What’s happening this week around Thurston County
Saturday, Oct. 21
Historical Forest Grove Cemetery Tours: Learn Tenino and Bucoda history by touring the cemetery where you will encounter living history vignettes. Come early for a daylight tour or come late for a luminary tour between 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday. Proceeds benefit Forest Grove Cemetery at 18011 Northcraft Road SE, Tenino. Tickets are available at Eventbrite or at the gate. Cost is $15 per person or $35 for families (parents with minor children).
Pickleball tournament at the YMCA: Join the South Sound YMCA for a round-robin Fall Pickleball Tournament, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21-22 at the Briggs Community YMCA at Henderson and Yelm Highway in Olympia. All are welcome to register and participate in this good-spirited and competitive event. Registration is $25 for YMCA members, and $35 for non-members. Individual players will sign up as a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player, and will be paired with other players each game to foster relationships and test skills. Play runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Play on Saturday is based on the skill level players register for, and winners from Saturday will move on to Sunday to compete in the finals. The community is invited to join and watch the action.
Sunday, Oct. 22
Bird Walk Downtown Birding Tours: Join the Puget Sound Estuarium for a walk around downtown to eye the sky for the various birds that call South Sound home. Participants will walk to Heritage Park and the Fifth Avenue Dam, stopping along the way to observe how birds have adapted to live in urban areas. Stroll along Capitol Lake to listen for the unique calls of killdeer and watch the feeding behaviors of dabbling mallards and diving buffleheads. Keep an eye out for soaring osprey, or under the Fourth Avenue Bridge for roosting pigeons. Have your binoculars ready at the boardwalk to look for belted kingfisher and great blue herons along West Bay. Before heading back, the tour stops at Percival Landing to talk about how Olympia’s estuaries have changed and the effect it has had on bird populations. No birding experience is required. The walk will be two hours and cover about two miles, so wear comfy walking shoes. Please bring your own binoculars. The Bird Walk tour also includes a tour of the Estuarium facility. Register on eventbrite. Price is $15 for adults or free for those 12 and younger.
The Esoterics at the St. John’s Concert Series: St. John’s Episcopal Church is relaunching Sunday, Oct. 22, with a 3 p.m. performance by The Esoterics, a Seattle a cappella vocal ensemble. The Esoterics will mark the weekend of the late Ned Rorem’s 100th birthday by performing all of the American composer’s secular pieces for a cappella mixed chorus. The music series — which will include additional performances in November, March and May — is organized and hosted by the church at 114 20th Ave. SE, Olympia. All performances in the series are supported by freewill donations, but a donation of $20 per person, $10 for seniors and students, is suggested.
Choro Encounter — Music of Brazilian choro masters: Head to Traditions Cafe at 6 p.m. Sunday when Choro Encounter of Rio de Janeiro will perform. Master 7-string guitarist Rogerio Souza and master bandolinist Tiago do Bandolim come from a long line of Choro musicians. They will be accompanied by Seattle-based bandolin player Naoyuki Sawada and other Choro musicians in a performance of traditional and modern Choro music. Call 360-705-2819 for tickets and to reserve your seat.
Tuesday, Oct. 24
Long-term care planning: Learn how to navigate the tools and resources that can help ensure a comfortable post-retirement life. Ronnie Meldrum of Planning4LTC and staff from the Thurston-Mason-Lewis Area Agency on Aging will share their expertise from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at the Olympia Timberland Library, 313 Eighth Ave. SE. The program is part of Olympia Timberland Library’s “Next Chapter: A Series of Aging.” Admission is free.
Olympia Police Department offers resources for car seat safety: Get tips to help ensure your children’s car seats are safe and comfortable as they grow. This free class will run 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, and cover all the basics of car seat use from infant through booster seats. Register by emailing mmorales@ci.olympia.wa.us. The department also provides free car seat inspections by appointment. Call Margo Morales at 360-753-8239 to schedule. For more information, go to the OPD Car Seat Website.
Thurston Chamber’s Future of Work Summit and Expo: Is your organization’s talent pipeline keeping pace with innovation and today’s economy? Gather the skills, tools, and relationships to develop or expand your workforce pipeline at this regional event at Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound. Attendees will learn how to create a talent pipeline, develop an on-the-job training program, develop an internship program, and develop relationships with educators and other business owners. For more information and to register for the summit, visit ThurstonChamber.com.
Wednesday, Oct. 25
Welcome to Medicare Zoom Presentation: This online presentation at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday is an introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries. It covers Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Prescription Plans, Medicare Supplements, and programs available to limited-income beneficiaries. To get a link, email ojrich@southsoundseniors.org or call and leave a message at Senior Services SHIBA program at 360-586-6181 ext. 134. A registration link will be sent to you.
Thursday, Oct. 26
Olympia Garden Club meeting: This group of gardening lovers provides education, resources and networking opportunities to promote gardening and floral design. It also serves the community with projects to help beautify and maintain public areas. Visitors are welcome at monthly club meetings held at Gull Harbor Lutheran Church, 4610 Boston Harbor Road NE in Olympia. The next meeting is at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, beginning with a social time and sales of plants donated by members. Meetings begin at 10 a.m. and include a business portion, a review of horticulture samples from members’ gardens, a report on the habits of various birds, and a floral design of the month. This month, the talk is on “Debunking Garden Myths” by Linda Chalker-Scott, a horticulture professor at Washington State University. The meeting usually finishes between 1-2 p.m., so bring a lunch and beverage; coffee and tea will be provided. Find more information at www.olympiagardenclub.org.
Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging open house: The public is invited to join us for an open house from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at the agency, 2404 Heritage Court SW, Olympia, to learn more about the Agency on Aging and the services it provides to support older adults, adults living with a disability, and their caregivers. The agency will introduce new programming, including to combat social isolation, and feature guests Parfait Bassale, Belonging Strategist Coach, and local artist Jahla Brown. A pet adoption table will allow you to interact with a robotic dog or cat and classic board games designed for intergenerational game play will be available.
Friday, Oct. 27
Into the Canyon — Between river and rim: Join adventure writer Kevin Fedarko live as he recounts his epic quest, on foot, through the entire length of the Grand Canyon — not “rim to rim” as has been tackled by many, but 750 miles “end to end.” More people have walked on the surface of the moon than have completed this treacherous journey. Hiking over 100 days, Fedarko and photographer/filmmaker Pete McBride traversed mostly along the goat trail, through slot canyons, blinding sun, and snow. Part sufferfest, part glorious trek, their expedition sheds light on the health and future of the canyon. Fedarko’s talk will be followed by a Q&A based on questions submitted by attendees in the lobby before the show.
Saturday, Oct. 28
Downtown Olympia’s Kids’ Halloween Trick or Treat: Get ready for a fang-tastic afternoon of Halloween delights from 1-4 p.m. Saturday in downtown Olympia. Participating businesses will provide safe and family-friendly trick-or-treating, as well as some magical moments and surprises. For a complete list of participating locations, visit kxxo.com/halloween.
Olympia Farmers Market Harvest Celebration: Festivities are planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Olympia Farmers Market, including trick or treating, cooking demonstrations, and fall-themed activities.
Online presentation on “Drag Culture: Beyond Entertainment”: At 11 a.m. Saturday, tune in for this presentation by drag king performer Ceasar Hart. This program, sponsored by the Elma and McCleary Timberland Libraries, explores how drag — typically a form of entertainment in which a performer uses clothing and makeup to impersonate a particular gender identity, usually of the opposite sex — is so much more than nightclub entertainment. Hart discusses the history of drag culture and why it is so important for many in the LGBTQ+ community. Hart has been a drag king performer in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade, produced his own drag shows in Grays Harbor and co-hosted stages for both Seattle Pride and Seattle PrideFest.
Books, Brownies and Beans: Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation is holding this community used book sale to raise funds for Interfaith Works, ASHHO Cultural Community Center, and OlyEcosystems. It will be at the church at 2315 Division St. NW, Olympia. It opens at 9 a.m. Saturday and includes music as well as homemade brownies and coffee.
Family Cornhole Challenge: The Family Cornhole Challenge is an outdoor cornhole tournament dedicated to raising funds for Family Education & Support Services. It will run from noon to 8 p.m. at the Thurston County Fairgrounds, 3054 Carpenter Road SE, Lacey. In addition to friendly competition for prizes, there will be costume contests, trunk-or-treat, live music, food trucks and a beer garden. Registration to compete is $35 for adults, $65 for a family of four, or $40 for a high school team of two. Admission for those just watching is $10 for adults before 4 p.m. and $20 after, $5 for kids under 12, and $20 for families. Families with young children are encouraged to attend from noon to 2 p.m., before it gets too spooky. A Halloween-themed Drag Show featuring Valerie Veeta is planned for 7-8 p.m. Parking is free all day.
Fire and Ice Charity Basketball Game: Head to the Tumwater High School gymnasium at 4 p.m. Saturday to see police and firefighters from around the region tip off in a heated game to raise money for Shop with a Cop Holiday Youth Programs. Admission is $10 at the door, but those 12 and younger get in free. The high school is at 700 Israel Road SW.
An Evening with Patty Griffin and Hayes Carll: Patty Griffin is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and quintessentially American artist whose wide-ranging canon incisively explores intimate moments and universal emotions. Hayes Carll has spent over 20 years having a conversation about what it is we’re all doing here, making people laugh and cry. Carll replaces Todd Snider on the bill because Snider is undergoing surgery for a medical condition. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $79 to $39.
Sunday, Oct. 29
The Olson Bros Band at Schilter Family Farm: Local favorites The Olson Bros will perform for the farm’s Fall Harvest Festival. Music starts at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, on the Schilter stage. It’s “Halloweekend” so the band is inviting people to “rock a costume if you want.” The farm is at 141 Nisqually Cut Off Road SE, Olympia. Admission to the farm is $16.
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