What’s happening this week around Thurston County

Tuesday, March 14

SPSCC “Swing into Spring” jazz concert: The South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) Music Department will be performing three concerts featuring SPSCC students this March at the Minnaert Center for the Arts main stage on the Olympia campus, 2011 Mottman Road SW, and the first is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, featuring the SPSCC Jazz Band and the Ali Jackson Trio. The 7:30 p.m. concert features both large-group and small-group swing jazz ensembles. Admission is a suggested $15 donation at the door.

Wednesday, March 15

Thurston County Public Hearings: The public can attend two Planning Commission hearings on Wednesday, March 15, starting at 7 p.m.. The first hearing will be about an amendment called Code Clarifications and Corrections. The second hearing will be about an Open Space Tax Program application for enrollment under the Farm and Agriculture Conservation Land category. More information on each proposal can be found at https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/planning/Pages/default.aspx.

Friday, March 17

SPSCC multi-cultural folksong concert: The SPSCC Choirs will present an eclectic evening of folk music from different traditions, including songs from the African, Asian, European, and Pacific Island diasporas. The “Folksong” concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 17, in the Minnaert Center for the Arts on SPSCC campus in Olympia. Admission is a suggested $15 donation at the door.

Saturday, March 18

SSAG Artisan Market: Join the South Sound Artisan Guild from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at the Capital Mall in west Olympia for its indoor handcrafted artisan market in the Grand Courtyard by the food court. Support local small businesses and pick up some one-of-a-kind merchandise made by local artists, authors, craftsmen, and creators.

Whatever the Weather crafts: You never know what weather spring will bring, so the WET Science Center will help you tap into your artistic side and celebrate the changing spring weather. Make crafts fit for any conditions, whether it is cloudy, windy, or sunny, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at the center, 500 Adams St. NE, Olympia. Admission is free.

Olympia Youth Chorus “Musical Moods” concert: The Olympia Youth Chorus (OYC) will present a choral concert at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Young singers (ages 5-18) from across the South Puget Sound area will come together in four choirs to perform a selection of songs celebrating the moods and emotions music can express. A string quartet from Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia, SOGO MOJO, also will perform. Tickets range from $6-$14, plus box office fee, with discounts for students and seniors; children 3 and younger get in free. Purchase tickets online at www.washingtoncenter.org, or at the box office in advance, 360-753-8586.

SPSCC Vows & Chorales concert: The SPSCC Symphony Orchestra presents “Vows & Chorales” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at the Minnaert Center for the Arts on the Olympia campus, 2011 Mottman Road SW. To open the concert, members of the orchestra will perform Bach chorales in small groups. The concert will feature Antonín Dvorák’s optimistic Symphony No. 8, which depicts bird calls, tranquil landscapes, a small village band, and several Bohemian folk dances and melodies. Also featured is the first SPSCC student to solo with the orchestra: Bassist Jordan Pilla will take center stage, playing Max Bruch’s “Kol Nidrei.” Admission is a suggested $15 donation at the door.

All-Ages Dance Party with Grateful Dead cover bands: JustUs Productions will present “This ‘80s Show!” An All-Ages Dance Party featuring two local Grateful Dead cover bands named “The Reckoning Crew” and “Space Invaders!” Acoustic then electric music will be played. Doors open at 7 p.m. and music starts at 8 p.m. at the South Bay Grange, 3918 Sleater Kinney Road NE. Admission is on a sliding scale of $10-20, with $12 suggested and kids 12 and younger getting in free. To volunteer or get more information, call or text John at 360-706-9823.

Sunday, March 19

Donut Dash 5K and Free Kid’s Dash: The Club Oly Road Runners invite you to come out and dash for your donut at the finish line of the Donut Dash 5K. The race starts and finishes at Heritage Park on Capitol Lake in Olympia; start time is 9 a.m. There also will be a free 1-mile Kid’s Dash at 8:45 a.m. Registration is $35 before March 17, or $40 after; all registration is online.

The Jeremiahs extend St. Patrick’s Day into Sunday: The Jeremiahs, an award-winning Irish band, will share songs and tunes that feel traditional yet contemporary when they perform at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at New Traditions, 300 Fifth Ave. SW, Olympia. With two members from Dublin and two from Brittainy, their musicianship creates a backdrop for them to share their stories and tunes with humor and joy. Admission is $28, or $18 for those with low income.