Commencement Bay Maritime Fest

“(Free boat tours will be given Sunday on the Spirit of Puget Sound, pictured.) In 1994, shipright Mike Vlahovick invited fishermen from Tacoma and Gig Harbor to have a parade and drop in at his boat building shop for a picnic at Petrich Marine Dock. That same year, Citizens for a Healthy Bay held its second Working Boats Tour at the City Marina and the Port of Tacoma held its annual free boat tours. When they all combined the next year, the first Commencement Bay Maritime Fest was born.The kick-off event for this weekend’s events of boat races (including tugs), parades and rides, is the Sound of Water concert on Friday at 7 p.m., with the Hubert Ensemble at Totem Marina, 821 Dock Street. Tickets are $5.00 Weekend events, from a salmon bake to maritime art shows,(watch for Seafair Pirates!) will be taking place on Dock Street, including Thea’s Park, on the Foss Waterway, and the Port of TacomaPark all day for $2.00 at Park Plaza North and South on Commerce St., and grab a shuttle to all the festivities.The complete events schedule is listed at www.maritimefest.org. “