July 14, 2026

View as Webpage

Save the Date: Fall Arts Walk Returns October 2–3. Registration Open for Venues and Artists Now through July 31!

One of Olympia's favorite traditions is back! Fall Arts Walk returns Friday and Saturday, October 2–3, transforming downtown into a vibrant celebration of creativity, community, and local culture.

Explore galleries, pop-up performances, live demonstrations, and interactive art experiences while discovering the unique shops, restaurants, and businesses that make downtown Olympia so special. Thousands of visitors are expected to enjoy this free, family-friendly event, with participating businesses and organizations serving as creative hubs for artists and performers throughout the weekend.

Whether you're planning to attend, host an artist, or simply soak in the energy of downtown, Fall Arts Walk is the perfect opportunity to connect with the community and celebrate the arts.

Calling All Artists & Performers!

Fall Arts Walk is looking for artists, musicians, performers, and creatives of all kinds to partner with downtown businesses and organizations as featured guests during this beloved community event.

If you're looking for a place to showcase your work, start by connecting with a downtown hosting location—or reach out for tips on finding the right match. Once you've partnered with a venue, they'll include you in their Arts Walk registration.

Interested in selling your work? You can also apply for a booth at the Arts Market at Percival Landing, where 10' x 10' vendor spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis during the registration period.

Register here now through July 31.

Businesses: Why Participate in Fall Arts Walk?

Arts Walk is an opportunity to showcase your business while welcoming thousands of visitors to downtown Olympia. As an Arts Walk venue, you'll help create the vibrant, community-centered experience that makes this event so special while introducing new customers to your space.

Businesses tell us they participate because they want to strengthen downtown, support local artists, celebrate Olympia's creative spirit, and give back to the community. Don't have an artist lined up? No problem! The City of Olympia can help connect you with an artist or performer that's a great fit for your business.

Be part of one of downtown's signature events and help make Fall Arts Walk an unforgettable experience for our community.

Register here now through July 31.

Music in the Park Returns This Wednesday!

Music in the Park, presented by Olympia Federal Savings, is back this Wednesday with another night of free live music, family fun, and great local food in our beautiful downtown parks.

Grab a bite from local favorites Sofie's Scoops, Lolli Llama Candy Shop, Batdorf & Bronson, and The Bus Stop, then let the kids get creative with free hands-on crafts provided by the Hands On Children's Museum. There's something for everyone to enjoy at Music in the Park!

Bring a blanket or lawn chair, gather your friends and family, and enjoy another memorable summer evening in downtown Olympia!

Join us Wednesday, July 15 at Sylvester Park for an electrifying evening featuring the dance-punk sounds of J. Graves followed by Olympia surf-punk favorites The Proffits.

6:00 PM – 6:45 PM | J. Graves

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM | The Proffits

Don't miss the rest of this year's lineup!

Next Gen Talent — July 22 (SYLVESTER PARK)

Celebrate emerging local talent with singer-songwriter Anne Magnolia and Olympia-based soul-pop group WINEHOUSE.

6:00 PM – 6:45 PM | Anne Magnolia

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM | WINEHOUSE

Indie-Americana — July 29 (PORT PLAZA FINALE)

The series wraps up with an evening of heartfelt songwriting and harmonies featuring Olympia favorite Erina and acclaimed Americana band Daring Greatly.

6:00 PM – 6:45 PM | Erina

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Daring Greatly

Mark your calendars and join us for four evenings of free music, community, and summer fun in Downtown Olympia.

Music in the Park Bingo is Here!

Pick up your bingo card at the Olympia Downtown Alliance info tent at Music in the Park:

• July 15, & 22 at Sylvester Park | 6-8 PM
• July 29 at Port Plaza | 6-8 PM

Bring proof of activities to the info tent at Music in the Park to get stamped!  

3 Ways to Win: 

• X PATTERN - Complete activities in the X Pattern and enter to win the Grand Prize ($500 value!) 
• 4 ACROSS - Complete 4 activities in a row and enter to win the Oly Summer package ($150 value!) 
• ANY 4 - Complete any 4 activities (could simply attend all 4 Music in the Park concerts) and enter to win the LoveOly Pack ($45 value!)
  

Must be present at the July 29 Music in the Park concert to win. Good luck!

You + a local business = the perfect pair.

We absolutely love that you choose to shop, dine, and play in Downtown Olympia.

To say a quick thank you for keeping our community vibrant, we are launching a special beta test of our new LoveOly Downtown Dollar (the $2 bill)!

Want to help us test it out? We will be handing them out at the Music in the Park info tent on Wednesdays this month:

• July 15 & 22 at Sylvester Park
• July 29 at Port Plaza

Next time you visit your favorite participating downtown spot, just hand over your $2 Downtown Dollar at checkout to score an instant 20% off your purchase.

Quantities are limited for this test run, so come see us at the park! Check your Downtown Dollar for the expiration date, and see the full list of participating businesses at the link below.

Single Use: Redeem one $2 Downtown Dollars on purchases of $10 or more.

Multiple Use: Ability to redeem multiple $2 Downtown Dollars. Each $10 increment allows one additional $2 Downtown Dollar to be redeemed

Discover Downtown with Senior Services for South Sound

We recently had the pleasure of hosting a fantastic group from Senior Services for South Sound, who took a walking tour over to our Alliance office!

It was a wonderful opportunity to connect as they met with our Executive Director, Desiree Freeland, and Project Manager, Morgan Willie. The group spent time learning about upcoming downtown events, discovering new volunteer opportunities, and chatting about everything the Alliance is doing to keep our downtown vibrant and thriving.

Looking for a fun way to explore downtown Olympia while connecting with your community? Senior Services for South Sound offers walking tours that introduce participants to local organizations, businesses, and the people working to make our city thrive. Contact Senior Services for South Sound at (360) 586-6181 or info@southsoundseniors.org for more information.

The Olympia Standard Podcast Recording July 16

Join The Olympia Standard podcast for its annual summer live show on Thursday, July 16, from 7:00–9:00 pm at Three Magnets Brewing Co. Hosts Emmett O'Connell and Daniel Garcia will welcome special guests Sam Miller and Sofie Landis for an evening of lively conversation, local insights, and entertainment.

Admission is free. Learn more at theolympiastandard.com.

Get Creative This Summer at Olyphant Art Supply

Looking to try something new or sharpen your artistic skills? Olyphant Art Supply is offering a series of hands-on summer workshops for artists of all experience levels.

Choose from Friday Night Clothed Figure Drawing (12+) on July 24, Oil Painting 101 on July 25, or Drawing 101 on July 26. Whether you're picking up a pencil for the first time or expanding your creative practice, these welcoming classes are a fun way to make art this summer. Space is limited, so register early!

Oil painting by Thomas Patterson.

Be the First to Experience Harlequin's 2027 Season

Celebrate an unforgettable evening with Harlequin Productions at the 2027 Season Announcement Gala on Saturday, August 1. The festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. at Altitude15 with delicious food by Bite Me, musical entertainment from Eden Lane, games, and silent and live auctions, followed by the highly anticipated 2027 Season Announcement at 7:30 p.m. at the **State Theater.

Tickets are available for the public and current subscribers. Join fellow theater lovers for a night of celebration, community, and a first look at what's coming to Harlequin's next season.

Other Events to Know About...

• Harlequin Productions presents Million Dollar Quartet, June 19-July 26. Learn more.
• Fall ArtsWalk Registration, July 1 - July 31. Learn more.
• Capital Lakefair - July 15 - 19. Learn more.
• StoryOly, July 21. Learn more.
• E4E Market - Aug 8. Learn more.
• Festival of the St̓əč̓as - Aug 14. Learn more.
• Movies at the Marina: August 21, Sing. September 5, Jumanji. Learn more.
• South Sound Block Party, August 28 - 29. Learn more.
• Homes First Fundraiser, September 16. Learn more.