Live demos, music and beer garden at new arts fest in downtown Tacoma on Saturday

This Saturday, May 27, visit downtown Tacoma for the inaugural Planet of the Arts, a festival that promises a trove of live demonstrations, music and more.

The event is hosted by Heritage Plant & Coffee House, a year-old shop and community events space on Court A near El Gaucho, and Residual Arts, a nonprofit that works to bring art to under-served areas.

From noon to 9 p.m., Court A will be closed to traffic between 23rd and 24th streets. Tacoma Art Market will set up near the south end of the block, near a “pop culture” stage and beer garden sponsored by Black Fleet Brewing.

Throughout the area, find artists painting, sculpting and creating in the moment.

Anxious Tomato, a Tacoma-based gallery cooperative, will also join the festival. Near 23rd Street, there will be music and dance space with DJs spinning all vinyl records as well as a “mish mash” area for Dockyard Derby Games, a local roller derby outfit.

Tacoma Glassblowing Studio, 114 S. 23rd, will be open and in action.

“This is all about local,” said Heritage co-owner Blake Reimert. She and her business partner Brian Cheeseman, with Tacoma Art Walk creator James Allan Tucker Rodriguez, have been planning the event for several months. They hope it draws attention to this area of town, which has several creative businesses that aren’t regularly open to the public, while highlighting the vibrant art community.

“If this does well,” she added, “we want to make this an annual event.”

PLANET OF THE ARTS - TACOMA

▪ Court A between 23rd and 24th St. (behind Pacific Ave.), Tacoma

▪ May 27, noon-9 p.m.

▪ Details: free arts festival with live art, performances and beer garden; family-friendly