What’s happening this week around Thurston County

The Olympian staff
·5 min read

Sunday, June 18

Celebrate Juneteenth in Olympia: The Women of Color in Leadership Movement, Media Island International and the City of Olympia will host the 2023 Juneteenth Celebration Festival from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, June 18 at Rebecca Howard Park, 911 Adams St. SE, Olympia. Family-friendly festivities will include performances and presentations by Critical Movement and Dance, Reggie Garrett, DJ Lady Hawk, The Buffalo Soldiers, and Shady B. The Marketplace will feature a vendor area with Black owned and operated businesses. Food vendors will include Jerk N Tingz, Nature’s Pace, Shorties Mo Bounce & Ride, and more. For questions about the festival, contact Shawna Hawk at shawna@mediaislandinternational.org

Olympia Chamber Orchestra and Olympia Opera Theatre collaborative concert: The concert takes place at 2:30 p.m. June 18 at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1601 North St. SE, Olympia. Singers Hallie Schmidt, Khristy Harvey, and Dawn Padula will sing excerpts from operas by Mozart, Puccini, Saint-Saëns, and Strauss. Trumpeters Keith and Jonathan Holder will play The Hollow Men by Vincent Persichetti, a piece based on the poem by T.S. Eliot. The orchestra will round out the concert with the overture to Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $15 for seniors, military and students, and $5 for children.

Thursday, June 22

Gangspil Danish music workshop and performance in the park: Sonnich Lydom and Kristian Bugge will teach and perform Danish folk music as the duo Gangspil at Tolmie State Park, 7730 61st Ave. NE, Olympia. From 4-6 p.m., they will lead a workshop suitable for intermediate and advanced musicians ages 12 and olde in the park’s indoor shelter; the cost is $40 and registration is required. Then from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Gangspil will perform a free concert in the Tolmie Outdoor Amphitheater. Bring food and blankets; seating is limited. Note: A Discover Pass or day-use parking pass is required for vehicle access to the park, available for purchase in the shelter parking lot. Please consider carpooling.

Friday, June 23

LoveOly SummerFest 2023: LoveOly SummerFest is back in historic downtown Olympia for a three-day event that will feature live music, pop-up food vendors, a drag brunch, art installations, activities for families, and a biergarten featuring craft beer from local breweries. The fun runs Friday through Sunday, June 23-25, with the center of activities at Fifth Avenue and Washington Street.

Saturday, June 24

Pet Parade: Pets and kids are at the center of the 91st parade, now a collaboration between the Olympia Downtown Alliance’s LoveOly SummerFest and the Hands On Children’s Museum. The parade will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Washington Street in downtown Olympia, and the parade will proceed to Seventh Avenue, circle Sylvester Park at 615 Washington St. SE., and return to the start. The parade will be on the sidewalk along Capitol Way, which won’t be closed to traffic. Sign up online or in person at the start of the parade. The parade is open only to people 16 and younger and household pets. (Unlike in past years, horses, llamas, etc., are not permitted.) Small-wheeled vehicles such as wagons, tricycles and strollers are allowed, and wheelchairs and other mobility aids are welcome, but no motorized or battery-operated vehicles, bicycles, skateboards or scooters are allowed.

Berry Shortcake Fundraiser at the Farmers Market: The Olympia Farmers Market will host its Berry Shortcake Fundraiser at 11 a.m. June 24. This event aims to raise funds for the Annual Market Farm to Table Food Drive, provideing local families with nutritious, locally sourced food for the holidays. During the fundraiser, attendees can purchase handcrafted market-sourced berry shortcake. However, availability is limited, so arrive early to secure a treat. The market is at 700 Capitol Way N.

Summer Native Art Fair: The Summer Native Art Fair will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at the House of Welcome-Longhouse at The Evergreen State College in Olympia. In addition to more than 40 artists selling original works in all price ranges, there will be Indian tacos, frybread, soups, beverages, and desserts for sale.

Bands @ the Barn: Schilter Family Farm in the Nisqually Valley is once again hosting this summer concert series. Farm will be open 5:30-9:30 p.m. for activities and games, food and beverages, plus live music at 7 p.m. on the outdoor stage provided by Saltwater Sky, which calls itself a country, blues and rock band. Admission is $16, and you should buy tickets online; meal punch cards are $20. Lawn seating only, so bring your own blankets and lawn chairs. The farm is at 141 Nisqually Cut Off Road SE.

Jonathan Richman at the Capitol Theater: The Olympia Film Society is again bringing singer-songwriter Jonathan Richman, along with drummer Tommy Larkins, to its stage at the Capitol Theater, for an 8 p.m. Saturday, June 24, show. Tickets are $25 general admission, or $20 OFS members. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Tiny Worlds: Enjoy the little things in life by taking an up-close look at the world under a microscope! Make crafts of tiny critters and imagine what life might be like as an itty-bitty bug. Activities run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at the WET Science Center, 500 Adams St. NE, Olympia. Admission is free.

Sunday, June 25

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

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.