Tacoma’s Eastside Community Center will come alive on October 4 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with music, dance, fashion, film, workshops, and cultural celebration as the city hosts its first-ever Festival of Light—a free, family-friendly event rooted in art, culture, and community. But beyond the performances and festivities lies a deeper mission: to reignite Tacoma’s creative economy and revive its once-vibrant film industry. The festival is being organized by the Tacoma-Kochi Committee that I chair, along with running the Grit City Studio, a nonprofit dedicated to building Tacoma’s creative sector through storytelling, education, and strategic partnerships.
This festival is more than just a beautiful day of celebration. It’s the beginning of a movement to position Tacoma as a regional creative powerhouse. Our city is rich with talent and potential—it’s time we harness it. We’re honored to have many confirmations from speakers such as Senator Yasmin Trudeau, County Executive Ryan Mello, Council Member Sandesh Sadalge, Executive Director of APCC Lua Pritchard, and Chairman of the Puyallup Tribe Bill Sterub, among others.
That belief recently received a major boost when the Tacoma City Council unanimously passed a resolution to support a film on Tacoma, to showcase the city to national and international creative producers, from filmmakers and commercial directors to event organizers. The documentary aims to spotlight Tacoma’s locations, stories, and people in ways that attract future investment in the city’s creative industries.
I have spent the last several months walking through Tacoma’s neighborhoods and visiting local businesses—listening to their stories and inviting them to the festival. These conversations are the true goldmine. That’s where the real characters of Tacoma live—behind shop counters, in coffee houses, in libraries, salons, and markets. It’s time to tell their stories. I believe that one of the rarest qualities of true leadership is the ability to identify and support potential before anyone else. Tacoma needs more of that kind of leadership.
I draw inspiration from a famous story about Michael Jordan’s early days with Nike. Jordan didn’t want to sign with Nike at first. But his mother and Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro saw his potential—and the rest is history. That story changed Nike, and it changed sports culture forever. Tacoma needs the same kind of vision right now: people who believe in its potential before the crowd catches on.
The Festival of Light is a call to action. It’s a chance for schools, colleges, museums, nonprofits, small businesses, and corporations to come together to build something greater than the sum of its parts. The event features Indian classical and folk dances like Kathak and Bhangra, tap dancing, a community fashion show, live music workshops (including tabla and sitar), Bollywood screenings, kids’ activities and book readings, and a floating lamp ceremony.
The festival is supported by the City of Tacoma, Tacoma Creates, Parks Tacoma, and sponsors such as PBS KBTC, Greentrike, and Palmer Scholars. It’s part of Grit City Studio’s larger mission to create internship pipelines, media programs, and platforms for local artists—all while strengthening the city’s economy.
Every creative project generates ripple effects. It brings jobs, tourism, education, and pride. But we need the community—especially our schools and institutions—to see the creative economy as Tacoma’s next big growth engine.
If you’re interested in attending the festival, you can find more information on Instagram.