What’s happening this week around Thurston County
Saturday, July 15
Lakefair Grand Parade: The Lakefair Grand Parade is one of the largest in the region, and features entries of all kinds. The event kicks off with pre-parade festivities at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, July 15, to get the crowd warmed up, and leads into the main event at 5 p.m. The parade route begins along Capitol Way at 20th Avenue and continues down to Fifth Avenue, ending near the bridge.
JBLM 2023 Airshow & Warrior Expo: This year’s air show at Joint Base Lewis McChord, running Saturday and Sunday, July 15-16, will feature the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. It is the first air show at the base in seven year.s It is free and open to the public; gates open at 9 a.m. and flying begins at 11:30 a.m. The general public is encouraged to use the off-base shuttle buses to get to the airshow. Buses are free and start running at 9 a.m. from the old State Farm building, 1000 Wilmington Drive, DuPont; Sound Transit Lakewood Station, 11424 Pacific Highway SW, Lakewood; and the State Route 512 Park-and-Ride, 10617 South Tacoma Way, Lakewood. If you drive to the base, please carpool and take I-5 exit 125 and enter JBLM at the McChord Field gate. From there you will be directed where to park.
Sunday, July 16
Capital Lakefair fireworks: Enjoy this community favorite on the last day of Lakefair. The Grand Finale Fireworks display takes place over Capitol Lake in Olympia, and can be viewed from Heritage Park, Deschutes Parkway, the Capitol Campus or anywhere with a view of the lake. Fireworks begin at 10 p.m. Sunday, July 16.
Music in the Park concert series continues: This week’s free, hourlong concert at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 16, at Sylvester Park in downtown Olympia will be by Show Brazil Bring a blanket or chair and your own refreshments. The park is at Legion and Capitol ways.
Will the 2020s Roar like the 1920s? William Woodward, an award-winning professor of American and Pacific Northwest history at Seattle Pacific University, will address this topic during a Humanities Washington program at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 16, at Harstine Island Community Club Hall, 3371 E. Harstine Island Road N., Harstine Island. A pandemic, protests, and economic jolts ushered in the so-called “Roaring Twenties.” Americans adjusted in ways both innovative and counterproductive. What lessons from the 1920s can we apply to our own looming 20s? Historian William Woodward charts the eerily familiar developments of a century ago: shattered idealism, social clashes, domestic terrorism, culture wars, disorienting technologies, and fearsome disease.
Monday, July 17
State Insurance Commissioner’s workshop on auto and homeowners insurance complaints: Registration and the meeting agenda are available for Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s workshop on the rising number of auto and homeowners insurance complaints. The workshop, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, July 17, on Zoom, will provide a public forum for representatives from the insurance industry, national and regional repair professionals, claim experts, and consumers to share their expertise and experiences. The workshop is scheduled to end at 1 p.m., but the Zoom meeting will stay live until every member of the public who wants to provide a comment has the opportunity to do so. Register in advance on the OIC webpage to receive the Zoom link; the meeting also will stream on tvw.org and available to watch during and after the meeting.
Tuesday, July 18
Making Social Fabric -- Building Community with FELT: Making Social Fabric is a series of three events — two public events and a community stomp event — during July. On Tuesday and Thursday, July 18 and 20, join Janice Arnold and her team for hands-on and visual experiences centered around wool fiber, FELT and a massive felted projection screen. Learn to decode this ancient material, through science, art and participatory learning. Then from 4-8 p.m. Saturday, June 22, kick off your shoes and join in on the Armory lawn to help turn wool into FELT — underfoot — with local live music. It’s Olympia’s first Community Stomp & Dance Party. Bring a lawn chair if you like and be prepared to get a little wet as the group works together, step by step, to make FELT. Tuesday and Thursday events will be held from noon to 5 p.m. in the Armory’s drill hall and the Community Stomp will be on the north exterior lawn.
Welcome to Medicare Zoom Presentation: This introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries begins at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, on Zoom. It will cover Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Prescription Plans, Medicare supplements and programs available to limited income beneficiaries. Email jrich@southsoundseniors.org to get a link to register, or call and leave a message at Senior Services SHIBA program, 360-586-6181 ext. 134. A registration link will be sent to you.
Wednesday, July 19
Welcome to Medicare In Person Presentation: Head to The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. NE, at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, for this introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries. For more information, email Jrich@southsoundseniors.org or call and leave a message at Senior Services SHIBA program, 360-586-6181 ext. 134.
Thursday, July 20
Welcome to Medicare Zoom Presentation: This introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries begins at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 20, on Zoom. It will cover Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Prescription Plans, Medicare supplements and programs available to limited income beneficiaries. Email jrich@southsoundseniors.org to get a link to register, or call and leave a message at Senior Services SHIBA program, 360-586-6181 ext. 134. A registration link will be sent to you.
In Person Medicare Presentation at the Mason County Senior Activity Center: Head to The Pavillion at 190 Sentry Drive in Shelton for an 11 a.m. Thursday, July 20, introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries. The presentation covers Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Prescription Plans, Medicare supplements and programs available to limited income beneficiaries. For more information, email jrich@southsoundseniors.org, or call and leave a message at Senior Services SHIBA program, 360-586-6181 ext. 134.
Friday, July 21
Olympia Senior Center’s 50th Birthday Party: Head to The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. NW, for this celebration at 2 p.m. Friday, July 21. Enjoy live music, food and drink, birthday cake and a whole lot of fun. This is a free community event, open to all.
Live karaoke TV program celebrates 15 years: “Karaoke Oly,” the live televised karaoke TV show cablecast and webcast out of Thurston Community Media’s Studio A in Olympia from 7-8 p.m. every third Friday of the month, is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a special two-hour broadcast from 7-9 p.m. Friday, July 21, on TCMedia channel 22 and on YouTube at youtube.com/karaokeoly. Since 2008, community producer Robert Kam has been producing and hosting this TV program that is free and open to all ages. There are over 100 episodes on YouTube. On Friday, singers can arrive at the studio at 6:30 pm to sign up early. TCMedia is located in Olympia at 440 Yauger Way SW, Suite C. Their song catalog is available at karafun.com.
2023 Oregon Trail Days: Oregon Trail Days is an annual event hosted by Puget Sound Free Trappers and the Tenino Area Chamber of Commerce the fourth weekend of July at Tenino City Park on Park Avenue East. The event, which runs Friday through Sunday, includes a parade on Sunday, July 23, a rock and gem show, black powder shoots, vendors of all kinds, and lots of food. See the Chamber’s website for more details.
“Vivo” at Screen on the Green: Join fellow park-goers for a free family-friendly movie under the stars in Tumwater when its annual outdoor movie series Screen on the Green returns. Bring chairs and blankets, but please leave grills, umbrellas, and pets at home. Seating begins at 7:30 p.m. and movies begin at dusk. Questions? Contact staff at tumwaterparks@ci.tumwater.wa.us or call 360-754-4160.
Saturday, July 22
2023 Nisqually BBQ Rally: The Nisqually Valley BBQ Rally is an annual event filled with a whole lot of barbecue and family fun! It runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Yelm City Park, and includes an amateur barbecue competition, youth burger challenge, pro food and business vendors, live entertainment, and a beer garden.
Good Shepherd Eco-Fair: Come to the eco-fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 22, to see what you can do with your home, garden, native plants, trees, driving, travel, conservation and much more to help preserve a livable climate. The fair will feature speakers and booths from ecological organizations in the South Sound area. There also will be lawn games for children during the hours of the fair, plus an evening concert at 6 p.m. There is no admission fee but some food items will be available for purchase. It is all part of The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd’s two-month Eco-Love Festival: God’s Creation for All Ages featuring outdoor events throughout July and August. Visit the Eco-Love Festival webpage for more information. The fair will be in the parking lot of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1601 North St., Olympia, across the street from Olympia High School football stadium, where parking will be available.
Bands @ the Barn with Seth Stauffer & Full Band: Schilter Family Farms in the Nisqually Valley is again hosting monthly outdoor concerts. Farm will be open 5:30-9:30 p.m., Seth Stauffer and his full 6-person band will start playing about 7 p.m. Enjoy an evening of food and drinks, games and activities for the kids. Tickets are $16 on the farm’s website, and meal punch cards are available too.
Sunday, July 23
The FABBA Show – A Tribute to ABBA: Head to the Washington Center for the Performing Arts at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 23, to see the FABBA Show, a tribute to the 1970s Swedish supergroup ABBA. Tickets are $35 to $65, plus ticket fees, and may be purchased on the Washington Center website, by phone at 360-753-8586 or at the Theatre Box Office, 512 Washington St. SE.
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.
