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The magic of the season is calling! We’re thrilled to invite you back to the WSECU LoveOly Downtown for the Holidays, happening through December 24. With festive activities, dazzling lights, and unique gifts waiting for you, there’s no better time to experience the charm of Downtown Olympia.

Here’s how you can join the fun:

LoveOly Holiday Edition: Shop & Dine (Nov 29 - Dec 24):

Pick up or download your LoveOly passport at any participating shop or restaurant. For every $10 you spend, collect a sticker. Collect five stickers and redeem for a special LoveOly gift, like a power bank, travel mug, frosted votive holder or fanny pack. Supporting local has never been so rewarding—or so fun!

Holiday Lights and Décor:

Stroll through Downtown and soak in the sparkle of over a mile of garland and beautifully decorated storefronts.

Snowfall at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts:

Feel the magic of the season with a touch of winter wonder—right here in Olympia!

Nutcracker-Themed Selfie Scenes:

Capture your holiday memories with themed backdrops like the Land of Sweets, a Gingerbread House, and Winter Wonderland.

12 Days of Free Parking (Dec 12 - 24):

Enjoy free parking at 2- and 3-hour meters, thanks to the City of Olympia.

Salmon Projections on Goldberg Building:

When night falls over downtown Olympia, the Goldberg Building at 4th Avenue and Capitol Boulevard transforms into a canvas for Jill Carter’s projected mural. Collaborating with Dave Sederberg, Carter introduced the "Coho Ho’s," whimsical salmon in winter hats, projected onto the building with specialized high-powered LED lights. This year, projections include the CoHoHo Salmon and festive birds.

Make your holidays merry, bright, and local by being part of the fun. Whether you're shopping for the perfect gift, enjoying a festive meal, or simply soaking up the atmosphere, Downtown Olympia has it all.

Learn more

Olympia Artspace Alliance (OAA) announces “Hibernate”—a new exhibition by local artists that will be on view now through March 2025, in the windows of the Goldberg Building at Capitol Way at Fourth Avenue, downtown Olympia.

The exhibition features work from students at Tumwater Middle School, Olympia Waldorf School, Fine Arts Preschool at South Sound Dance and Grapeview School.

OAA invited teachers and their students to create an art installation celebrating the restful part of the seasonal cycle - we encourage you to think about home, shelter, comfort, cozy, peace, rejuvenate, or other themes around our season-long snooze.

Join OAA for an Opening Reception on December 6 at 6 pm, at the Goldberg Building, downtown Olympia at Capitol Way and Fourth Avenue.

Learn more

Oly on Ice returns to Isthmus Park in Olympia, offering a season of skating and winter fun from November 22 through January 20. Visitors of all ages are invited to enjoy the rink’s festive atmosphere, whether seasoned skaters or first-timers.

Ticket Options

Tickets are available online or on-site. Advance online purchases are recommended to secure a preferred time. On-site tickets are subject to availability; if the rink is full, guests will be offered the next available time slot. On-site purchases can be made via smartphone, cash, or credit card.

Learn More

"Paper Trails" celebrates paper as a material through a multitude of artistic applications. The exhibition features sculptural paper forms by Helga Winter, Paper-cuts by Nikki McClure from her recent publication Something About the Sky, a brand new Block Print series by Mimi Williams My Life in Trees, new Intaglio Prints by Lisa Sweet, and Sumi Paintings by Sun Watkins.

Now through January 5

Paper Trails - Fine Art and Craft Exhibition

Childhood's End Gallery

222 4TH AVE W

Olympia, WA 98501

Admission: FREE

Ballet Northwest’s Nutcracker has been a South Sound holiday tradition for 40 years. The production features professional sets, stunning costumes, 200 local dancers and guest artist Lucas Matzkin from the American Ballet Theatre School in New York. Join Clara and The Nutcracker on their magical journey through the battle scene between the mice and toys soldiers, the enchanting Kingdom of Snow, and the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Land of Sweets. 

Purchase tickets here.

Community organizations will include:

Wolf Haven International

Fossilized Fun Education and Entertainment

Puget Sound Museum of Natural History

Olympia Surfrider Foundation chapter

Department of Ecology, Water Quality Program

Center for Natural Land Management

Washington Native Plant Society - South Sound Chapter

Local Artists will include:

Jae - Campflower Art

SnailBear Art

Bobbi The Sea Lemon

Cambria Rose Art

Artists with Ecology

*Participants may vary or increase in number.

Please add to your calendars and spread the word!

Ring in the New Year with a musical showdown of epic proportions as we pit blockbuster movie scores against each other in a head-to-head battle!  Which score will emerge victorious? That’s for YOU to decide!

 EPIC MOVIE MUSIC BATTLES

 December 31, 2024

 7:30 PM

 Washington Center for the Performing Arts

Featuring music from iconic films like Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, and more, this night will be an unforgettable celebration of cinematic magic. 

Come dressed as your favorite movie character or simply as the fabulous Patron we know you are. Let’s countdown to midnight together with music, laughter, and a little friendly competition!

Tickets start at 17.25! (Ticket price does not include Washington Center fees)

The News of the Week in Downtown Olympia is a newsletter created by the Olympia Downtown Alliance and is a summary of happenings Downtown.

If you have news related to downtown you'd like included, please email marketing@downtownolympia.org. Preference is given to Olympia Downtown Alliance members. If we do not share it here, chances are we'll share it on our Facebook or Instagram pages. We do reserve the right to use our discretion on what we share.

The deadline is Friday at 5 pm for inclusion in the next week's newsletter.

If you know of anyone who would like to receive the News of the Week in Downtown Olympia, please have them sign-up at the bottom of our home page here: downtownolympia.org.