August 25, 2026

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Lula Fest Brings Art, Music and Community to Downtown Olympia

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Lula Fest 2026, a free arts and culture celebration happening Saturday, September 26, from 1–9 pm at the Capitol Theater, 206 5th Ave.

Lula Fest will feature a car show, vendors, an art exhibition and live music, including performances by Mona and Latin Drums, AKA, DJ Muñeca and DJ Kalambre.

Colectiva Cocuyá is the Lula Fest 2026 Cultural Impact Award recipient for projects centering the Latinx community. The accompanying exhibit, “Chicanx & Latinx Posters: Art, Identity, and Resistance in the PNW and Beyond,” features a selection of works from the Evergreen State College Chicano/Latino Archive.

Join us for LoveOly Business Connect at Olympia Family Theater

Join fellow downtown business owners and community partners for the next LoveOly Business Connect on Wednesday, September 9, from 5:15–6:30 pm at Olympia Family Theater, 612 4th Ave E.

Olympia Family Theater is excited to open its doors and welcome the downtown business community into its corner of Olympia’s arts scene. Take a peek around the theater, grab some snacks and drinks, try a theater activity, make a little art, win a prize and meet the theater kitty, MOO!



Whether you’re already part of the LoveOly business community or joining for the first time, this is a chance to connect with fellow local businesses, get to know OFT a little better (and each other!) and have some fun along the way.

LoveOly Microgrants Open Now!

Have an idea that could make downtown Olympia more welcoming, vibrant or uniquely ours? The LoveOly Microgrants program helps downtown businesses bring thoughtful, community-driven placemaking ideas to life in shared spaces.

Here are the dates to know:

• August 19 – Applications Open
• September 14 – Applications Due
• September 21 – Selections Made & Applicants Notified
• September 28–November 16 – Project Implementation

Have an idea in mind? Apply today!

Jinglebell Parade Featured in ThurstonTalk! Now Accepting Parade Entries Through November 9

After a seven-year absence, the beloved LoveOly Jinglebell Parade is returning to Downtown Olympia on Sunday, November 29, 2026, as part of Downtown for the Holidays, a month-long celebration of the holiday season.

For years, the Jinglebell Parade helped usher in the holidays in Olympia, bringing neighbors, families, and friends together for an afternoon of music, lights, creativity, and hometown magic. The Olympia Downtown Alliance is proud to bring the tradition back with a renewed focus on creating a joyful, vibrant, and inclusive celebration that reflects the creativity and heart of the Olympia community.

The 2026 parade invites local businesses, schools, nonprofits, community organizations, families, performers, and civic groups to join in. Community members can participate in a multitude of ways to help make the day special.

Register your entry in the parade here.

LoveOly Halloween Pet Costume Contest is Back!

Join the event, whether your pet is rocking a hilarious outfit, a terrifyingly cute monster look, or purely adorable autumn attire.

Paws, claws, and costumes welcome—come show off your spirit and celebrate Halloween in Downtown Olympia!

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/2026petcostumecontest

The pet costume contest is part of our larger LoveOly Downtown for Halloween event! Enjoy other activities throughout LoveOly Downtown for Halloween:

• 2-week Downtown Scavenger Hunt: October 17–31
• Family Trick-or-Treating: 3–6 pm on October 31 (at participating downtown businesses!)

Shaped By Water: A Maritime History Walking Tour at Oly AHA



Celebrate Harbor Days with a closer look at our region’s maritime history at Oly AHA. In partnership with the South Sound Maritime Heritage Association, former tug captain Scott Schoch will share stories and insights from the industry, along with a display of historic tugboat race photos and a model of the Parthia tugboat.

Friday, August 28 & Saturday, August 29, 2026

10:00 am to 11:30 am

Olympia Arts + Heritage Alliance

203 Columbia Street NW, Olympia

Oly AHA Celebrates First Friday: Public Art in Olympia

Friday, September 4, 2026

4 -7 pm

Olympia Arts + Heritage Alliance 

203 Columbia Street NW, Olympia

Learn more about public art in Olympia and the Daley Arts Center with Armory Building Manager Valerie Roberts and Arts Program Manager Stephanie Johnson.

Free and open to the public.

Olympia Harbor Days Maritime Festival & Tugboat Races

Celebrate Olympia’s maritime heritage at the Olympia Harbor Days Maritime Festival and Tugboat Races, a free, family-friendly Labor Day weekend tradition along the waterfront.

Friday, September 4 | 5 – 8 pm

Saturday, September 5 | 10 am – 7 pm

Sunday, September 6 | 10 am – 6 pm

Explore vintage tugboats, watch the iconic tugboat races, enjoy live music, food and artisan vendors, and discover more than 300 things to see and do. Festival highlights include Port of Olympia tours, hands-on maritime activities, tribal history and cultural sharing, locally built small watercraft, sand carving, dancing pirates and plenty of opportunities for kids to learn about life and careers on the water.

Visit harbordays.com for the full schedule and event details.

OMB’s 26th Annual Tour of Homes

Explore some of the region’s finest craftsmanship during the 26th Annual Tour of Homes, happening Saturday and Sunday, September 19–20, from 10 am – 4 pm daily.

This free, scattered-site event invites visitors to tour beautiful homes, discover the latest in design and connect with the builders and remodelers behind the work. A complete Tour of Homes Guide with project addresses, directions, home details and a map will be released the week of the event and available online and at select sponsor locations.

Admission is free.

September Art Classes at Olympia Art Gallery

Get creative this September with Rayten Creative Design at Olympia Art Gallery, 121 State Ave NE. Classes and drop-in sessions will be offered throughout the month, including Wet on Wet Poppies on September 2 and Dry on Dry Wildflowers on September 16. Paid classes are $35.

There will also be by-donation art sessions on September 9 and 23. Rayten Creative Design will be at the gallery every Wednesday in September except September 30.

Stop by the Olympia Art Gallery at the corner of State and Washington and spend some time making art this fall.

Visit arbutusfolkschool.org to learn more and register.

Make Your Own Hand-Bound Journal at Arbutus Folk School

Spend a creative weekend at Arbutus Folk School learning to make your own beautiful, hand-bound linen journal from scratch. Led by Jeff Salazar of Boston Harbor Books, this two-day workshop guides students through creating a high-quality 6x9-inch book perfect for poems, photos, journaling or gifting.

Upcoming workshops are October 10–11 and December 12–13, from 10am–4pm at 705 4th Ave E, Suite 101, Olympia.



Other Events to Know About...

• Oly AHA Shaped By Water Maritime Walking Tour: Aug-Sept. Learn more.
• Olympia Art Gallery’s Freedom Art Exhibition. Learn more.
• Movies at the Marina: September 5. Learn more.
• South Sound Block Party: August 28 - 29. Learn more.
• Harbor Days: Sept 4, 5, 6. More here.
• Homes First Fundraiser: September 16. Learn more.
• LoveOly Fall Cleanup: September 26. Volunteer.
• Lula Fest 2026: September 26. Learn more.
• An Evening with Amy Tan: October 7. Learn more.