In its 11th year, the Commencement Bay Maritime Festival showcases Tacoma’s working waterfront with special attention to the nautical experience: boat building, dragon boat races, boat rides, and even train rides. Kids got a kick out of entertainers like Ladybug the Clown and Mario Lorenz who made balloon swords and hats, juggled and pulled funny faces. With an increasing amount of activities geared specifically to younger adventurers, Maritime Fest is a pretty sweet family outing.

The second day of festivities may have been a bit rain bogged toward the end, but at 11 a.m. large numbers had already turned out to take the first spin on the Good Time II boat through Commencement Bay and the Port of Tacoma.