Join us in-person or online for this hybrid event on Thursday, May 14, 2026!

Location:

• Lacey City Hall Council Chambers, 420 College St SE. Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
• Online via Zoom (registration required)

Program Description

Anna Schlecht, co-founder of Capital City Pride, will share the history of how a small group of people brought Pride to Olympia, the first small town Pride outside the relative safety of a big city in the PNW. In spite of the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969, most of small-town America was still an unsafe place for LGBTQ people for years. In the 1970s and 1980s, many folks travelled to big cities like Seattle or San Francisco for Pride. In 1991, a small group of community-based Olympia & Lacey activists joined some Evergreen students to change that. They realized Pride meant nothing if it couldn’t be held in the small towns we call home. Together, they organized the first march and rally, launching the first small town Pride in the PNW, still thriving today. 

Speaker Bio

Anna Schlecht showed up in Olympia with a backpack & a guitar back in 1976. With hair big enough to see from outer space, Schlecht came to the Left Coast in search of people who were dedicated to social justice. Once in Olympia, Schlecht realized that she was really looking for the LGBTQ community.

While she didn’t come for college, she ultimately attended Evergreen, earning an undergraduate degree and a master’s in public administration. Later on, she worked for the City of Olympia, doing affordable housing & homeless services for 40 years. Schlecht was involved in founding the Olympia Food Co-op; founded Matrix, a feminist lesbian magazine; helped to pass 25 local LGBTQ rights laws as well as Statewide and national LGBTQ rights laws.

In the past 50 years, Schlecht has been involved in raising hell on a range of social justice issues. Now 50 years later, Schlecht still lives in Olympia and raises the kind of hell that’s easier on the knees and back. 

You're Invited!

Come celebrate the grand opening of the Lacey Museum’s new location on

Saturday, June 13th from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.



Join us for a ribbon cutting, activities, live music, and light refreshments.

The Great Lacey Adventure is back!!!

Join us for the ultimate scavenger hunt adventure, Lacey edition, on Saturday, July 25th!

Teams are encouraged but not required. Maximum of 6 people per team. All participants must be pre-registered online to participate. Minors must be registered and accompanied by a registered parent or guardian.

Each participant or team will receive a mission packet with everything you need to embark on your journey. Once you’ve successfully tackled five missions, it’s time to head to the first checkpoint. Here, our friendly staff will review your mission card, marking your progress.

After five missions, make your way to the designated checkpoints in sequence, culminating at our grand finale back at the Lacey Museum. This is where our team will record your final time and present you with the official stamp of completion. An event-exclusive medal, as well as a Lacey Museum tumbler will be awarded to the first 10 people that finish.

For more information, please visit LaceyMuseum.org. Registration opens May 20th!

Creativity Corner

There is nothing like the blooming of trees in spring in the Northwest! Join us at the Lacey Museum in May to make your own blooming cherry blossom tree. Visit us Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This activity is free and for all ages - adults and kids alike. Children 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Interested in serving as a Lacey Historical Commission member?

The City of Lacey is recruiting for one unexpired term on the Historical Commission. The term expires on September 13, 2027. Applicants must reside within the Lacey City Limits or Urban Growth Area.

The Lacey Historical Commission provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources. The Commission guides the creation of public education and interpretive programs, encourages preservation of items and properties of historical significance, and reviews nominations to the Lacey Register of Historic Places.

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