SATURDAY, JULY 30 2016: South Sound events + craft beer …
Mexican wrestling + Parkway Tavern 81st Birthday Party = Lazy Marmot (beer or wrestler?)
Mushroom Festival + Gravity Beer Market Block Party = magical
The Valley Parking Lot Party + Tilted Tree Hard Cider = benefits
LUCHA MEXICO
You can buy a luchador mask at the swap meet. But the shoddy foam lining will immediately be drenched with your head sweat and soon decay, while you will never, ever be a wrestler. Americans remain fairly nuts for the sport, but nothing like Mexicans. We’d be hard pressed to choose between watching the luchadores and watching the fans, but fortunately, Lucha Mexico, a brand-new documentary that goes deep into professional wrestling south of the border, depicts both. The Grand Cinema screens the films at 9:09 p.m. as part of its “Weird Elephant” series. Expect trivia, prizes and a special craft beer from Odd Otter Brewing Co.
PREFUNK: Back in the day before new taproom arrivals were noted in Tweets and gose was dubbed the “next IPA,” there was the Parkway Tavern, nestled in Tacoma’s North Slope Historic District. The classic neighborhood tavern still stands, surrounded by historic homes and fronting a busy street. In fact, the Parkway looks pretty good for turning 81 today. It proudly shows its wrinkles, and flaunts it with historic Tacoma prints and retro beer signage covering the walls. Today’s birthday party, kicking off at noon, will feature a badass craft beer line up, a beer garden and Tacoma’s finest Americana and Honky Tonk that are Forrest Beutel and the Nalley Valley Allstars. So kick back with a Melvin 2×4, Logsdon Seizoen Bretta, Cascade Sang Noir, P.A.T.’s Blue Ribbon, Alesmith 2014 Speedway Stout, Epic 2015 Big Bad Baptist, Maritime 2013 Jolly Roger, Midnight Sun 2014 Arctic Devil, Machine House Panenka IPA on cask, Sierra Nevada I.B.U. Zing Kiwi Pale Lager brewed by Tacoma’s own Trevor Nichol at Beer Camp and many more delights and salute this Tacoma craft beer haven.
MUSHROOM FESTIVAL
If you’ve ever been to a mushroom festival – particularly today’s Pacific Northwest Mushroom Festival — you already know that mycologists (‘shroom experts) are in a league of their own. Mushroom festivals are the strangest, funniest and, not so incidentally, most educational experience you’re ever likely participate in. And, no, hippie: Pacific Northwest Mushroom Festival does feature “magic” mushrooms (psilocybes and otherwise). What it does include are educational speakers, live entertainment, craft booths, cooking demos, beer tent, and more from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Thurston County Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey.
PREFUNK: Gravity Beer Market, Olympia’s first bottle shop, opened in 2008. Last year Gravity employee Scott Brummel purchased the beer store and taproom from the previous owners. He and his staff offer four beers on tap for growler fills and 800 different bottles in the coolers. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gravity will host a block party featuring sips from Grand Vin Wine Merchants, craft beer — including O-Town Brewing’s Kölsch Köbain and Oly-IPA — live music, food trucks and more. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to Pizza Klatch.
PARKING LOT PARTY
The Valley will tidy up their parking lot for a 10-hour outdoor benefit show for the Fischer family and awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The gate opens at noon followed by Tacoma rockers Dem Zaing at 1 p.m., with Bastard Child, Pill Brigrade, Disciples of Dissent, Massacre at the Opera, Piston Ready, Justinsayne N8V and Church of Hate hitting the stage on the hour. This all-ages party will also include activities and food.
PREFUNK: The North End Social Club will host a fundraiser for Tilted Tree Hard Cider owner Jared Fraychineaud who is riding in the Courage Classic bike ride again this year. For the uninitiated, it’s a three day bicycling event climbing over three mountain passes raising money for Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and children who are victims of domestic violence. Each individual rider is to raise as much money as possible to give to the children and pedal hard for a great cause. Beginning at 5 p.m., a large portion of each Tilted Tree Cider purchased will go to the children’s fund.
