Crowds, Cupcakes And Artist's Cakes Cap Tacoma Art Museum's 5th Birthday Celebration

Above: One each of official birthday flyer and cupcakes given to visitors yesterday at yesterday's

festive 5th birthday bash at Tacoma Art Museum. Photo by Mizu Sugimura,

Miss the hoopla at Tacoma Art Museums 5th Birthday? Not to worry as we've got some pictures! Despite less than perfect weather, there was a steady and festive stream of smiling faces going in and out of the beautiful, glass fronted facility along Pacific Avenue yesterday afternoon.


DJ Pana - Jesus Villegas mixed live in the plaza outside, while children were seen playing with free balloons and munching on free cupcakes (given away hourly) while their adult companions checked out an assortment of unusal items at the museum gift shops sidewalk sale.

Left: Partygoers join others in the lobby. Let the festivities begin!


Billed as It's A Happy Birthday Party the celebration at the museum's 1701 Pacific Avenue location from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. featured free admission, refreshments, music and performances by the Mexican Lido Dancers, Stadium Jazz Band and P.A.Y.O. Dancers, art activities, face painting, and display of multi-colored non-edible cakes created by local artists especially to honor the 73 year old museum's fifth year of residency.

The event was part of a series of free seasonal community festivals supported by The Dan and Pat Nelson Family Foundation, The Tom and Jane Yotsuye Family and The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation with community programming generously sponsored by The Paul G. Allen Foundation and The City of Tacoma.

Right: Among the artist cakes on display
was this lovely entry entitled" Lavender
Lace and Limoncello" by Lyndee Lombardo .

Above: While sidewalks in front of other downtown venues were often bare, crowds were drawn to the 5th Birthday festivities at Tacoma Art Museum yesterday afternoon. Copyright 2008 by Mizu Sugimura.