What’s happening this week around Thurston County
Sunday, Nov. 17
Olympia Symphony Orchestra presents Orchestra Games: The symphony’s family-friendly concert introduces the instruments of the orchestra in a fun, Olympic-style format. This educational performance will showcase the capabilities and personalities of the various strings, woodwinds, and brass, with the percussion section as judges and a narrator as the official. The concert concludes with a delightful performance of classic video game music from Super Mario! The concert’s run time is approximately 50 minutes with no intermission. Sunny Xia will be the guest conductor. The concert begins at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia, but come at 2 p.m. when the Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia (SOGO) will host an instrument petting zoo where you can try out different instruments before the show. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for youth, and kids 5 and younger get in free. Ticket prices do not include the Washington Center service fee of $6/adult $4/youth & kids.
Monday, Nov. 18
Deadline for 2025 Arts Walk Cover Artist applications: Each year two artists are selected and commissioned by the city of Olympia to create a new, original work of art to be featured in the Arts Walk poster and other event publications. One artist is highlighted for each the fall and spring events. Selected artists receive $750 to create a new work, and are featured through in-studio interviews, the city’s website and social media platforms, and event marketing and publications. Online applications are due by 11:45 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18. For more information, visit the city’s Arts Walk Cover Art webpage.
Wednesday, Nov. 20
Thurston County Fix-it Fair: Thurston County Solid Waste and the Lacey MakerSpace are hosting a Fix-it-Fair where volunteers help repair broken items such as toasters, jewelry, clothing, bicycles, or lamps for free. This event helps prevent items from ending up in landfills and encourages a shift from a throwaway culture to a more sustainable economy. The fair runs from 3-6 p.m. Wednesday at Lacey MakerSpace on the Saint Martin’s University Campus in Zaverl Hall, Building 5, Baran Drive SE, Lacey. Learn more about this event or register to participate at thurstonsolidwaste.org/fixit or call 360-867-2491. Questions? Reach out to ThurstonSolidWaste@co.thurston.wa.us.
Thursday, Nov. 21
Olympia World Affairs Council’s speaker series: This month’s topic will be “Energy Revolution in Europe“ with Edith Bayer from the Oregon Department of Energy, and a former energy policy analyst at the International Energy Agency. What will it take for the US and Europe to achieve climate neutrality by 2025? The gathering will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Lacey SPSCC Campus, 4220 Sixth Ave SE, Lacey. For more information, visit the OWAC website.
Public comment deadline for DNR’s Outdoor Access and Responsible Recreation Strategic Plan: The Washington Department of Natural Resources is asking Washingtonians to comment on its first statewide recreation strategic plan. The Outdoor Access and Responsible Recreation (OARR) Strategic Plan will guide the management of recreation and impacts to natural and cultural resources on DNR-managed lands. View a pdf of the draft plan on the DNR webpage. Public comment for the plan is open until Nov. 21, and can be submitted on a special comment page that includes a survey and a space for open comments. More detailed information and documents about the Plan and engagement to date can be found at dnr.wa.gov/staterecplan.
Seattle International Comedy Competition: The Washington Center is hosting Seattle International Comedy Competition’s semi-final round again this year. Up to 10 comedians will face off as they compete to advance in the competition. Recommended for ages 18+. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the center, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $25 to $45.
Saturday, Nov. 23
Preparing for Winter with the WET Science Center: For people in Washington, prepping for winter might mean grabbing your winter coat from storage or putting antifreeze in your car. But for many animals, it means months of preparation. They build up food stores, pack on fat, construct winter dens, and more. Come learn all about it during activities 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.
Arbutus Folk School Craft Market Fundraiser: The market will run 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Arbutus, 705 Fourth Ave. E, Olympia. Artists from the Arbutus staff will offer unique handmade items such as scarves, prints, bags, goggles, cards, pottery, decorative tiles, vases, cutting boards, books, ornaments, games, masks, and more. Arbutus also will offer gift certificates for community classes in ceramics, woodworking, fiber arts, and more. Proceeds will go to paid staff, scholarships and outreach, tools and equipment, and increased class offerings.
Sunday, Nov. 24
Interfaith Works hosts “Resetting Our Sacred Table -- Building Bridges of Understanding”: Interfaith Works is a community of 30+ local spiritual communities and affiliated organizations that represent a diverse profile of traditions, perspectives and cultures seeking social justice and peace through interfaith understanding and cooperation. IW invites everyone to join “Resetting Our Sacred Table,” an annual, autumnal celebration of community, culture, and music. This event has transformed in recent years from a more traditional Thanksgiving celebration to one that recognizes the lesser known and often ignored historical experiences of Indigenous peoples. This year we welcome and celebrate the Squaxin Island Tribe as we explore the theme “Building Bridges of Understanding,” in a time when connection and understanding across differences is needed more than ever. The event will be hosted by First United Methodist Church at 1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. This is a family-friendly event that is free to the public. To learn more about the event and see a downloadable flyer, go to https://www.interfaith-works.org/events.html.
Would you like to have your event included in our weekly What’s Happening listing? Email the details to news@theolympian.com at least 10 days before the event. Please put What’s Happening in the subject line.
