Celebrate Tacoma’s Top Volunteers and Service Providers at the 2026 City of Destiny Awards
Free community event set for May 6 at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall
Tacoma City Council and the City’s Events and Recognitions Committee (CERC) invite the community and media to attend the annual City of Destiny Awards on May 6, 2026, at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall. This free community celebration recognizes Tacoma’s outstanding volunteers, leaders, and organizations whose service and dedication have made a lasting impact across the community. This year’s event will honor nine individuals and one group in categories including leadership, equity and empowerment, environmental sustainability, disability advocacy, economic development, and lifetime service. A full list of awardees is available at tacomavenues.org.
Guests are invited to attend the Community Showcase and reception beginning at 5:30 p.m., featuring organizations connected to this year’s honorees, complimentary refreshments, and opportunities for community engagement prior to the awards ceremony at 7 p.m.
Tacoma Mayor Anders Ibsen and Tacoma City Council members will present awards alongside CERC. Entertainment will include performances by Tacomarama marching band, a Samoan fire knife dance by Mayline Leau, and music by A.G Joints. The evening will be hosted by CERC member Jessica Johnston and include a special memorial tribute honoring last year’s awardee, Mattice Hoyt.
The City Council-appointed CERC oversees the planning and production of the annual City of Destiny Awards, including the selection of award recipients. Tacoma Venues & Events reinvests revenue from city-owned venues into local events, cultural programming, and community grants, including the City of Destiny Awards.
All community members and media are invited and welcome to attend this free event. The City of Destiny Awards will offer live closed captioning in English, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Russian, Khmer, and Filipino. An ASL interpreter will also be present to support accessibility for attendees. Parking is free. More information.
About the City’s Events and Recognitions Committee
The City’s Events and Recognitions Committee serves as an advisory and action committee on City-hosted events, special events funding, and recognition programs. Members are responsible for planning, reviewing, and evaluating events to receive grant funding and services, as well as engaging the community in its planning efforts for the City of Destiny Awards and the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.