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PHOTO BY DAVID MAIN

FREE DANCE. A free performance of the Broadway musical “42nd Street” will be staged during Proctor Arts Fest at the Blue Mouse Theatre. Pictured here are Dance Theatre Northwest Regional Company Members (left to right) Elizabeth Maloney, Marrina Simpson, Olivia Hutchins and Taliah Ahdut.

Proctor Arts Fest packs a lot into one day

By Matt Nagle

Proctor District will be bustling with activity Aug. 2, when Proctor Arts Fest takes to the streets. Running 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., there is a lot happening during the fest that is celebrating its 12th year.

“This is the biggest one ever,” said event chair Mary Beth King, owner of Green Cape Cod Bed & Breakfast in Proctor District. She said a record number of 82 arts and crafts vendors have signed up for booths, offering a wide variety of items the artists made themselves: ceramics, fiber art, garden accessories, glass, jewelry, paintings, photography and much more.

Proctor Street will be closed between 25th and 28th streets, and Madison to Adams on 26th to accommodate the vendors and everything else that’s on tap for the day.

Another big draw is the annual sidewalk sale that merchants throughout the district organize for Aug. 1–2.  Judi Quilici, owner of Giardini Gift and Garden in Proctor District, said there are great bargains to be had on the sidewalks and inside the shops. She noted that at 2 p.m. on  Aug. 2  prices really start getting slashed. At any time during the sidewalk sale, “Don’t be afraid to haggle,” she said.

The Bite of Proctor will also be happening during the fest, offering a walking culinary tour of Proctor District’s wide variety of restaurants and cafés. Many of the district’s top chefs will be offering some of their best culinary creations.

Chalet Bowl will be offering classic burgers, hot dogs and all the fixings; East West Proctor will have spring rolls and a special Vietnamese sandwich; Metropolitan Market will have their famous Kobe beef burgers on the grill; Pour at Four will have smoked pork sandwiches and boneless beef ribs; and for the first time, Nick-n-Willy’s Pizza, new to the neighborhood, will be selling slices of their signature pizzas.

Those looking for some liquid refreshment will want to check out the wine and brew gardens in the Old House Café parking lot and at Pour at Four.

There will be culinary and arts demonstrations as well. Returning again this year, Vance Huber of Studio Ice will do his beautiful ice sculptures. Blacksmith John Simpkins will demonstrate making horseshoes, potter Anthony Gaudino will show how to use the potter’s wheel, and students from Steve Curran School of Karate will show their stuff on the main entertainment stage at 26th and Proctor.

A juried art show will be taking place at Mason United Methodist Church on the day of the fest with a second day, Aug. 3, added new this year. Wag Pet Market will present their annual Top Dog Contest, Parade and Fashion Show again this year. Events begin at noon with the parade at 12:45 starting at North 28th Street and Proctor.

At the Blue Mouse Theatre, Dance Theatre Northwest will be performing the Broadway musical “42nd Street” with free admission

A kids art fest will be happening the parking lot north of Happy Teriyaki at 28th and Proctor with lots of fun learning activities, face painting, and more offered by numerous local groups like Children’s Museum of Tacoma, Tacoma Dragonboat Association and Tacoma Village School, among others.

The man of the hour for Proctor Arts Fest will be one of Tacoma’s most famous founders, Allen C. Mason, for whom Mason Middle School and Mason Street were named. A principal developer of Tacoma’s North End, he donated the city’s first public library and built the first streetcar line from downtown Tacoma through Proctor District on to Point Defiance Park.

Mason was known to wear tall hats, and so a special project called “Hats on High” was developed by Tacoma artist Lynn Di Nino and Elayne Vogel in honor of the man and as a fundraiser for the Allen C. Mason Plaza, which is being planned to be built at the corner of North 26th and North Adams streets. Fifteen community artists have created gigantic hats of mixed mediums. They will hang on lampposts in the district on the day of the fest. A sign with the name of the piece, the artist and price will be posted with each hat and they can be purchased at Giardini Gift and Garden. Proceeds will go toward construction of the plaza.

Of course, the Proctor Arts Fest wouldn’t be a full-fledged fest without great Northwest music and entertainment. Four bands are slated to play the entertainment stage at North 26th and Proctor:

• The Blondes play at 10 a.m., showcasing their unique style of classic folk rock with five acoustic guitars and three, four and five-part harmonies.

• Voodoo Ranch plays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Described as “country with a twang,” the four guys of Voodoo Ranch appeal to anyone who enjoys down-home music.

• Reilly & Maloney play at 2 p.m. The fabulous voices-and-guitar West Coast folk duo of Ginny Reilly and David Maloney are back again after a ten-year hiatus.

• The Galaxies play at 4 p.m. One of Tacoma’s most loved bands of the 1960s is back. Originating out of Stadium High School back in the day, the band has been away for about 40 years and they’re excited to be back in front of their hometown fans.

For complete up-to-date information on Proctor Arts Fest, visit http://proctorartsfest.com.

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