OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER

 Festivals & Events 

 

I am very fortunate that I get to work with many of the festivals and events that take place in Thurston County. I have learned that it is fifty-one weeks of planning and one to five days of chaos and fun. I'm very excited to see the vision of Tumwater City Administrator Joan Doan to host an event celebrating the history of Brewing in Tumwater come to fruition with the Tumwater Oktoberfest on September 7.

Elyse's Catering has put together a very fun "Brewer's Breakfast" to showcase the Schmidt Mansion and opportunity to meet past brew masters and employees from the Olympia Brewing Company. The breakfast will begin at 8am and include a hearty breakfast, tour of the Schmidt Mansion and grounds, a mini car show and a visit with Bob Grim who has worked at the Mansion for more than 55 years. He will lead a tour and share memories of the families who have lived there.

Additional Oktoberfest activities will take place from 4pm to 10pm at the Tumwater Valley Golf Course Driving Range. The Olympia Tumwater Foundation will have a display on the history of the Brewery and how beer was brewed at the Old Brew house. Olympia Beer will be on tap along with a variety of the region's best seasonal M�rzen and M�rzen-Oktoberfest brews, deep amber and well-aged, from regional and international brew masters.  Several local food vendors will provide a good sampling of German food. A costume, stein holding and table decorating contest will take place. Live music including rock and German bands will provide enough oompah for you to enjoy. The amazing Jeff Evans will provide strolling magic to entertain you. Corey Lopardi will be on hand to capture people sharing their memories of the Brewery on video for future use in sharing Tumwater's Brewing history. 

 

 

Tumwater's Oktoberfest in September is no mistake. In fact, September is the traditional month to begin sampling and celebrating the bounty of autumn brews. Tumwater's pioneering brewer, Leopold Schmidt, learned the craft in Worms, Germany during the late 1870s, making the Oktoberfest theme a perfect celebration of Tumwater's heritage.

Several of our hotels have created a special Oktoberfest package so plan to come visit and stay Friday and Saturday nights. I hope to see you there. If you would like to volunteer or want more information please visit www.tumwateroktoberfest.com. 

Habor Days always signals the end of summer and transition to fall and school being back in session. It takes place this weekend at Percival Landing and features more than 20 Tugboats, 100 Arts and Crafts Vendors and many places to fill your tummy.  While you are visiting Harbor Days and Percival landing be sure to vote for your favorite Plinth project. What is a Plinth-check it out here. Voting has been extended to September 3 at noon.  

  

Thumbs Up!

 

 

 

George Sharp

Executive Director

georgesharp@visitolympia.com  

 

 P.S. In our last enewsletter I received several additional comments of what should be on the Thurston County Bucket List. They include: Downtown Olympia, Archibald Sisters, all of our historical homes and the Capital Museum. Thanks for reading our enewsletter and sharing your thoughts with me. Much appreciated! 

In 1973, the first Olympia Harbor Days took place. What is Harbor Days? It is an annual Labor Day weekend festival dedicated to the celebration of maritime heritage, which began as a gathering of tugboaters and a small showing of artists along Percival Landing in Olympia, Washington. It has grown to be one of the South Sound's largest and most loved festivals, with nearly 30 tugboats, and over 120 arts & crafts booths. The crown jewel of Olympia Harbor Days is the race, where tugboats compete with one another based on engine size. As these small but powerful boats race for the finish line, the excitement and competition is high. (And so is the wake they leave behind.) Only homeowners on the deep channel of South Puget Sound or boaters can watch this yearly challenge, but as the tugs return to the dock, news spreads of who won or what dramatic race took place. Whether you're a boating enthusiast, or simply someone in search of a tasty trip down Food Alley and a relaxed saunter along the dock, Olympia Harbor Days has something in store for you. See you there!

 
   

  

  

Brats, Brews & Bands-September 13th & 14th

 

 

The Gateway Rotary Club is the newest club in Thurston County, and will be 2 years old at Festival time.  Rotary is an international service club, open to all, whose purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.  Gateway Rotary meets Wednesday mornings for breakfast.  We will have an information booth at the festival, or visit our website at www.GatewayRotary.net. You can also email us at info@BratsBrewsandBands.com  

 

The Brats, Brews & Bands Festival is our first major fundraiser.  Proceeds from the festival will be donated to selected charities.  Your generosity will make an immediate difference to the charitable organizations that Gateway Rotary is supporting. The festival runs on Friday, September 13 from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm and Saturday, September 14, from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm.

 

The goal of our Festival is to have high quality Brats, great Brews, and wonderful Bands.  To that end, we are diligently working to bring you the finest of each, and will post information as it is confirmed.  We are also having a raffle - prizes include a side of beef, a weekend get-away at Lucky Eagle Casino, and other great prizes.  Tickets are $1.00 each.

 

We have made arrangements at the nearby Red Lion Hotel for reduced room rates.  Please drink responsibly - don't drink and drive.  Free coffee and soft drinks are available for designated drivers.

 

Tokens will be sold during the festival, and those can be used to purchase brews, brats, pretzels, potato salad, and soft drinks.  Other food is available from food vendors for cash.  There is an ATM on site.

 

  

  

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