Hear it Again: The hunt is on for 'Monkeyshines' in Tacoma

Every Lunar New Year, a group of volunteer artists sneak through Tacoma in the dead of night.

They hide thousands of colorful glass “floats” — 5- to 10-inch orbs, with an insignia stamped on the top.

If you’ve been in Tacoma recently and seen people shaking bushes, climbing trees, or turning up rocks, you’ve likely seen a collector of what are locally called “Monkeyshines.” Thousands of these glass orbs are hidden throughout the city, and through the years, many remain to be found.

Ms. Monkey is the mysterious creator of this tradition and is celebrating 21 years of hiding these glass pieces this year. But even after all that time, the project retains an aura of secrecy.

KUOW's Alex Rochester spoke with Ms. Monkey last year about the origins of the project and how its grown over the years.

If you'd like to support the 2024 "Year of the Dragon" Monkeyshines effort, you can find the GoFundMe page here.

Listen and read the original Soundside story by clicking here.