What’s happening this week around Thurston County
Sunday, May 18
Lacey Spring Fun Fair: This annual event continues from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 18, on the campus of Saint Martin’s University in Lacey. Admission to the fair and all of the fun activities, attractions, live entertainment and rides is free. There will be food and items available for purchase in the vendor area. There is limited free parking available at the event. Free shuttles will be operating at South Sound Center (521 Sleater Kinney Road SE, Lacey) every 15 minutes, taking you to and from the fair. Highlights include: Kids’ World, in the Marcus Pavilion, with booths for making crafts, playing games, face painting, solving puzzles, bubbles and more; bounce houses and inflatable obstacle courses, the Circus Train, carnival rides, and Police and Fire vehicles; live entertainment by local musicians; and a Car Show.
South Sound Studio Tour: The self-guided studio tour of local artists’ workspaces runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. This self-guided tour lets you step inside local studios, meet talented artists, and experience creativity in action across Olympia, Tumwater, and Lacey. Admission is free. Learn more at southsoundstudiotour.org
Capital City Marathon: The 2025 Capital City Marathon in Olympia will take place on Sunday, May 18. The event includes a marathon, half marathon and five-mile race, plus a free kids run at the end of the day. The marathon start time is 7 a.m., the half marathon starts at 7:45 a.m., and the five-mile race begins at 8 a.m. on Washington Street at Sylvester Park, and the course winds through the city. Register on the marathon website.
Colvin Ranch Day: Colvin Ranch in Thurston is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Natural Resources Conservation Service conservation easement with a public celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the ranch, 16816 Old Highway 99 SE, Tenino. They will offer tours of the ranch, present awards to their partners, provide box lunches, and NRCS will lead wildflower walks. Learn more on the ranch’s blog.
Peace Choir’s final concert of the season: The Olympia Peace Choir, the Olympia Peace Singers and Treble Voices for Peace, recipients of Olympia’s Inspire Olympia Grant 2024-2025, will gather to perform their final concert of the season, Music in the Park, on Sunday, May 18, from noon until 2 pm, at Thomas W. Huntamer Park, 618 Woodland Square Loop, Lacey. Picnics encouraged. Admission is free and concerts are family friendly.
Monday, May 19
20th Annual SPSCC Student Art Exhibition: South Puget Sound Community College’s art faculty selects outstanding work created by students in studio art classes during the 2024-25 year. Those works include ceramics, drawing, painting, printmaking, digital photography, mixed media, 2D and 3D design exercises, and sculpture. Those works will be on display at the Leonor Fuller art gallery at SPSCC’s Minnaert Center for the Arts from May 19 to June 13. A continuous slide show of student work is also included in the exhibition. An opening reception is planned for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 23 at the gallery.
Tuesday, May 20
Squaxin Park partial closure for tree removal: On Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21, city of Olympia parks staff will be working on hazard trees in Squaxin Park. The east side of the park, including the northbound entrance/exit and bridge over East Bay Drive, will be closed to vehicle traffic from the morning hours until afternoon, reopening by 4 p.m. Tuesday and noon Wednesday. Pedestrians and bike traffic may enter the park, but are asked to use caution and pay special attention to parks staff near the park bridge, Rose Garden, and maintenance shops. The southbound entrance, lower (west) parking lots, and Flora Vista trailhead parking, as well as all walking trails, will remain open and unaffected.
Tenants’ rights workshop: Head to the Olympia Timberland Library from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday for a special presentation about tenants’ rights in Olympia and Washington state. Learn how to protect your rights from the legal experts at Northwest Justice Project. There will be time for questions and answers during and after the presentation. Admission is free and the program is open to all. The library is at 313 Eighth Ave. SE.
Wednesday, May 21
Affordable housing community gathering: The City of Olympia and Council of Neighborhood Associations are co-hosting an opportunity for community members to learn and talk about housing affordability in Olympia. The conversation takes place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, in Olympia City Hall Council Chambers, 601 Fourth Ave. E. Attendees will learn about the issue of housing affordability in the community and the actions the city and its partners are taking to address that challenge. Participants will be invited to talk with others in small groups about how neighborhoods and community members are impacted, and explore how the city and broader Olympia community can further address housing affordability. City staff will collect input to inform what solutions move forward for further analysis and possible consideration by the City Council. Caregivers are welcome to bring children. If you would benefit from a special accommodation, contact the City two days or sooner in advance of the meeting. Participants also can join through Zoom.
Saturday, May 24
Women of Note concert “Snewíyalh tl’a Staḵw — Teachings of the Water”: In 2022, Women of Note choral director Elizabeth Berndt chanced upon the music video of “Snewíyalh tl’a Staḵw” (“Teachings of the Water”) when researching music for Women of Note. The music was the fruit of a three-year collaboration with a Canadian women’s choir and First Nations, conceived by co-curator and ethnomusicologist Dr. Jeanette Gallant. The collaboration was inspired by the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, a guideline for beginning to repair the wrongs done to the First Nation People. The music commissioned by director Morna Edmundson was a five-movement a cappella work in the Squamish language, which was recorded and released by her Elektra women’s choir. Indigenous educator and musician Tsitsáyxemaat (Rebecca Duncan) gifted the texts on behalf of her people; T. Patrick Carrabré, a Métis musician and composer who was adopted and grew up without knowledge of his heritage, contributed the musical pitches and their general rhythmic profile. Women of Note will perform the work at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 24, at Gull Harbor Lutheran Church, 4610 Boston Harbor Road NE, Olympia, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 25, at St. David Episcopal Church, 324 W. Cedar St., Shelton. Admission is free and there are no advance tickets required. Donations gratefully appreciated.
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.