Before the glasses fill and the orchard stories unfold at Peaks & Pints, the city gathers for something deeper, steadier, and necessary. Tacoma’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Commemoration at the Washington State History Museum is less a ceremony than a living reminder — a full day of reflection, art, and shared responsibility offered freely to the community, just as it should be. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the museum opens its doors wide, inviting all ages to step into history not as something sealed behind glass, but as something still breathing, still asking something of us.
At the heart of the day are performances of 11 Days in the Life of Dr. King, presented by Tacoma Arts Live. Staged in the History Museum auditorium at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., the piece doesn’t aim to summarize a legend — it humanizes him. Created by Lucas Smiraldo and co-written with Antonio Edwards and Zeek Green, the work moves through 11 vignettes that blend music, dance, shadow play, and historic imagery into something intimate and immediate. Rather than focusing only on speeches etched into textbooks, the performance centers Dr. King’s relationship with community — how change is built collectively, how dignity is practiced daily, how courage looks up close.
The museum itself mirrors that ethos for the day: free admission, mobility-accessible spaces, elevators, ramps, and wheelchairs available — an intentional opening of space that aligns with the values being honored.
Which is why this makes such a natural prefunk to Peaks & Pints’ Monday apple cider flight. After a day spent absorbing art, history, and the weight — and hope — of Dr. King’s legacy, gathering over thoughtfully made cider feels less like an indulgence and more like a continuation. Community to community. Conversation to conversation. The museum offers reflection; the taproom offers connection. Both ask you to slow down, listen closely, and show up with intention.
Start the day downtown with history and humanity. End it in Proctor with local cider and shared tables. That’s a Monday arc worth keeping.
Quiet Strength: An Apple Cider Flight
Double Mountain Foxwhelp
6.2% ABV | Dry Heritage Apple Cider | Hood River, OR
Heritage apples don’t rush, and this cider makes no attempt to hurry them along. Foxwhelp leans into one of cider history’s most tannic varieties, allowing the fruit to speak plainly — earthy, restrained, and quietly resolute. The aroma carries bruised apple skin and a trace of presshouse memory, while the sip arrives firm and dry, structured by tannin rather than sweetness. Acidity holds everything upright, the flavor unfolding slowly, more leather-bound book than fruit bowl. There’s nothing here to flatter or distract, just patience rewarded — Double Mountain Brewery & Cidery reminding you that quiet strength doesn’t need amplification.
Finnriver Buckhorn Dry
6.5% ABV | Dry Apple Cider | Chimacum, WA
Calm confidence defines this pour, an orchard-first expression that values posture over performance. Buckhorn Dry opens crisp and direct before settling into a steady middle where tannin and acid quietly do their work. No added fruit, no sugar cushion — just intentional dryness that feels grounded rather than severe. The finish drifts out clean and faintly earthy, like cold air moving through bare rows. As Peaks & Pints’ house cider, Finnriver Farm & Cidery anchors the flight with honesty and balance, proof that cider doesn’t need ornament to feel complete.
Seattle Cider Dry
6.5% ABV | Dry Apple Cider | Seattle, WA
Nothing flashy enters the glass here — just clarity, structure, and purpose. Fermented fully dry from Washington apples, Seattle Cider Dry opens with clean orchard snap and a breath of cool cellar air. The palate stays focused and refreshing, acidity carrying the line without aggression, the finish resetting rather than lingering. There’s no sweetness to lean on and no fruit additions to soften edges — only discipline and control.
Schilling Local Legend
5.2% ABV | Semi-Dry Apple Cider | Auburn, WA
Balance is the quiet trick here, achieved without fuss or flourish. Built from fresh Northwest apples with a backbone of heritage bittersharps, Schilling Cider Local Legend lands in that narrow space where generosity meets restraint. The nose reads orchard-pure — apple skin, a hint of green bite — and the sip follows with clean structure and just enough softness to round the corners. Acidity keeps everything upright, the finish familiar and trustworthy.
Yonder Cider Vantage
6.5% ABV | Semi-Dry Apple Cider | Wenatchee / Seattle, WA
Standing still becomes the point with this one. Red-fleshed apples lend a faint blush and a whisper of berry brightness, layered gently into classic cider fruit without tipping into sweetness. The aroma lifts softly — orchard skin, a suggestion of stone fruit — before the sip settles into an even, centered rhythm. Acidity snaps lightly, fruit hums beneath, and the finish clears the palate without erasing the moment. Yonder Cider uses restraint as framing here, letting nuance carry the view and proving that the most satisfying perspective often comes from pausing long enough to notice it.
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
