05-06-2025
Point Defiance garden festival will impact traffic this week. Plan ahead.
The annual Point Defiance Flower & Garden Festival will take place on Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Starting Thursday, June 5, traffic will be impacted in and around Point Defiance Park in Tacoma.
On Thursday, the Pearl Street entrance, Roberts Garden Road and Marina tunnel will be affected, according to a Wednesday news release from Parks Tacoma.
The Pearl Street entrance will be closed at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. During the festival, the gate will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Normal operations will resume on Monday.
Roberts Garden Road's left fork that leads to the Pearl Street entrance is scheduled to close from Thursday to Sunday. Crews will reopen it on Monday by 2 p.m.
The Marina tunnel will also be closed starting Thursday, and will return to normal operations on Monday by 2 p.m.
Throughout this period, drivers entering Point Defiance must exit the park through the marina, according to the news release. Those who wish to visit the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Owen Beach and the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum during this time have to use the Mildred Street Entrance.
Other than that, entrance to the Point Defiance Marina, boat launch or Vashon Island ferry won't be affected.
The festival is free to the public, but experiences like guided garden tours, workshops, lectures and happy hour vary in price, according to the Parks Tacoma website.
Free parking is limited, but available in the boat launch parking lot and on neighborhood streets. Paid parking can be found above the boat launch parking lot for $16 and at Point Ruston. Attendees can pre-pay in the Point Ruston garage and walk across the Wilson Way pedestrian bridge to enter Point Defiance Park.
Reserved parking is available for visitors with disabilities near the lodge crosswalk at Point Defiance. Visitors can also take public transportation to the park, including Pierce Transit buses 10 and 11.
