Registration for Olympia Fall Arts Walk on October 2 & 3 opens July 1!
Ready to be part of Fall Arts Walk this October? Now is the time for artists and downtown businesses to connect!
Sign up your venue and event listings at ArtsWalkOly.com, or apply for a booth space as an Artist Vendor and sell your original artwork at the Arts Market, located at Percival Landing. Registration opens online July 1 - 31!
TWO MORE DAYS! |Traffic Box Voting Open through June 30!
Olympia's Traffic Box Wrap Project turns traffic boxes found on sidewalks & street corners into a collection of public art pieces.
Help choose the 2026 Traffic Box Wraps by submitting your vote on Engage Olympia. There are 100 wraps to choose from submitted by local artists of all ages. NOTE: You must be registered on Engage Olympia to participate. If you already have an Engage Olympia account, please sign in. If not, you will have to create an account.
Join us at Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation for some great classes!
To register or for more information, please click the link after each class, call 360-753-8380 or stop by to see us at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia Street NW, Olympia.
Performing Arts & Dance
Creative Contemporary Dance, Jul 6-Aug 24
RakasaFit Core Fitness Belly Dance, Jul 6-Aug 31
Intermediate/Advanced Belly Dance, Jul 6-Aug 31
Sensory Friendly Toddler Dance Class, Jul 7-Aug 25
Sensory Friendly Creative Dance Class, Jul 7- Aug 25
Blues Ukulele, Jul 15-Aug 12
Discover Voice Overs!, July 18
Guitar II, Jul 23-Aug 6
Yes, You Can Play the Ukulele! Part 2, Aug 1-29
All About Guitar Chords, Aug 13
K-pop Dance, Aug 22
Visual Arts, & Crafts
Life Drawing, Jul 1-15
Gelli Plate Mono Printing, Jul 6-Aug 10
Palette Knife Painting with Acrylics, Jul 11
Painting People and Faces, July 16-Aug 20
Advanced Drawing, July 16-Aug 20
Suminagashi - Floating Ink Collage, Jul 18
Alcohol Ink, Jul 25
Oil Painting II, Jul 25-Aug 29
Glass Mosaic Workshop, Jul 25
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Read The Park
A community literacy and storytelling event designed to bring families and residents together for shared reading, poetry, oral history, and cultural storytelling. This event fosters a love of literacy while creating space for stories that reflect the lived experiences of the community.
Activities Include: community book readings, youth literacy activities, poetry and spoken word, cultural storytelling, and educational interpretation of Black pioneer history in Olympia.
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Saturday, July 18 11am-3pm
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Rebecca Howard Park, 911 Adams St SE Olympia WA 98501
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Cost: Free
Oly AHA First Friday: Women's Suffrage with the Olympia Historical Society
To celebrate America's birthday, the Olympia Historical Society joins Oly AHA as our First Friday featured guest, sharing the story of women's suffrage in Olympia. Expect period dress and fun facts about our city's civic history!
Visitors who attend this First Friday feature can pick up discounted tickets to the Bigelow House Museum.
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Friday, July 3, 4-7pm
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Olympia AHA Museum & Visitor Center, 203 Columbia St NW, Olympia
Upcoming Events
Recommended by Asian Pacific Islanders Coalition of South Puget Sound (APIC SPS)
Summer Events At The Carpenter's House
Summer is in full swing, and July is packed with art, music, creativity, and community at The Carpenter's House! 212 Legion Way SW, Olympia. Home to 23 local artists, our gallery is a place to discover new work, connect with creatives, and experience the incredible talent that makes Olympia so special.
First Friday Artist in the House - July 3
Join us for a special First Friday where you can meet the artists of The Carpenter's House one-on-one. Explore fresh artwork, hear the stories behind the pieces, and spend time with the makers, dreamers, and creatives who call this gallery home. If you've ever wanted to connect directly with local artists, this is your night.
Artist Showcase - Friday July 10
We're honored to feature Linnie Hodge, our beloved abstract expressionist, in a dedicated evening celebrating her work and artistic journey. Come experience the energy, color, and emotion that have made her a favorite among collectors and art lovers alike.
Paint and Sip with Becky - Saturday July 11
Join house artist Becky Bump for an evening of fun! Becky will guide you through creating your own original painting in a fun, laid back, step by step class designed for all skill levels. All materials provided.
Lakefair at The Carpenter's House - July 15 - 19
Throughout Lakefair, we'll be bringing even more life into the gallery with live performances, local art, community connection, and plenty of reasons to stop in and stay awhile. Enjoy Campers Coffee, Sweet Lee's Ice Cream, Live Performances By Ukerazy and 23 Local Artists.
Monday at the Eagles -- the Boss Tenors
BOSS TENORS returns to The Olympia for an evening of straight-ahead, saxophone-driven jazz. Featuring two tenor saxophones, Hammond B3 organ, and drums, the group brings a powerful, soulful sound rooted in the classic jazz tradition. "Warning: Extreme soulful, nasty, bebop, groove ahead!"
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Monday, June 29th, 7 - 9:30pm
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The Eagles Social Club, 4th and Plum
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$15 - $35 suggested
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All ages welcome until 9pm
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The Eagles Social Club welcomes Eagles members and their guests. Be our guest for the evening.
Newsletter Roundup
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Museum & Visitor Center Front Desk Docent
The Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance is seeking volunteers to support the OlyAHA! Museum & Visitor Center. Volunteering at the Olympia AHA Museum is a chance to learn and share Olympia's stories, to build connections in the community, to gain museum and customer service experience, and to be a part of something local, vital and lasting. Our volunteers are the face of the Olympia AHA Museum. They greet guests, share stories, and connect visitors to the best of Olympia.
As a volunteer you will:
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Welcome and assist visitors
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Interpret exhibitions
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Sell merchandise
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Help visitors to discover Olympia's arts, heritage, and cultures
We're looking for committed volunteers who are enthusiastic about Olympia's arts, cultures and history.
Our volunteer team is:
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Friendly, welcoming, and professional
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Comfortable learning point-of-sale and scheduling tools
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Reliable, cooperative, and ready to assist visitors
Volunteer Experience
Volunteers work in pairs at our front desk for three- or four-hour shifts. Volunteers can expect seasonal appreciation events and ongoing learning opportunities!
Olympia Family Theater
Front of House Volunteers needed. No experience necessary!
Shifts available for ushering, selling concessions, and selling raffle tickets during performances.
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May 14-June 7, 2026
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Time commitment is usually under 4 hours.
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Thursday/Friday at 6pm, Saturday/Sunday at 2pm
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Must pass a background check.
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Please contact Tracy at [email protected].
Volunteer at the Thurston County Museum of Fine Arts
TCMoFA is currently looking for volunteers to help support our organization in upcoming programming. The museum is a volunteer operated project run on the passion, commitment, and enthusiasm of local artists and arts organizers. We are seeking volunteers for front desk shifts and flyering in Olympia. To apply visit our website tcmofa.org
Step Onto the Team: Volunteer at the Olympia-Lacey Fan Zone
The Summer of Soccer is approaching, and the Olympia-Lacey Fan Zone needs a great volunteer crew to help make it happen!
We're looking for volunteers to welcome fans, support activities, and help create an unforgettable experience for our community.
Volunteer roles include:
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Check-In Crew
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Beverage Sales/ ID Check/ Info Crew (must be 21+)
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Bartending Crew
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Set-up Crew
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Breakdown Crew
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Tidy Up Crew
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Green Room Crew
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Wherever needed!
Help us welcome visitors and neighbors to this once-in-a-generation experience at the Olympia-Lacey Fan Zone.
**All Volunteers will receive an exclusive Olympia-Lacey Fan Zone T-Shirt**
Olympia Historical Society
If you have an interest in local history, please consider becoming a volunteer with the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. We have a variety of roles to fill, including tour guides for the museum's Sunday afternoon open hours (1:00pm-4:00pm), groundskeeping at monthly Saturday morning work parties, and committee work for our Education, Bigelow House Operations, and Events (annual historic homes tour and spring fundraiser) committees.
To learn more, please email us at [email protected].
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The ARCH Digest is a summary of Arts, Culture and History happenings in the greater Olympia area, submitted by the community. Please turn in ArCH Digest listings to [email protected].
Deadline Monday morning, 8 a.m.
If you know of anyone who would like to receive the City of Olympia Arts & Culture news, which includes a weekly ArCH Digest, direct them here and have them mark the Arts & Culture box.
Disclaimer: Information in the Arts Digest is not vetted through the City, nor is it endorsed by the City. The reader is solely responsible for checking background on any opportunity listed above.
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Contact
Stephanie Johnson, Arts Program Manager
Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation
360.709.2678
[email protected]
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