Let’s add revenue and civic pride by boosting festivals and events.

There are events and festivals held all around the globe whose name alone is synonymous with the great cities in which they take place.

-Coachella

-Burning Man

-Mardi Gras

-Oktoberfest

-Le Mans

-Sundance

-International Balloon Fiesta

Known throughout the world as the most well-done, Tacoma belongs on the map as a great place to come to explore music, art, film and dance. These events and festivals are important to the growth of a city like Tacoma.  They inject millions of much needed dollars into the local economy as well as spirit and civic pride. Festivals and events are a great way to unify us all at a time when we need each other more than ever.

With our incredible waterways, surrounding half of our city, we should have maritime events, year round. We already have a thriving sailboat racing scene as well as our Rainier Dragon Boat Festival.  There’s no reason we shouldn’t line our waterfront with people, taking in sports that they may have never appreciated or known much about. We should host outrigger canoe races, bringing the top paddlers from around the world to Puget Sound and Commencement Bay. How about powerboat racers? There are dozens of different watersports that should grace our waters for spectators of all ages to witness. An update to the Thea Foss Waterway, especially at the cove, would make for a spectacular Start/Finish line at Thea’s Park! Imagine that area bursting at the seams with civic pride and fanfare. That area needs to be redeveloped into a public space for the city’s people to celebrate and partake in events!

The area surrounding the Tacoma Dome should be an electric space, full of humanity and civic involvement. Making every trip to The Dome an experience for the senses. The handful of musical events that have been held outside LeMay’s have been huge successes. We need more outdoor events in Tacoma, taking in the beautiful sunshine of summertime.

When the world was watching the Pacific Northwest hosting the US Open, millions of people had the opportunity to see what we already knew… that we’ve got a great life up here in the northwest corner of the country.

Tacoma needs these events and as Mayor, I will be the biggest cheerleader for bringing great events to Our City, for generations around the world to enjoy.