What’s Happening for Dec. 14

Saturday

Evergreen Longhouse Holiday Native Art Fair: The 23rd annual fair will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 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.and 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.

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/

Saturday and Sunday

Capital City Chorus holiday concert: The second annual “Christmas with the Chorus” concerts will be performed at 7:30 p.m. 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

Sunday

Breakfast with Santa benefit: Enjoy breakfast with the big guy and raise money for Concern for Animals from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar, 2500 Capital Mall Drive SW, Olympia. Tickets are $10. Call 360-352-8500 for more information.

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.

Thursday

Medicare 101 presentation: This free workshop runs from 10 a.m. to noon at the Olympia Senior Center, 222 Columbia St. N. No registration necessary, however space is limited. The SHIBA (Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors) provide free and confidential help with Medicare choices. SHIBA staff and volunteers are trained by the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Information: 360-586-6181 ext. 134.

SPSCC Presents Dames in the Dirt Pop Up Exhibition at Oly Third Thursday: South Puget Sound Community College is inviting the public to meet and mingle with SPSCC art professor Liza Brenner and view her pop up exhibition called “Dames in the Dirt.” The exhibition will happen from 5-8 p.m. at Percival Place at Ben Moore’s, located at 112 Fourth Ave. W., Olympia. Admission is free and refreshments will be available. Brenner says the images are painted narratives of the Pacific Northwest landscape.

Last pre-orientation session for WSU Master Gardener volunteer training course: To be considered for a spot in the 22-week 2020 course, you must complete an application and attend a 1-1/2 hour pre-orientation session. The final session is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the WSU Thurston County Extension Office, 3054 Carpenter Road SE, Olympia. No pre-registration needed for the pre-orientation. The last day to apply for the course is Dec. 20. Applications can be downloaded at https://extension.wsu.edu/thurston/gardening/

Friday

The Maria Joyner-Wulf Sextet performs a free concert: Maria Joyner-Wulff, adjunct professor of instrumental jazz at South Puget Sound Community College and director of the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra, performs with local jazz musicians in this week’s “Fridays at the First” free noontime concert 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: 360-943-8025 or churchoffice@firstchristianolympia.org

Friday through Jan. 1

24th Annual Model Train Festival: The Washington State History Museum at 1911 Pacific Ave. in Tacoma will again showcase model railroad scenes for the holidays. Train clubs from throughout Western Washington will set up their layouts throughout the museum. The South Sound Activity Room gives kids a chance to get hands-on with toy trains, Lincoln Logs and Legos. The festival runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Dec. 20 through Jan.1. The museum is closed Dec. 24 and 25. Santa will be on hand for free digital photos from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 21-23. Tickets are $11-$14. Kids 5 and younger get in free. Visit www.modeltrainfestival.org to learn more.

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