What’s happening this week around Thurston County

Sunday, Jan. 5

The Oly Mountain Boys at Ilk Lodge: This local bluegrass institution is playing Sunday, Jan. 5, at the Ilk Lodge, which opened in April in the former Fish Tale Brew Pub. The show is from 6 to 9 p.m. at the lodge, which specializes in beer and smash burgers and is located at 515 Jefferson St. SE, Olympia.

Monday, Jan. 6

Public hearing on state’s updated housing codes: The Department of Commerce has filed draft rules (CR-102) to update Washington’s Administrative Codes (WAC) that seek to incorporate 24 housing-related bills passed into law between 2019 and 2024. These bills relate to housing, urban growth areas and rural planning, and the draft rules will support how local governments plan for affordable housing and increase residential density. This includes accessory dwelling units, tiny houses, design review, local project review, urban growth area swaps and infill development in limited areas of more intensive rural development. Together, the proposed rules will assist counties and cities in further implementing the Growth Management Act requirements through local comprehensive plans and development regulations. To participate, review the draft updates to WAC 365-196 and WAC 365-199 on the Commerce rulemaking page, then attend the virtual public hearing at 11 a.m. Jan. 6 to provide feedback on the draft rules. You also can submit written comments via email to Deborah Jacobs at deborah.jacobs@commerce.wa.gov by Jan. 13. Register to attend the public hearing on Zoom

Leonor R. Fuller Gallery hosts 14th annual Fine Art Postcard Exhibition: The annual Fine Art Postcard Exhibition returns to the Leonor R. Fuller Gallery at SPSCC’s Olympia campus for its 14th year from Jan. 6 to Feb. 7, with the theme “Forgotten Conversations”. The closing reception will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7. “The postcard theme is a sort of ‘ad-lib’ prompt to inspire our creative community,” said gallery director Sean Barnes. “Each year, those who visit the exhibition can vote on the following year’s theme, then I meet with the gallery committee to select one.” The exhibition will feature postcard-sized (4-inch-by-6-inch) original artworks created by artists of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, including SPSCC students, staff, and faculty. Works will be sold through a silent auction and proceeds will go towards supporting gallery programming. More information is available on the college’s Leonor R. Fuller Gallery page.

Wednesday, Jan. 8

Thurston County elected leaders present State of the Community address: The leaders of Thurston County unite to present the State of the Community Address at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8. Join Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder, Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sullivan, Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne, Yelm Mayor Joe DePinto, Tenino Mayor David Watterson, and Thurston County Commission Chair Tye Menser as they discuss critical topics including affordable housing, strategies to combat the housing crisis, fostering high-wage job creation, and establishing robust connections for youth to mental health services. The event is hosted by the Thurston County Chamber at the Norman Worthington Conference Center at Saint Martin’s University, 5300 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey. Register in advance for the event; admission, which includes a lunch buffet, is $35 for Chamber members and $40 for non-members.

Stories for Adults — Janus, the two-faced Roman God: Did you know that the month of January is named for Janus, the two-faced Roman God? That story and more on endings and beginnings in our lives will be told by master storytellers Anne Shimojima and Sandra Niman at the South Sound Story Guild gathering at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the Harbor House, 217 Thurston Ave NE, Olympia. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted.

Thursday, Jan. 9

Treble Voices for Peace new member orientation: Treble Voices for Peace, a branch of The Olympia Peace Choir, will hold a New Member Orientation/Rehearsal for those who sing in the treble range from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave. SE, Olympia. See more information about the choir on the Peace Choir’s webpage.

Adventure Series follows the footsteps of Marco Polo: Join National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita as he hosts a multi-media presentation following in the footsteps of Marco Polo, the greatest Western explorer of all time, on the 700th anniversary of his 13th century epic journey along the Silk Road from Italy to China. Marco Polo is credited with introducing the Eastern and Western hemispheres to each other through his stories of the cultures, arts, and landscapes of the people he met and the places he visited. The show begins at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $26 to $62 plus a service fee.

Sewing for Kids: Head to the Lacey Timberland Library meeting room for an introduction to basic sewing with a machine. The course, which runs from 4 to 5:30 p.m., will cover how the machine works and basic safety. After the demonstration, a limited number of sewing machines will be available for use. Those who arrive in time to get a sewing machine spot can bring their own project, or work on a simple project provided by the library. All supplies provided. The course is designed for ages 9-14; accompanying adults welcome. If multiple people are attending as a team that will just be using one sewing machine, please only register one person. If you’d like to bring your own machine from home to work on, please make arrangements by emailing nbell@trl.org. The library is at 500 College St. SE, Lacey.

City of Lacey History Talks! on the Evergreen Ballroom: The Evergreen Ballroom story is an immigrant story, a local community story, and a music lovers’ story. From the time it was constructed to the last day that music played there, the dance hall saw a number of people cross its stage who would go on to musical fame. In this presentation, Rebecca Sanchez, an educator and freelance writer, will cover her research from a series of local history articles. Join the 6:30 p.m. Thursday program in person at Lacey City Hall, 420 College St. SE, or register to attend online.

Olympia Junior League Informational Meet & Greet: Are you a woman looking for a way to make a meaningful impact in your community while building friendships and leadership skills? The Olympia Junior League invites you to an Informational Meet & Greet to learn more about the Junior League of Olympia, which is part of an international organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through effective action and leadership. The event runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Mercato Ristorante, 111 Market St. NE, Olympia. Light refreshments will be provided. No need to RSVP.

Friday, Jan. 10

Black Box Jazz with Nelda Swiggett & Megabopolis: Don’t miss the first installment of the Washington Center for the Performing Arts’ Black Box Jazz series for 2025 featuring women jazz musicians from the Pacific Northwest. Well-crafted arrangements and tight ensemble work produce a rich “mini-big band” sound from this high-energy jazz sextet’s three-horn front line. Megabopolis performs the melodic originals of award-winning composer and OA2 recording artist Nelda Swiggett. The band features some of Seattle’s finest jazz musicians who have collectively performed at many top clubs and festivals throughout the Northwest and beyond, including the Earshot Jazz Festival, Bumbershoot, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $32 to $39 plus a service fee. The Washington Center is at 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia.

Saturday, Jan. 11

Puzzle Party at the WET Science Center: Whether you’re a brainteaser beginner or a professional puzzler, this is the party for you. Give your brain some exercise by solving riddles and mazes, designing puzzle piece creatures, and creating puzzles of your own from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the WET Science Center, 500 Adams St. NE, Olympia. Admission is free and all ages are welcome.

Would you like to have your event included in our weekly What’s Happening calendar? Email the details to news@theolympian.com at least 10 days before the event. Please put What’s Happening in the subject line.

This story was originally published January 4, 2025 at 12:00 PM.