoma Police worked with theater staff, inspected the building, and later cleared The Grand Cinema to reopen.

Out of caution, the theater has added extra security measures. For now, bags larger than a tote bag are not allowed inside unless staff search them. Purses and smaller bags are still okay.

The Grand Cinema says the threat was not connected to its programming, but because the investigation is still active, they are not sharing many details yet.

The theater is also asking people not to speculate, saying misinformation could interfere with the investigation.

Sunday ticket holders should receive refunds. Anyone who does not receive one can contact The Grand Cinema directly.

For Tacoma movie lovers, the good news is simple: The Grand is open again, with a few extra safety steps in place.

Craving a good old-fashioned community celebration? Something with live music, food trucks, and a sky full of fireworks.

That's exactly what Tacoma is bringing back this 4th of July. Head down to the Ruston Way Waterfront starting at noon.

You'll find over 150 vendors, two stages of entertainment, and enough food to keep everyone happy. The whole stretch from Dune Peninsula Park to Jack Hyde Park will be buzzing.

And the fireworks? They launch from a barge 3,000 feet offshore near Cummings Park.

That means you can see them from almost anywhere along the waterfront. The show starts around 10 pm once it's dark enough.

If you or someone in your group needs ADA access, there's a designated viewing area on the horseshoe pier at Cummings Park. They've thought of everything.

So grab your chairs, pack some snacks, and head down to the water. This is what summer in Tacoma is all about.

Drivers near Joint Base Lewis-McChord should plan for some delays this week. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has announced that southbound Interstate 5 ramps will be closing, a move that is expected to significantly impact the daily commute for thousands of military personnel, civilian employees, and local residents who rely on these access points.

These closures are part of a larger, ongoing effort to widen sections of the highway. Specifically, WSDOT is working to add additional lanes to I-5 between Thorne Lane and the Nisqually River, a project designed to alleviate chronic congestion that frequently slows traffic in and around the base. The ramp closures are necessary to allow construction crews to safely reconfigure the interchange and lay new pavement, which involves heavy machinery and road demolition that cannot be performed while traffic is flowing.

WSDOT officials advise motorists to expect detours and allow extra travel time. Drivers who typically use the affected southbound on-ramps will be redirected to alternative routes, such as nearby exits or surface streets like Gravelly Lake Drive and Mounts Road. To minimize frustration, transportation planners recommend checking real-time traffic apps like WSDOT’s own mobile application or local radio reports before heading out. The closures are expected to last through the end of the week, though weather or unforeseen construction issues could extend the timeline.

For those commuting to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, officials note that delays could be particularly severe during the morning and evening peak hours. As a result, carpooling, using base shuttles, or adjusting work schedules to travel outside of rush hour are all strongly encouraged. This project, once complete, is anticipated to improve safety and reduce travel times for the 150,000 vehicles that use this stretch of I-5 daily, but in the short term, patience will be key.

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