What’s happening this week around Thurston County

Sunday, July 2

Music in the Park returns: Olympia’s beloved Music in the Park free outdoor concert series kicks off with Down North playing at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 2, at the Port of Olympia’s Port Plaza. The remainder of the series will run at 1 p.m. every Sunday in July at Sylvester Park, at Capitol and Legion in downtown Olympia.

Oly Town USL Soccer Doubleheader: At 2 p.m. USL2 Oly Town will play Capital FC, then at 4 p.m. the women’s team will take on CFC Atletico. Tickets are $12 general admission and available at www.olytownfc.com; kids 12 and younger get in free.

Metamorphosis Community Mosaic Mural at the Armory: The City of Olympia’s Arts Interventions and Facility Design Phase throughout July is aimed at exploring the use of the Armory as an arts campus. As part of that effort, the Armory at 515 Eastside St. SE will host a Metamorphosis Community Mosaic Mural drop-in workshop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. The public is invited to create butterflies for a large-scale mosaic mural project by Jennifer Kuhns that will be displayed in downtown Olympia. Drop in during the four-hour period on Sunday to create a mosaic butterfly; typical participation time ranges from 1-2 hours. Workshops are in the drill hall located in the main building. Attendees can use the Eastside Street main building entrance. The event is free, open to the public, all ages, and ADA accessible.

Monday, July 3

Lacey Fireworks Spectacular: For over 50 years, Lacey has celebrated the holiday a day early with fireworks, food, music, and fun. The event starts at 4 p.m. at Rainier Vista Park on 45th Avenue SE, offering a kid zone, food vendors and face painting. Entertainment kicks off at 5 p.m. with a cappella group The Coats. A welcoming ceremony happens at 7:30 p.m. followed by a concert by Groove Nation at 8 p.m. Fireworks will be set to music at 10 p.m.; pick up your free 3D glasses from the Lacey Collision bus while supplies last. The Rainier Vista parking lot opens to the public at 3 p.m. but space is limited. There will be free shuttle buses running from Timberline High School at 6120 Mullen St SE, Mountain View Elementary at 1900 College St. SE, and Lakes Elementary at 6211 Mullen Road SE. For more information, check out the FAQs on the City of Lacey’s website.

Tuesday, July 4

Tumwater’s 35th annual Independence Day Parade: The parade begins at 11 a.m. and this year’s theme is “Christmas in July.” The parade starts at the corner of Capitol Boulevard and Lee Street and moves south on Capitol Boulevard to Israel Road where it turns west (right) onto Israel Road and continues past City Hall, ending up at Linderson Way and Israel Road.

Artesian Family Festival & Thunder Valley Fireworks Show: This combined evening event at the Tumwater Valley Golf Course, 4611 Tumwater Valley Drive SE, offers music, food, games, and more. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the fireworks show begins at 10:15 p.m. Admission is free. Event parking is $10 per car; proceeds benefit next year’s fireworks show and Thurston County Special Olympics. Parking will open at 5:30 p.m. No pets, alcohol, or personal fireworks are allowed in the festival. Find more details on the City of Tumwater’s website.

Wednesday, July 5

Lacey in Tune summer concert series kicks off: Need a break during your lunch hour? Head to Huntamer Park in Lacey at noon Wednesdays for the Lacey In Tune summer concert series, which runs from July 5 to Aug. 9. Kicking off the series this Wednesday is the Washington National Guard band called Full Metal Racket. Admission is free. Huntamer Park is at 618 Woodland Square Loop SE, Lacey.

Welcome to Medicare online presentation: Senior Services for South Sound’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) will provide this introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 5. 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 to register for this Zoom presentation, email jrich@southsoundseniors.org or call and leave a message at 360-586-6181 ext. 134. A registration link will be sent to you.

Thursday, July 6

Senior Medicare Patrol Preventing Fraud and Abuse: This Zoom presentation at 1 p.m. will inform consumers about how to prevent, detect and report Medicare fraud. To get a link to register for the Zoom event, email jrich@southsoundseniors.org or call and leave a message at 360-586-6181 ext. 134. A registration link will be sent to you.

Play in the Parks’ Japan Creative Arts program: The City of Lacey will provide free family shows and activities at various parks on Thursdays from July 6 to Aug. 10. At 2 p.m. Thursday, July 6, head to Wonderwood Park on 32nd Avenue Southeast to see Japan Creative Arts perform a Taiko drum show.

Saturday, July 8

South Sound BBQ Festival: Do you love slow-cooked traditional barbecue? If the answer is yes, head to Lacey’s Huntamer Park between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, July 8, for not only mouth-watering eats, but live entertainment, free kids activities, a chicken-wing eating contest, an adult-only beer and wine garden, outdoor activities, and vendors. Admission is free but food is for purchase. Huntamer Park is at 618 Woodland Square Loop SE, Lacey.

The Righteous Mothers concert: These local faves, four female, feminist, funny philosophical folk-rockers, will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 8 at New Traditions Cafe at Fifth and Water streets in downtown Olympia. The program will feature some old favorites they haven’t sung for years and some new tunes. Admission is $20 to $30. Call Traditions for reservations at 360-705-2819.

Basketball tournament at the YMCA: Join the South Sound YMCA for the Hoops for Troops 3v3 Basketball Tournament. The tournament will provide two days of competition, starting at 10 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday, July 8-9, at the Briggs Community YMCA, 1530 Yelm Highway SE, Olympia. Although the event is geared toward active duty military and veterans, any member aged 16 or older can participate. The competition is split between two divisions, intermediate and advanced. Registration is $60 per team, and everyone is invited to join and watch the action.

Tenino’s 150th Birthday Jubilee: The City of Tenino will celebrate its sesquicentennial on Saturday July 8 with a Jubilee from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Planned activities include and Opening and Flag Ceremony, the Rainier Brass Quintet, America’s First Corps Band from JBLM, old-time carnival games, a kids zone with bounce houses, a Silly Procession & General Hullabaloo Walking Parade, musical entertainment, birthday cake, dignitary speeches, pony rides, field games, magician Jeff Evans, a talent show, and food booths. The Jubilee is free to attend and will take place at Tenino City Park on Park Ave East. Visitors are encouraged to check out the new playground and pump tracks. More information can be found on the City of Tenino’s webpage.

Kluh Jewelers Classics & Cool Rides Car Show: Bring your classic cars, muscle cars, hotrods, street rods, or vintage cars to this show to raise money for All Kids Win. The show runs from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at Kluh, 810 Sleater Kinney Road SE, Lacey. Cost is $20 if you pre-register by July 5 or $30 the day of the show. Admission is free to the public but donations to All Kids Win are greatly appreciated. All Kids Win is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Thurston County that provides weekend food bags to students in North Thurston, Tumwater, Olympia, Tenino, Rainier, Yelm and Rochester.

Olympia Free Jazz Festival: Come to West Central Park at the corner of Harrison and Division to see an evening of free jazz in the park. This event runs from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 9. It will feature the bands Spontanea, a Seattle-based collective of improvisers; Circus Aurelius, a large ensemble created especially for the festival that will perform a piece composer Joe Mailhot has arranged for it; and Healing Force, an ensemble of musicians inspired by the music of Albert Ayler.

Sunday, July 9

Music in the Park at Sylvester Park: Music in the Park is a free outdoor concert series in Olympia that showcases local and regional musicians. Groove Lab will perform this week’s hourlong concert at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 9, at Sylvester Park at Legion and Capitol in downtown Olympia. Bring a blanket or chair to the park; consider bringing a picnic or picking up food downtown.

Sea Stroll Historic Shoreline Tours: Learn how the cultural and ecological history of Olympia’s historic shoreline intertwine during the Puget Sound Estuarium’s Sea Stroll walking tour. Participants will walk the path the estuarium’s Education Team uses during its Estuary Life & Landforms field trips. Starting from the Estuarium, the tour will loop around the downtown core to track the historic changes to Olympia’s shoreline. Sea Stroll is approximately 2 hours and 1.5 miles long so wear comfy walking shoes. The Sea Stroll tour also includes a tour of the Estuarium facility. Register in advance on Eventbrite; cost is $15 for adults, but kids 12 and younger participate for free.

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.