What’s happening this week around Thurston County
Sunday, Nov. 16
Harvest hygge potluck: Join this fall harvest potluck being hosted by Slow Food Greater Olympia and Our Community Kitchen from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, at Our Community Kitchen, 4419 Harrison Ave, Suite 104, Olympia. The potluck is designed to strengthen connections to the people who love to prepare, grow, and appreciate food from our local community and region — from home cooks and gardeners to appreciative eaters. Bring a seasonal dish that celebrates the fall season and that you turn to for comfort or make to offer comfort to others. Admission is free, but RSVP on eventbrite so organizers know how many people to expect.
Rachel Corrie Foundation encourages participation in solidarity fast: During the week of Nov. 16-22, Bisan, the Palestinian Youth Movement, parents, caregivers, and friends will launch a solidarity fast to bring attention to the genocidal starvation of the people of Gaza by Israel. The demands of the people fasting and their supporters are an immediate flow of aid into Gaza, an immediate arms embargo on Israel and the end to genocide. The Parents Fast is ongoing, and is happening in different cities on different dates. There will be a kickoff event in west Olympia from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at West Central Park, 1919 Harrison Ave NW. The foundation asks that participants bring donations for Thurston County Food Bank, including diapers and feminine hygiene products.
Tuesday, Nov. 18
Pizza and Politics -- Preparing to Engage in the 2026 Legislative Session: Get ready for the 2026 Washington State Legislative Session by attending this interactive civics workshop with Michael Bowman from the Office of the Secretary of State’s Civic Engagement Program and Corey Paulson from Teach with TVW. The free event will take starting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Olympia Timberland Library, 313 Eighth Ave. SE. Bowman and Paulson will demystify how state government works and provide the tools to understand, track and engage with the legislative process.
SPSCC invites community to “Lumination -- Light as Medicine”: South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) invites the community to its upcoming event, “Lumination: Light as Medicine”, a collaboration between SPSCC’s Art Department and Mental Health Counseling Services with support from the Office of Student Life and the SPSCC Mental Health Promotion Committee. The event will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 18, and Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on SPSCC’s Olympia Campus in Building 27, Room 119. Demonstrations and giveaways will be featured from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. Visitors will experience a gallery showcasing student artwork that examines how light influences wellness, including sculptures created in the classrooms of SPSCC Art Professors Joe Batt and Liza Brenner and poetry from the classroom of SPSCC English Professor Kathleen Byrd. Alongside the art exhibits, faculty from the SPSCC’s Mental Health Counseling Services will lead interactive sessions that explain how human biology evolved in relationship with sunlight and why light is essential for maintaining health. Attendees will learn about SPSCC’s new clinical-grade light therapy devices to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and experience demonstrations of alternative devices such as a light visor that delivers blue-enriched light.
O Christmas Tea -- A British Comedy: Grab your teacups and ring in the holiday season with fun, frivolity, mirth, and merriment at this show at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Reminiscent of classic British pantos, and blending physical comedy, wordplay, and clever interactive elements, James & Jamesy’s latest theatrical effort will appeal to fans of Monty Python, Mr. Bean, and Dr. Seuss. Tickets are $52-$82 for adults, $38-$68 for students.
Thursday, Nov. 20
Olympia Garden Club: Visitors are invited to the next meeting on Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1925 Boulevard Road SE, Olympia. Gathering begins around 9:30 a.m. with social time to view horticulture/design displays and purchase plants donated by members. Business meeting begins at 10 a.m. and includes reports on club projects. Thayne and Peggy Bryenton, owners of the Evergreen Valley Lavender Farm in Olympia, will present the program. They will discuss varieties and growing techniques of lavender, and products that can be created from lavender. For more information on garden club activities, visit www.olympiagardenclub.org.
Olympia World Affairs Council Speaker Series: “Justice Beyond Borders -- International Efforts to End Nuclear Weapons” is the topic being addressed by Joanne Dufour, a participant in major UN conferences on nuclear disarmament. She will discuss how leading international institutions work together to address the risks posed by nuclear weapons. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Lacey campus of South Puget Sound Community College, 4220 Sixth Ave SE. Come at 6 p.m. for a meet and greet. For more information, visit the OWAC website.
Saturday, Nov. 22
Deschutes Watershed Symposium: The public is invited to come together to learn more about restoration efforts across the Deschutes Watershed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at 2800 Dogtooth Lane NW, near the House of Welcome on The Evergreen State College campus in Olympia. The Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project will be featured in the morning presentation, which will include time for Q&A and discussion. While this event is free to attend, donations will be accepted for the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team (DERT) so it can continue offering educational and community-building opportunities.
Evergreen Resistance’s Absolutely Free Sharing Market: Leave your money at home -- it will do no good at this market, which will be held from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Thurston County Fairgrounds in Sokolik Hall, 3054 Carpenter Road SE, Lacey. This market will be kind of like a free piles you might see outside of someone’s house after they finished their spring cleaning. Only instead of one pile, it’s hundreds of piles, all in one place, and full of nice-quality, new-to-you items. No one exchanges any money — they just share what they no longer need or want, and take what they do. You can bring nearly anything: Just no broken/damaged items, opened food or toiletries, no large appliances or mattresses, and absolutely no weapons. Items left behind at the end of the day will be cleaned, sorted, and donated to various local charities. Early entry is available to COVID Cautious, foster families and SNAP and WIC recipients. Need more information? Email Oly-FreeMarket@proton.me.
Follow Your Flush + Tour: Think before you flush! Experiment with flushability and hands-on activities that teach the dos and don’ts of flushing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the WET Science Center, 500 Adams St. NE, Olympia. At 2 pm, join a tour of LOTT’s wastewater treatment plant and see what happens to water after it’s flushed. Tour participants must be 10 or older and wear closed-toe, closed-heel shoes. Admission is free.
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.