On Wednesday night, June 3, McMenamins Elks Temple will host a special edition of its popular History Pub exploring “Tacoma’s UFO Story: The Maury Island Incident,” a case tied to alleged UFO sightings and mysterious “men in black” encounters around Puget Sound in 1947.

Recent government UFO document releases have renewed focus on Washington state’s role in early “flying saucer” history. While Roswell incident remains the best-known pop culture touchstone, the new documents reinforce that reports of UFO activity around the murky waters of Puget Sound surfaced weeks before Roswell in June 1947.

Presented by the Rainy Day Rabbit Holes Podcast, the event – which starts at 7 p.m. – features historian and entertainment lawyer Steve Edmiston, Pretty Gritty Tours founder and Tacoma historian Chris Staudinger, and podcast hosts Shea Drury and Jody Shaw. Together, they examine the 1947 Maury Island Incident, an alleged UFO sighting that sparked one of the first federal investigations into flying saucers and helped cement the Men in Black into UFO mythology.

Edmiston a co-founder of the Men in Black Birthday Bash (MIBBB Fest), an annual South Puget Sound festival that, each June, celebrates the iconic 1947 event and blends history, mythology, and community celebration.

“Connecting MIBBB with Tacoma just makes sense,” Edmiston said. “While the Maury Island UFO sighting took place over Puget Sound, story is stuffed with key events, locations, characters, and tragedy centered in Tacoma. This was reinforced by the recent government document release.”

Edmiston wrote and co-produced the award-winning short film The Maury Island Incident, which examines the case and its role in shaping mythology surrounding mysterious government agents.

Staudinger’s work with Pretty Gritty Tours centers on storytelling rooted in place, highlighting Tacoma’s gritty industrial past and complicated history. His deep knowledge of Tacoma’s hidden corners gives him a detailed understanding of the city as it existed in the 1940s, which he will bring to life in his signature light‑hearted style for the event.

Event hosts Drury and Shaw, hosts of the Rainy Day Rabbit Holes Podcast—as featured on Radio Tacoma and the MSW Media Network—take listeners on a journey through history’s lesser‑known and often unhinged stories: research‑driven and skeptical, but always curious and joyful. With their love of the Pacific Northwest—and a particular soft spot for Tacoma—they help guide audiences into this strange and fascinating tale.

Event Details

  • WHAT: Tacoma’s UFO Story: The Maury Island Incident
  • WHERE: McMenamins Elks Temple Spanish Ballroom
  • WHEN: Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 7:00 p.m. 
  • TICKETS:

GET TIX HERE

About MIBBB Fest – June 20-21, 2026

MIBBB Fest is an annual June festival in Des Moines, Washington, inspired by the 1947 Maury Island Incident and the cultural legacy of Men in Black lore. Recently included in Fodor Travel’s Top 10 Unique Travel Experiences Across the United States, the Men in Black Birthday Bash—“the party that started it all”—serves as the festival’s flagship event.  

Held on the shores of Puget Sound in the shadow of Maury Island, the Bash invites guests to arrive in full cosplay, as Men (and Women) in Black agents, as well as alien visitors and abductees. The night blends historical inspiration with playful, community-driven energy.