What’s happening this week around Thurston County
Sunday, Sept. 28
Urban birding tour with the Puget Sound Estuarium: This two-hour beginning bird watching tour will start at 9 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at the estuarium at 309 State Ave. NE, Olympia. Participants will get an introduction to using binoculars, learn about the local and migratory birds, and get info on current restoration projects. Guides will show you tips and tricks for spotting birds. You can test out different views through binoculars, monoculars, and scopes. A tablet adapter makes it easy for everyone to view birds together. Help collect data for scientific use and take home a list of local birds to keep an eye out for next time. The tour is a loop around downtown, stopping along the way to observe how birds have adapted to live in urban areas. You will also hear about how Olympia’s estuaries have changed, are changing, and the effect it has on birds. Cost of the tour is $18 for adults (those 13 and older); children participate for free.
Golden Ticket Candy Hunt: The Olympia Downtown Alliance has organized this event from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28. Customers can get one free piece of candy at each participating downtown location, plus the person who finds the Golden Ticket will receive a $100 Lolli Llama gift card. Participating businesses are Lolli Llama Candy, Buck’s Spices, Captain Little, Kindred Moon Apothecary, Lantern Records, Miso, Poppy Market, Psychic Sister, Radiance and Wayside Café.
Discover Olympia on foot with OlyAHA! Walking Tours: Get to know Olympia’s history, architecture, and stories in person with the OlyAHA Walking Tours, offered by the Olympia Arts + Heritage Alliance. These guided walks begin and end at the Olympia AHA Museum at 203 Columbia St. N., take under an hour, cover less than two miles on flat terrain, and cost just $10 per person. Tours are limited to 15 people, so early registration is recommended. Upcoming tour dates include 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 and 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4. For more details or to register, visit the OlyAHA website or contact info@olyaha.org.
Silent movie series returns to the Washington Center: The Silent Movie Series at the Washington Center kicks off Sept 28 with Charlie Chaplin’s “Gold Rush” with live organ accompaniment. This year, ticket prices for the Silent Movie Series have been reduced by 50% to just $20, so that even more families can discover and long-time fans can remember the magic of this unique art form. Films are shown just as they would have been 100 years ago, with live accompaniment on the center’s 100-year-old Wurlitzer played by house organist Dennis James. The Washington Center offers military, low-income family (LIFT), and student rush discounts. More information can be found at the center’s website or at the Box Office Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5:30 pm and Saturday noon to 4 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 29
Puget Sound Book Artists 14th Annual Members’ Exhibition: “Field Work” features 57 original artists’ books adn will be on view at the Daniel J. Evans Library at The Evergreen State College in Olympia from Sept. 29 to Dec. 12. Admission is free and and the exhibition is open to the public.
Week Without Driving: Intercity Transit and other local organizations are urging local residents to participate in Week with Driving. For nearly a third of people living in the United States, driving a car is not an option for their everyday life. Whether due to age, disability, or financial constraints, millions of people rely on walking, rolling, biking, or transit. Week Without Driving was created so that those with the ability to drive can learn about the barriers and challenges that nondrivers face. This challenge provides an opportunity for decision makers and community members to experience and empathize with those that don’t drive. Week Without Driving starts on Monday, Sept. 29 and will end on Sunday, Oct. 5. IT is encouraging people to take the pledge and try riding the bus, walking, or riding a bike instead of driving. For more information and to sign up, visit weekwithoutdriving.org.
Tuesday, Sept. 30
Tumwater Walk Audit: City staff and elected officials will host a walk audit from 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30. The route will begin at 930 Trosper Road SW and end at 5900 Littlerock Road SW. The walking tour is intended for those who want to learn about opportunities and challenges for pedestrians. It is part of the National Week Without Driving. Participants should wear comfy shoes, bring water, and dress for the weather. For more information, contact Alyssa Jones Wood at ajoneswood@ci.tumwater.wa.us.
Thursday, Oct. 2
History Talk at the Schmidt House: Ed Echtle, oral historian for Legacy Washington, will talk about his book “New Land,” which he co-authored with John Hughes. The book is a collection of conversations with Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian refugees who resettled in Washington, after Gov. Dan Evans opened Washington’s door, giving the refugees a new home. The talk begins at noon Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Schmidt House, 330 Schmidt Pl SW, Tumwater. Attendance is free. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. First come, first seated until room capacity is reached.
How To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient panel discussion: The organization Restoring Earth Connection will host a panel on How To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient. Experts in their fields will talk about the benefits of a home energy audit, insulation, weatherization, double pane windows, heat pump or solar panels, and other options. They also will cover federal tax credits that expire at the end of the year. After hearing the panel, people in attendance can talk in small groups to help you figure out a strategy and set priorities. The event will run from 6:30-8:30 pm Thursday, Oct. 2, at Traditions (Soul Café) at 300 Fifth Ave SW in downtown Olympia.
Learn about the Washington Center’s upgraded Assistive Listening System: The Washington Center for the Performing Arts has acquired new hearing devices powered by Auracast Bluetooth LE Audio that delivers sound directly to compatible hearing aids, earbuds, or external receivers. The center is hosting a special Assistive Listening Open House on Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. so guests can try out the new Auracast System during one of three live 15-minute demonstrations. Staff and volunteers will be available to help. Bring your Auracast-enabled hearing aids, a cell phone and Bluetooth earbuds or headphones, or borrow one of the free Auracast receivers and headsets (available on a first-come, first-served basis).
Friday, Oct. 3
Fall Arts Walk: Downtown Olympia will come alive during Fall Arts Walk, which runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4. This beloved seasonal event transforms streets and businesses into galleries and performance spaces, showcasing the talents of local and regional artists. Grab a map online at artswalkoly.com or pick one up at a participating location downtown. There will be more than 100 artist exhibits and events and live performances of music, dance, comedy, circus arts, and drama.A 6-block downtown street closure creates a pedestrian-friendly space where people can gather and engage in the Activity Area for hands-on all-ages activities or shop artist vendor booths at the Arts Market.
“Sylvester’s Window” at Olympia Timberland Library: Have you ever wondered about the paintings that wrap around the library walls? “Sylvester’s Window” is a nonprofit, educational art project, envisioned by creator Lynn Erickson and painted by artist Robert Chamberlain, that teaches local history through a series of eight cityscapes envisioned from a singular vantage point over time in downtown Olympia. Gather at the Library between 6 and 7:30 p.m. to enjoy the paintings and learn more about the history behind each tableau. Members of Olympia Historical Society/ Bigelow House Museum will be in attendance to share historical expertise and context. Art supplies will be available to create your own future vision of Olympia. The library is at 313 Eighth Ave SE.
The Land Remembers — An Indigenous Art Exhibition: The community is invited to experience “The Land Remembers,” an evocative new exhibition honoring the enduring relationship between Indigenous communities and the land. Opening on Oct. 3, the exhibit will be on view during Arts Walk and on selected dates throughout the month at the Thurston County Museum of Fine Arts, 120 Olympia Ave NE. The exhibition is centered on themes of land rematriation and reconnecting with the land. Each artist brings their own voice using a diverse range of materials, including bones, cedar, beadwork, ceramics, paintings, and poetry, to share their ancestral memories and current experiences.
Saturday, Oct. 4
Clean-Up, Drop-Off event at Tumwater City Hall: Safely discard expired prescription medications, donate non-perishable food and reusable grocery bags, shred personal documents, and recycle rechargeable devices and batteries at this free event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday in the Tumwater City Hall parking lot at 555 Israel Road. All you have to do is drive through the parking lot and remain in your vehicle. Volunteers will remove items from the trunk or back of a pick-up truck. To find out more about what will be accepted and what will not, visit the city of Tumwater’s webpage.
Walk for Parkinson’s -- Join the 2025 South Sound Optimism Walk: Gather your friends, family or coworkers and create a team, join a team, or walk as an individual to raise funds for the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA on Saturday, Oct. 4 at Woodland Creek Community Park, 6729 Pacific Ave. SE, Lacey. Check-in and pre-event activities begin at 10:30 a.m. The walk ceremony begins at noon and the walk immediately follows. For more information or to register, go to https://secure.qgiv.com/event/apdanwsouthsoundwalk25/
2025 Arbor Day Celebration in Olympia: Celebrate Arbor Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Heritage Park Fountain during Arts Walk. Enjoy kids’ activities, a native plant giveaway, community resources, the Ask-an-Arborist booth, and the “Friends of Trees” award recognition, plus learn about the City’s new Urban Forest Management Plan and share your ideas with staff.
Thurston County Furniture Bank: The nonprofit all-volunteer Thurston County Furniture Bank is open the first and third Saturdays of every month (as well as the following Wednesdays) from 9 a.m. to noon at 2121 Log Cabin Road SE, Olympia. The Furniture Bank building is at the back of the parking lot. Donations of gently used furniture are accepted. Pick up of donations within a limited geographical area (15 minutes from the building) can be arranged but usually takes 3-4 weeks. Those looking for furniture are welcome. For more information, go to bit.ly/furniturebankdonations
Autumn Art with Arbutus at the WET Science Center: Join Arbutus Folk School instructor Dannielle Swan for an art sculpting activity at noon, 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. at the WET Science Center, 500 Adams St. NE, Olympia. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission is free.
Olympia Tree Hugging Fest 2025: Celebrate PNW trees at the 2025 Tree Hugging Fest from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at Sylvester Park at Capitol Way and Legion Way. Listen to trees communicate through song -- and change their tune when you hug them. Connect with yogis, storytellers, poets and dancers. Build a bird nest. Learn to do vibrational yoga. Admission is free, but donations are 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.
This story was originally published September 27, 2025 at 12:00 PM.