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Get Outside, Create & Play with Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation!

Enjoy spring with City of Olympia Parks, Arts, and Recreation’s exciting classes! With hundreds of classes, programs, and activities each season, there's something for everyone to experience. Whether you're looking to hone a skill, try something new, discover hidden talents, or meet health & wellness goals, there are options for every age and ability.

Find fun and affordable classes for spring break online.

Classes are primarily hosted at The Olympia Center, which is downtown near Percival Landing.

Puget Sound Estuarium – Tiny Tides Storytime

Dive into an ocean of fun at the Puget Sound Estuarium every first Saturday of the month from 10 - 11am, little explorers can enjoy Tiny Tides Storytime, where team members read a picture book from the Children’s Library, introduce kids to live marine animals, and even let them help feed the fish! It’s a great way to spark curiosity about the natural world.

Cherry Blossom Stroll at the Capitol

No spring break in Olympia is complete without a visit to the State Capitol Grounds to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom! Take a self-guided tour of the Capitol Campus trees, where you'll find the breathtaking cherry blossoms. Pack a picnic, bring a camera, and enjoy the beauty of Olympia’s most iconic springtime display.

Scenic Stroll Route from Downtown

Begin your stroll at the Heritage Park Fountain in downtown Olympia, following the scenic Capitol Lake Trail south as it follows the water’s edge before ascending the Switchback Trail, which leads you up to the Capitol Campus. After a loop around the campus grounds, head back the way you came to admire a spectacular view of downtown, Puget Sound, and the Olympic mountains on the way back down.

Brush Up on Local History with a Governor's Mansion Tour

Think you know your local history? Take a tour of the historic Washington State Governor's Mansion at the Capitol Campus and find out! The Mansion has been home to Washington State Governors since 1910. Guided tours are now through June on the first and second Wednesday of each month.

Tour schedule:

• April 2 & 9
• May 7 & 14
• June 4 & 11

Tours are at 10:30 am, 11 am, 11:30 am, and 12 pm and are 30 minutes long. Reservations are required.

Reserve your spot today.

LoveOly SummerFest Call for Makers!

Are you a local artisan, maker, or creative entrepreneur? Join us for the LoveOly SummerFest Maker’s Market, part of Olympia’s biggest summer kickoff festival happening June 20-22 in downtown Olympia!

With over 14,000 attendees, live music, a pet parade, food trucks, a Biergarten, and even a Drag Brunch, this is an incredible opportunity to showcase and sell your work.

Learn more here.

Apply now to be considered for the 2025 traffic box wrap public vote!

Selected artists receive:

• A $500 honorarium
• Recognition on the City website
• Have their artwork displayed on a traffic box in the City of Olympia for 2-3 years, depending on the condition of the piece over time.

Learn more.

Call for Poems Honoring our Relationship to the Natural World

Olympia's Poet Laureate, Kathleen Byrd, is leading this initiative.

Olympia Poet Laureate Kathleen Byrd is accepting poetry submissions to be considered for a community anthology on poetry of place to be published in July 2025. City of Olympia residents of all ages are encouraged to submit an original poem, not more than a page long, in any style or format, that relates to the theme of the natural world and/or climate change in the City of Olympia.

Poems with a clear local focus will be prioritized for the anthology.

Submission details:

• Submit one poem only.
• Submit poem as a word document.
• Poem should fit on one page.
• Send to poetlaureate@ci.olympia.wa.us 
• Include "Poetry of place submission" in the subject line.
• Submit a separate document with a brief bio (under 150 words).

Submissions deadline is April 30, 2025. Late entries will not be considered.

Wildfire and the Bird Scouts at Olympia Family Theater

OPENING March 14 and running through March 30, 2025 at the Olympia Family Theater is Wildfire and the Bird Scouts, written by Kristin Idaszak and featuring an all-OFT ensemble cast of exceptional young performers!

The fledglings of Bird Scout Troop #7 are on their first ever annual migration when they find themselves lost in a forest that’s been ravaged by fire. On their quest to rejoin their flock, the scouts must overcome encounters with a desperate predator, an ancient oak tree, and…wildfire itself!

This is a story about ingenuity and resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and above all else: TEAMWORK!

Downtown Olympia Library Closure March 24 - April 6

The Olympia Timberland Library will temporarily close from March 24 to April 6, 2025, for deep cleaning, new furniture installation, and technology and accessibility upgrades. During this period, limited services will be available Monday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm, allowing patrons to pick up holds placed through TRL.org or the TRLGo app.

Digital resources, including eBooks, audiobooks, and online databases, remain accessible 24/7 at TRL.org. Nearby Timberland Regional Library locations, including West Olympia, Lacey, and Hawks Prairie, are accessible by bus and offer additional services and programs.

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.