What’s happening this week around Thurston County

Sunday, June 25

LoveOly SummerFest 2023: LoveOly SummerFest is wrapping up a three-day event in downtown Olympia that includes live music, pop-up food vendors, a drag brunch, art installations, activities for families, and a biergarten featuring craft beer from local breweries. The center of activities is at Fifth Avenue and Washington Street.

Downtown Bird Walk: Join the Puget Sound Estuarium for a walk around downtown to look for the various birds that call South Sound home. Participants will walk the Olympia Port Peninsula, starting at the LOTT wetlands to hear the songs of red-winged blackbirds and watch mallards, head along East Bay to spot purple martins flying in and out of nest boxes, stroll to catch a glimpse of the ospreys using the nesting platforms at Swantown Marina, then look for shorebirds near Percival Landing. No birding experience required! The walk will be two hours and cover about two miles, so wear comfy walking shoes and bring your own binoculars. The Bird Walk tour also includes a tour of the Estuarium at 309 State Ave. NE, Olympia. Cost is $15 for adults, and free for those 12 and younger. To register, visit: https://birdwalks.eventbrite.com

The Miss Washington Scholarship competition: In partnership with the City of Olympia and Experience Olympia & Beyond, Thurston County’s Visitor and Convention Bureau, Miss Washington Week kicks off Sunday, June 25, with an arrival ceremony and luncheon at The Olympia Hotel at Capitol Lake, followed by appearances of all 24 delegates and the current Miss Washington, Regan Gallo, throughout the week. Appearances include an autograph signing in Center Court and Ben Bridge Jewelers at Capital Mall on Monday, June 26, and a visit to the Olympia Farmers Market on Saturday, July 1. The competition begins on Friday, June 30, at Capital High School Performing Arts Center, with a night of preliminaries, with the crowning of Miss Washington 2023 set for Saturday, July 1. Over $200,000 in scholarships, cash and sponsorships will be awarded. Miss Washington 2023 will compete for the job of Miss America 2024 in January. Tickets and a live stream option are available at www.misswashington.org.

Free Kids Art & Music Event at West Central Park: From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., celebrate the beginning of summer at this special kids and families day in the park. The focus will be on music and art/creations, including activity booths where kids can make instruments, hats, and luminaries. There also will be student musician performances, an Open Mic Stage just for kids (sing, dance, jokes, stories, poems) as well as activities presented by the Timberland Regional Library, Puget Sound Estuarium, and Youth Paradigm. Bring your picnic and head to West Central Park, 1919 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia.

Monday, June 26

Free community presentation on Self Care for Family Cargivers: Join the South Sound YMCA for a free community presentation and discussion at 1:30 p.m. Monday, June 26, at the Briggs Community YMCA, 1530 Yelm Highway SE, Olympia. Gretchen Staebler, author of “Mother Lode: Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver,” in the conference room upstairs for a conversation on taking care of yourself while caring for others. There is no cost to attend, and all members of the community are welcome! For more information, contact Lesli Baker at 360-918-0306 or bakerl@ssymca.net.

Tuesday, June 27

22nd Legislative District Roundtable on Housing Affordability: Join state Reps. Beth Doglio and Jessica Bateman, and Sen. Sam Hunt for an open discussion on housing affordability-related issues. The goal for this event is for the legislators to hear housing affordability-related concerns directly impacting the Lacey/Olympia/Tumwater area. (While comment cards will be available for constituents to share ideas, questions, and concerns on other issues, the event will focus solely on housing.) The roundtable will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Lacey Timberland Library, 500 College St SE, Lacey.

Thursday, June 29

An Evening with Dick Pust: The Olympia Historical Society-Bigelow House Museum invites all to enjoy a program by longtime KGY radio host and South Sound icon Dick Pust. He will present his program at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at the Harbor House on Percival Landing, 217 Thurston Ave. NW, Olympia. Pust will share his memories, stories, and photographs, drawing from his recently published book “AM 1240: Life at a Small Town Radio Station.” Seating at the Harbor House is limited to 25. Admission to the program is free but donations are encouraged to support the work of sharing and preserving local history by the historical society and museum. For more information, email olyhistory@gmail.com.

See the world’s premier tribute to Prince: Marshall Charloff & Purple Xperience have toured globally for over a decade, starred in a Las Vegas residency, fronted the world’s finest symphonies, and been featured on albums with Prince himself. Now they will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $65 to $25.

Friday, June 30

Harlequin Productions presents ‘Falsettos’: Harlequin Productions opens its production of “Falsettos,” the Tony Award-winning musical by William Finn and James Lapine, on Friday, June 30, and it will run through July 22 at the State Theater, 202 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia. Thirty years after its 1992 Broadway debut and seven years after its 2016 Tony-nominated revival, this sung-through musical has proved to be both prophetic and timeless, as the definition of a “modern” family continues to evolve. Tickets are available online at harlequinproductions.org, by phone at 360-786-0151, or in person from noon to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts box office, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. There will be a special Wednesday matinee at 2 p.m. July 19. The show is recommended for those 11 and older with guidance.

Oly Town USL Women’s Soccer Match: The women’s team will play Lane United from Eugene, Oregon, at 7 p.m. at South Sound Stadium (Fouts Field at North Thurston High School), 4201 Sixth Ave. NE, Lacey. Tickets are $12 general admission, and are available at www.olytownfc.com. Kids 12 and younger get in free.

Lacey Senior Center 50th Birthday Party: The Virgil Clarkson Lacey Senior Center is turning 50, and to celebrate, the center is throwing a party at 2:30 pm. Friday, June 30. There will be live music featuring Vince Brown and Christy Neal, cake and door prizes. This is a free community event, open to all. The center is at 6757 Pacific Ave, SE, Lacey, in Woodland Creek Community Park.

Saturday, July 1

Capital City Pride Festival: The Olympia area’s Pride festival will feature music, entertainment, booths, food and drag from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 1, at the Port Plaza and Percival Landing along Budd Inlet. Admission is free.

Pride Variety Show: Capital City Pride & WildTiny Productions present this show featuring comedy, burlesque and music at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 1, at the Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 general admission, $35 for Olympia Film Society members, and $45 for VIP seats in the front two rows; get them online or at the door.

Blast & Dash Olympia squirt gun fight: Who wants to be in the biggest Squirt Gun Battle of the summer? This 5K event, which starts at 8 a.m. at Yauger Park in west Olympia, will be giving out squirt guns to all registered participants, as well as race shirts, finisher medals, and a shot at awards. Competitions will be by age groups, starting at 6 and under. The park is at 3100 Capital Mall Blvd. SW, Olympia. Register in advance for $37.50.

Sunday, July 2

Music in the Park returns: Olympia’s beloved Music in the Park free outdoor concert series kicks off with Down North playing at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 2, at the Port of Olympia’s Port Plaza. The remainder of the series will run at 1 p.m. every Sunday in July at Sylvester Park, at Capitol and Legion in downtown Olympia.

Oly Town USL Soccer Doubleheader: At 2 p.m. USL2 Oly Town will play Capital FC, then at 4 p.m. the women’s team will take on CFC Atletico. Tickets are $12 general admission and available at www.olytownfc.com; kids 12 and younger get in free.

Would you like to have your event included in our weekly What’s Happening listing? Email the details to news@theolympian.com at least 10 days before the event.