What’s Happening for Dec. 12
Thursday
Shelton Diabetes Support Group: The topic for the monthly meeting is “Strategies to Prevent and Manage Hyperglycemia.” Learn strategies to avoid blood sugar hikes during the holidays season while you enjoy foods you love. The guest speaker will be Debbie McGinnis. Family and friends are welcome. The group will meet from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Pershing meeting room at Mason General Hospital, 901 Mountain View Drive, Shelton. Information: Contact the Mason General Hospital Diabetes Wellness Center at 360-427-7332.
Olympia Genealogical Society meeting: The topic will be “DNA Redux.” Using DNA for genealogy is no longer the “new thing” and this meeting will provide a crash refresher course about DNA — what it is, how to test it and what it can, and can’t, tell us about our ancestors. The presenter is longtime member Carol Ballard, who also leads the genealogy and DNA efforts at Panorama. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Thurston County Courthouse, Building 1, Room 152. Information: 360-349-2493 or www.OlyGenSoc.org.
Olympia World Affairs Council Lecture Series: Tom Rainey, Faculty Emeritus at The Evergreen State College, will address “What Is Volodya Up to Now? A Putin Update,” focusing on Putin’s expansive foreign policy, and on his problems at home. Lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. at the South Puget Sound Community College Lacey Campus, 4220 Sixth Ave SE. Free and open to the public. Information: www.olympiawac.org
History Talks at Schmidt House: “Harry’s Historic Holiday: President Truman’s 1945 Visit to Olympia” will be the topic for Steve Jones, retired attorney for the Washington State Senate, who will offer a lighthearted look at Truman’s historic vacation here, a story complete with Russian spies, late-night poker games, and presidential shenanigans illustrated with photos from the Truman archives. The talk is at noon at the Schmidt House, 330 Schmidt Place SW, Tumwater. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. for the talk and close at capacity. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Information: Contact Don Trosper at 360-786-8117 or history@olytumfoundation.org.
Orca Books Co-op Holiday Auction + Dinner Party: This event runs from 5-9 p.m. at Waterstreet Cafe, 610 Water St. SW, Olympia. It will include local artisan food and drink in addition to the silent auction featuring gifts, art, books, workshops, merchandise and more. For those 21 and older only. Tickets are $60 at 360-352-0123 or https://www.orcabooks.com/orca-books-co-op-annual-holiday-auction-dinner-party
Friday
Pianist Scott Cossu performs a free concert: Cossu, a pianist, composer and former Windham Hill recording artist, will be joined by cellist Holly Reeves for the third in the 2019 “Fridays at the First” series of free noontime concerts at First Christian Church of Olympia, 701 Franklin St. SE. The church library opens at 11:30 for complimentary coffee and cookies. The concert begins at noon and lasts about an hour. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed by the musicians. Information: http://www.firstchristian.org or 360-943-8025
Solstice Concert: The 120-voice Olympia Peace Choir will offer this secular celebration of the season from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Huntamer Park, 629 Woodland Square Loop SE, Lacey. Free and family-friendly.
Winter Gala to benefit West Central Park Project: The gala will run 7-11 p.m. at the Abigail Stuart House/Woman’s Club of Olympia, 1002 Washington St. SE. It will feature live music, dancing, appetizers/dessert bites, silent auction, raffles, and community with an “Olympia Black Tie” kind of vibe. Tickets are $80. Information: https://www.facebook.com/events/593481231389776/
Friday and Saturday
Evergreen Longhouse Holiday Native Art Fair: The 23rd annual fair will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Longhouse, carving studio and fiber arts studio at The Evergreen State College, 2800 Dogtooth Lane NW, Olympia. Santa will be in the carving studio from 1-3 p.m. both days, and on Saturday a special art activity for children will be offered in the carving studio at the same time. Native foods will be offered by the Hazel Pete Institute of Chehalis Basketry, with proceeds supporting the annual Generations Rising Native Youth Art Day held the first Saturday in March. Information: contact Laura VerMeulen at vermeuLL@evergreen.edu or 360-867-6413.
Friday through Sunday
Capital City Chorus holiday concert: The second annual “Christmas with the Chorus” concerts will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1515 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia. Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. All are welcome. Information: http://cccolympia.org
Saturday
Tumwater Christmas Tree Lighting Festival: The free event is from 2-5 p.m. at the Tumwater City Hall and Headquarters Fire Station on Israel Road. It includes games, holiday crafts, performances by local and school choirs, and the lighting of the tree. Santa will arrive on an antique fire truck after the ceremonial tree lighting. Event parking is available in the adjacent Attorney General’s Office parking lot, 7141 Cleanwater Drive SW.
Santa Claus is coming – by train: Santa is due to arrive at the Olympia/Lacey Centennial Train Station at 6600 Yelm Highway SE, Lacey, at 10:11 a.m. on Cascade train 502. He will meet with children of all ages until noon. Centennial Station volunteers will serve coffee, punch, and cookies. Free.
Kaiser Woods Volunteer Work Party: From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., volunteers will be removing Himalayan blackberry and Scotch broom from the trails in this wooded area near Ken Lake. The park is located at the end of Park Drive Southwest, off of Black Lake Blvd. Parking is located just inside the park on the gravel road. Meet just inside the park. Directional signs will be posted. Visit http://volunteer.olympiawa.gov/ for more information and to register for work parties.
Offut Lake Boat Parade Benefit: Offut Lake Resort, 4005 120th Ave. SE, Tenino, will host this event from 6-9 p.m. There will be festive lighted boats, holiday music and a bonfire. The best decorated boat wins a $100 gift card for Lady of the Lake, which will be open for dinner reservations. Spectators get in free with a can of food, new toy or money for the Tenino Food Bank.
Centralia Lighted Tractor Parade: The parade runs from 6-8 p.m. through downtown Centralia. (West Magnolia and Tower Avenue are the epicenter.) There are 90 entries this year.
West Thurston Fire Breakfast with Santa: Come out to the breakfast from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Littlerock Station, 10828 Littlerock Road SW. Tickets are $6 and available at the door; breakfast and 1 photo button with Santa are included. Activities include arts and crafts, raffle items and photo booth. Menu is pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit, and beverage. Canned food will be collected. Post your pictures with #LittlerockSantaBreakfast. Information: 360-352-1614.
Duck the Malls: The annual local craft fair takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the historic downtown Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. SE. This event was created to support local and independent artisans and artists in the South Sound and visual art programming at the Olympia Film Society. Admission is free. Information: https://www.facebook.com/events/2157781537661288/
Wednesday
Lacey Timberland Library Remodel 2020 Community Open House: The community is invited to the library at 500 College St. SE for an open house featuring plans for a remodel scheduled for fall 2020. Library staff will present the planning process, fundraising efforts, answer questions, and showcase concept drawings and floor plans. Refreshments provided by Friends of the Lacey Timberland Library. Free.
South Puget Sound New Horizons Band Christmas Concert: The band made up of musicians age 50 and older will perform a free concert at 10 a.m. at the Land Yacht Harbor Harmony Hall, 9101 Steilacoom Road SE. Selections will include arrangements of Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride and Bugler’s Holiday and a medley of traditional themes with Chanukah Collage. The band will perform Gustav Holst’s Winter Suite in three movements and share the music making with the audience with a Christmas Pop Sing Along. All are welcome.
Poetry Reading: Join Olympia Poet Laureate Sady Sparks for an evening of poetry with the theme “shimmer” from 5-7 p.m. at the LGM Studio, 114 Capitol Way N., Olympia. Snacks and pretty lights provided. Reading begins at 5:30 p.m. Free.
Priest Point Park Volunteer Work Party: From 9:30 a.m. to noon, volunteers will pull English ivy and plan rhododendrons at the park at 2600 East Bay Drive NE. Directional signs will be posted inside the park. The group will meet just south of the playground. Visit http://volunteer.olympiawa.gov/ for more information and to register for work parties.
Wednesday to Friday
Frozen Wonderland Jr. Cougarettes Dance Clinic: Dancers from kindergarten to fifth grade can learn the basics of dance team skills while having fun with the Capital High School Cougarettes Dance Team. Classes will run 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday in the Marshall Middle School gym, 3939 20th Ave NW, Olympia, where dancers will learn technique and a short routine, then they will perform at the Capital varsity boys basketball game at 6:45 p.m. Friday. Cost is $50, and all participants will receive a T-shirt and admission to the Varsity Basketball Game.
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