Family-Friendly Pierce County Events in January 2026

Organizations across Pierce County are offering multiple free and low-cost events this winter for the whole family! We’ve put together a list of some of the family-friendly events taking place this January, so bundle up in your coziest clothes and join the community for a day or night of family fun!

Click the photos to get redirected to the events websites.

Bring the entire family to the W.W. Seymour Conservatory every Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. until January 11th to view the wonderful winter flowers. Appreciate the joy of nature by walking through a variety of poinsettias, tropical foliage, and four distinctive displays that capture a whimsical theme. There is a $3 suggested donation, but is otherwise free to attend.

Explore the free festival of lights located in Downtown Tacoma from 5 – 9 p.m., December 31st to January 11th. This daily event offers dragon parades, illuminated art and bike trails, and many more events to see! Live performances are every Friday and Saturday. Bring the whole family to this walkable, drivable, and ridable festival to experience the beauty of the lights.

Experience the charming small-town of Downtown Sumner! The walkable main street offers locally owned shops, boutiques, and cafes for the whole family to enjoy. Explore historic buildings and the multiple murals made by local artists.

Walk through the Tacoma Art Museum every Thursday night 5 – 8 p.m. for their Neighborhood Nights! Entry is free and open for the whole family to enjoy the beautiful art, exhibits, and displays that TAM has to offer.

Thursday January 1st, jump into the Puget Sound at the Point Defiance Marina! There is a $10 registration fee to jump, but completely free to attend. Enjoy on-site food trucks and watch people plunge into the Puget Sound!

Join the Tacoma Public Library South Tacoma Branch on Friday, January 2nd from 3:30 – 5 p.m. for Up and Atom: Marble Maze! Children of all ages are encouraged to use their engineering skills and make their very own marble maze.

Bring the whole family to the Tacoma Public Library Swasey Branch on January 7th from 4 – 5:30 p.m. for STEAM Night! Children and families will have the opportunity to explore meteorology through fun activities such as art projects, playing with InstaSnow, and experimenting with ice cubes!

Every Friday starting January 9th, attend a Family Story Time at the Tacoma Public Library South Tacoma Branch from 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Join them for stories, songs, and other learning activities that are fun for the whole family!

Thursday, January 16th, from 11a.m. – 12 p.m. enjoy Story Hour at the W.W. Seymour Conservatory. Children have the opportunity to learn about nature through stories, crafts, and more! Have the family attend to enjoy these stories while taking in the views that the conservatory has to offer.

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom will be honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Thursday January 15th from 6 – 8 p.m. There will be events such as face painting, balloon making, dream board creating, and a collaborative community quilt project! Library book displays, a student art show, and screening of civil rights videos will also be showing. While no registration is needed for most of the event, there will also be a performance from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. that portrays strong themes that are recommended for ages 15 and older, and requires registration here.

Join the 7 Seas Brewing Company in Gig Harbor Friday January 21st from 5 – 6 p.m. for their Pier into the Night event! At this family-friendly event, families get a chance to view a livestream of what divers are seeing underneath the dock you are standing on! Biologists and educated volunteers will be identifying the sea life that the divers encounter.

To find more local and weekly events, visit the Pierce County Library Systems or the Tacoma Public Library websites. Also, check out Play to Learn, which is a free pop-up playtime program located in multiple locations across Pierce County!