What’s happening this week around Thurston County

The Olympian staff

April 14, 2024 at 8:00 a.m.·9 min read

Sunday, April 14

Studio West Dance Theatre’s Peter Pan: Studio West Dance Theatre presents Peter Pan on Sunday, April 14. This classic tale comes to life with original choreography and flying effects from world-renowned professional flying company ZFX. Performances will be at 1 and 6 p.m. Sunday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $20 to $35.

Tuesday, April 16

Welcome to Medicare Zoom Presentation: This presentation at 1 p.m. is an introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries. It covers Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Prescription Plans, Medicare Supplements and programs available to limited-income beneficiaries. To get a link to register, email ThurstonMasonShiba.volunteers@southsoundseniors.org or call and leave a message at Senior Services SHIBA program at 360-586-6181 ext 134. A registration link will be sent to you.

South Sound Sierra Club meeting: This presentation, “Density, Equity, Rural Lands and Climate Change: Thurston County Sustainability Goals,“ will explore the economic, social justice and environmental problems created by increased housing development in rural areas of our county. Discussion will include the density goals contained in Sustainable Thurston and the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan, and examine inconsistencies between local government actions and those density goals. Speakers will be Tom Crawford, Board Secretary, Thurston Climate Action Team and Loretta Seppanen, Local Good Goverance Council of Thurston County. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St NW. Social time prior to the program begins at 5:30 pm; Program begins at 6 pm.

Wednesday, April 17

Olympia High School Interact Club annual International Dinner: This event was suspended for to years due to COVD. Restaurants from the Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater area will be donating food for guests to sample. A donation of $15 is suggested and this will go directly to St. Jude’s Hospital for children. The event will take place from 5 to 7 pm in the high school commons, off Carlyon Avenue.

Thursday, April 18

Comedy Underground featuring Phillip Kopczynski: Comedy Underground is back to make you laugh. This month it features Phillip Kopczynski, who pulls from life experiences and poorly thought-out opinions. He has been seen on Kill Tony, Superbowl commercials, and toured from Vancouver, BC to Orlando. In 2018 he placed second at the Seattle International Comedy Competition and was a semifinalist at the Boston Comedy Festival. Recommended for ages 18 and older. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE. Tickets are $36 for reserved and $28 general admission.

Arbor Day Celebration: The Olympia Garden Club invites the public to attend its 47th Arbor Day Celebration at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 18, at the Rose Garden Pavilion in the Memorial Garden in Squaxin Park (formerly Priest Point Park), 2600 East Bay Drive NE, Olympia. The celebration will include planting a tree in cooperation with Olympia Parks and Recreation, a tradition started in 1977. It will also honor and celebrate the lives of individuals or groups as their names are added to the Memorial Garden Kiosks. The club invites the public to honor any member/group of the community (living or deceased) who provides (or has provided) a great service to the area. Persons so honored do not have to be members of the Olympia Garden Club. For more information about the Arbor Day Celebration and how to add a name, go to olympiagardenclub.org and click on Memorial Garden under Service Projects at the bottom of the page. Cost is $20/line.

Welcome to Medicare Zoom Presentation: This presentation at 10 a.m. is an introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries. It covers Parts A and B; Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Prescription Plans, Medicare Supplements and Programs available to limited income beneficiaries. To get a link to register, email ThurstonMasonShiba.volunteers@southsoundseniors.org or call and leave a message at Senior Services SHIBA program at 360-586-6181 ext 134. A registration link will be sent to you.

In Person Medicare Presentation at the Mason County Senior Activity Center: This presentation at 11 a.m. at The Pavillion, 190 Sentry Drive, Shelton is an introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries. It covers Parts A and B; Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Prescription Plans, Medicare Supplements and Programs available to limited income beneficiaries. For more information or to set up an individual appointment, email thurstonmasonshiba.volunteers@southsoundseniors.org or leave a message at Senior Services SHIBA program at 360-586-6181 ext 134.

Olympia World Affairs Council Speaker Series: The topic will be “China’s Global Impact” presented by Dr. Wen Chen of the California Institute of Technology. It begins at 7:30 p.m. in person at The Olympia Center, Room A, 222 Columbia St. NW. Or join by Zoom; for more details and login information, visit the OWAC website at www.olympiawac.org

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Racial Justice & Belonging -- A Community Conversation with Local Leaders: This free public event will cover what local jurisdictions are doing to create a more equitable Thurston County. It will run from 6-8 p.m. in the Thurston County Board Meeting Room, 3000 Pacific Ave. SE, Olympia. It will include a panel presentation and conversation. Thurston County Board of County Commissioners declared racism a crisis in 2021. Seating is limited and registration is recommended. Register on the League of Women Voters website. Questions? Contact: info@LWVThurston.org

Friday, April 19

The Red Hot Chili Pipers: It’s Bagpipes. It’s Rock. It’s Bagrock. AC/DC meets the poet Robert Burns. Where rock anthems sit comfortably along the great tunes from the glens and the mountains of Scotland. This 9-piece ensemble consists of pipers, guitarists, keyboards, and drummers with a passion for pipes that will leave you breathless. The band has four music degrees from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and all the pipers and drummers have played at the top level in bagpiping. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $39-$69.

Saturday, April 20

Changing the Narrative WA Music for a Cause festival: The group’s goal is to help stop suicide, and it will be hosting five free music festivals throughout the year at Huntamer Park in Lacey. The purpose of the events is to let the community know about the different services that are available. The first festival is from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday. The events are on Saturday afternoons from 2 to 7. The park is at 618 Woodland Square Loop SE. Food and vendors will be on site.

Irish workshops and concert: St. Patrick’s Day isn’t the only time you can celebrate Irish culture in Olympia! The Sean-nós NW Traditional Irish Weekend will be held at The Evergreen State College April 20-21. Register for one or two full days of workshops on traditional Irish music, dance, song, and language with instructors from Ireland. Can’t come for classes? Come for a concert Saturday evening featuring workshop instructors. No prior experience is required and all comers are welcome. Workshop schedule, instructor bios, and other information is available at www.seannos.org. Concert tickets are available on the registration page.

Emerald City Music presents Violinist Jinjoo Cho: This immersive multi-media concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Minnaert Center for the Arts at South Puget Sound Community College, 2011 Mottman Road SW, Olympia. Tickets are $10 to $40.

The story of Charles Mitchell: Olympia Arts + Heritage Alliance (AHA) in partnership with the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum and City of Olympia are sponsoring a presentation and discussion about the compelling story of Charles Mitchell. A 13-year-old boy, Mitchell escaped enslavement in Olympia in 1860 by traveling by steamer from Olympia to Victoria, B. C. via the Puget Sound Underground Railroad. The public program is at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at The Olympia Center, 222 N. Columbia NW. Dr. Lorraine McConaghy, one of the authors of the book “Free Boy” which presented the biographies of Charles Mitchell and the man who enslaved him, James Tilton, will offer an illustrated program followed by a moderated community discussion. For more information, email info@olyaha.org.

Water Heroes: How can you help the Earth for Earth Day? Become a water superhero! Create your own identity, make crafts, and play games to learn ways to save water and protect the planet. All ages are welcome to join activities at the WET Science Center, 500 Adams St. NE, Olympia, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

Olympia Yacht Club sponsors Marine Safety and Environmental Awareness Day: Current or potential boaters can learn about marine Safety and Environmental Awareness during the Olympia Yacht Club’s annual SEA Day Saturday, April 20. The free event from 9 a.m. to noon at 201 Simmons St. includes freebees such as bilge pads and even fresh oysters on the half shelf, in addition to information about cruising and whale watching in Puget Sound and Canada. Visitors also can learn how to dispose of hazardous waste, prevent black water discharge, or drop off expired flares. Vendors will display the latest safety gear and inspect, service or replace fire extinguishers. US Power Squadron volunteers can provide free safety inspections of boats. A marine swap meet previously held in conjunction with SEA Day will now be held from 9 to noon on May 18 in the Olympia Yacht Club’s parking lot. For more information, contact John Sherman at 503-936-7245 or Stephen Hueffed at 360-880-7783.

Sunday, April 21

The Olympia Symphony presents Flamenco: This concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts is a collaboration that brings together live flamenco dancing and classical music. The symphony’s season finale will transport you to southern Spain to experience the heart of its culture. Tickets are $17 to $85.

SLURP returns: After a 4-year hiatus, SLURP! is coming back better than ever. The 21-and-older event features shellfish, wine, and beer tastings, and will take place from 1-5 p.m. Sunday at the Port of Olympia, 1422 Marine Dr. NE, Olympia. SLURP stands for Shellfish Lovers Ultimate Rejuvenation Party. Dishes are crafted by top local restaurants featuring fresh, beach-harvested shellfish. There also will be a Grand Oyster Bar, a live auction, an oyster shucking/eating contest, and live music. The event put on by the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association supports clean water education and shellfish restoration in the Pacific Northwest. Tickets are $100.

Great Beginnings Child Development and Daycare Center farewell open house: Great Beginnings was recently sold. Pat Sarmento snd Joanne Ponzo ran the center for 45 years. A farewell open house is planned for them from 1-3 pm Sunday, April 21, at the former Great Beginnings building at 703 Rogers St. NW, Olympia.

Would you like to have your event included in our weekly What’s Happening listing? Email the details to news@theolympian.com at least 10 days before the event. Please put What’s Happening in the subject line.

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