What was Adult Civics Happy Hour?
Between 2017 and 2019, roughly once a month, about 100 people gathered in the back room of a a variety of Tacoma bars to talk about local government. The event was called Adult Civics Happy Hour
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This was produced by Channel253, the Tacoma-based podcast network founded by Erik Hanberg, Marguerite Martin, and producer Doug Mackey. The network itself grew out of the success of Martin’s Move to Tacoma podcast, which launched in 2015 and became one of the first long-form podcasts dedicated entirely to Tacoma’s civic, cultural, and neighborhood life. Move to Tacoma was the main sponsor of Adult Civics Happy Hour.
As interest in local storytelling grew, Channel 253 was formed to bring together multiple Tacoma-focused shows under one banner. These local shows cover politics, education, arts, sports, and community issues. Adult Civics Happy Hour emerged as an in-person extension of that mission.
What began as a small experiment in civic education became a standing-room-only forum for discussing housing, policing, education funding, and how local government actually works.
What was the format of Adult Civics Happy Hour?
The format was intentionally simple:
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An expert
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An activist
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A journalist
Moderated discussion was followed by audience Q&A. Organizers in the wake of Trumps first election believed there was value in focusing attention closer to home on the mechanics of city government, county policy, school boards, and land use decisions.
2017 was a wakeup call for many progressives in America, and people were talking about politics constantly. But very few could explain how Tacoma’s city manager system works, who controls zoning, or how housing policy is shaped locally.
Adult Civics Happy Hour created space for those conversations.
The events were free and open to the public. Attendance quickly outpaced expectations. Topics included:
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How Tacoma’s local government functions
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Housing affordability and density
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Community-police relations
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Education funding
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Running for local office
You can see a highlight reel of the very first Adult Civics Happy Hour that was held at Black Kettle Bites & Brew in Downtown Tacoma, Washington here:
The series was produced by neighbors volunteering their time. In addition to Hanberg, Martin, and Mackey, organizers and contributors included Washington State Teacher of the Year Nate Bowling, Hope Teague-Bowling, Matt Martinez, Lindsey Stevens, and many others who helped shape programming, moderate panels, and build momentum.
When did Adult Civics Happy Hour stop?
The series paused in the pandemic. Since then, Tacoma (like many cities) has continued to grapple with housing costs, growth, and political change.
Looking back, Adult Civics Happy Hour stands as a record of a particular moment in Tacoma’s civic life immediately following the election of Donald Trump to the presidency. A time when neighbors gathered face to face to wrestle with complex local issues.
Channel 253 continues to produce podcasts and civic storytelling focused on Tacoma’s politics, culture, and community.
