What’s happening this week around Thurston County
Sunday, March 2
SOGO Winter Concert: Immerse yourself in an afternoon of orchestra music performed by the Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia. On the program are Franz von Suppe’s Pique Dame Overture performed by the Conservatory Orchestra, followed by the colorful rhythms of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol. The concert, which also will feature the Brass Choir and Academy and Philharmonic orchestras, will showcase of over 160 talented young musicians from across the South Sound region. The concert begins at 4 p.m. at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $8 to $24 plus a service fee, with youth 6 and younger admitted free.
Tuesday, March 4
Public invited to Port of Olympia Sediment Sampling in Budd Inlet: The Port will host a Public Observation Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, with educational boat tours for Evergreen State College students and dockside viewing for the public when they will take sediment samples from the bay. This will allow attendees up-close observation of the sampling and research crew in action directly from the Port Plaza Pier. Port staff and environmental team members will be on site to answer questions and engage with the community about the project. More details about the Public Observation Day are available on the Port’s website. The sediment samples will provide insight into the breadth, depth and concentration of contamination and inform how much sediment may be impacted.
Thursday, March 6
History Talk on Generationally Linked Archaeology in the Region: Noted anthropologist and archaeologist Dr. Dale Croes has spent over 40 years studying Northwest Coast basketry and cordage. He and Salishan Master Basketmaker Ed Carriere have co-authored a book on Salish Sea basketry which traces the evolution of traditional Northwest Coast basketmaking from thousands of years ago to contemporary times. Croes will explain how basketry offers a tangible connection to the past. The talk begins at noon Thursday at the Schmidt House, 330 Schmidt Place SW, Tumwater. Attendance is free. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.; seating is on a first come, first seated basis until the room reaches capacity. Attendees may each bring one basket for Dr. Croes to identify after the talk. Also available for sale will be the Croes/Carriere book on the history of basketry.
Friday, March 7
Annual Non-Profit Rummage and Estate Sale: First United Methodist Church Olympia, 1224 Legion Way SE, is hosting this sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. All proceeds will be donated to local non-profit organizations.
Menopause the Musical 2: Cruising through ‘The Change’: The comedy sequel to the hit “Menopause The Musical” is here! Five years after their chance encounter in a department store, the show’s beloved ladies set out for more high jinks on the high seas, accompanied by a new soundtrack of toe-tapping parodied hits from the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $43 to $85.
The Cat Film Festival: Paws, claws, and cinematic applause! The Seventh Annual NY Cat Film Festival is the place to be for cat lovers and it’s coming to Olympia’s Capitol Theater on Friday night. The 90-minute show screens at 7 p.m. Friday, doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets at $16.25 general admission, and $13.25 for Olympia Film Society members, with 10% of your ticket going to Olympia’s Feline Friends nonprofit. The films are appropriate for humans of all ages.
Saturday, March 8
Standup comedy by Olympia’s Gabriel Rutledge: Get ready for a night of laughter as Olympia native Gabriel Rutledge returns to The Washington Center for his 10th year. After a year of touring across the country, Rutledge is back to bring his unique humor and charm to his hometown audience. He’s claimed victory in prestigious competitions like the Seattle International Comedy Competition and the Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta. The show also features Jess Everett, who placed in the top 3 of this year’s Seattle International Comedy Competition. The show starts at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $34.50 and $19.50, or $75 for a VIP experience.
Olympia’s Saturday Recycling Drop-off Site opens for the season: The City of Olympia’s Saturday Drop-Off Site opened the season on March 1 at 1000 10th Ave. SE, off Eastside Street. The site will be open every Saturday through Nov. 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It accepts scrap metal, yard debris and traditional recyclables. Olympia residents may bring grass, garden clippings, prunings, brambles, brush, and branches. Wood is also acceptable as long as it is untreated and unpainted (nails are okay). Rates are assessed on load size and type of material; pay by cash, check or card. Customers are required to unload their own vehicles. The site accepts clean, non-appliance scrap metal for free, but all plastic must be removed, and no appliances, propane tanks, paint cans or batteries are accepted.
Magma-nificent Volcanos at the WET Science Center: Did you know Washington has five active volcanoes, all of which have erupted in the past 200 years? Many local students practice lahar drills in school, just in case! Head to Olympia’s WET Science Center, 500 Adams St. NE, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday for activities that are sure to make you “lava” these explosive geological features. Admission is free and appropriate for all ages.
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 March 1, 2025 at 12:31 PM.