Women’s Wisdom – June 2 – 10 AM- 12PM – New Traditions. Join us as we connect through song and utilize our group wisdom to co-imagine a new culture of normalizing and honoring women’s life transformations. Enjoy being guided through exercises to release your voice, small group conversations, wisdom songs taught by ear, and connections with wonderful women. No cost – donations appreciated Limited space- RSVP by texting WISDOM to 360-485-2439 https://newtraditionsfairtrade.com/pages/events
South Puget Sound Community College Student Art Exhibition – June 4 – 14 weekdays. 12-6 PM – Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Gallery (Bldg 21) – South Puget Sound Community College’s art faculty selects outstanding work created by students in studio art classes during the 2023-24 year. Works include ceramics, drawing, painting, printmaking, digital photography, mixed-media, 2D and 3D design exercises, and sculpture. A continuous slide show of student work is also included in the exhibition.
Open Book Club at the Brotherhood – June 4 & 1st Tuesdays of the month. 7-8:30 PM. Come talk about whatever you’re reading, and hear what others are reading. Appetizers sponsored by the Friends of the Olympia Library. Come early to grab a drink if you are so inclined. We meet every first Tuesday in the back left corner of The Brotherhood Lounge in downtown Olympia (119 Capitol Way N). https://timberland.bibliocommons.com/events/65af06e08f2b073a00cde839
Listen Here: A Lunch Break Story Time for Adults – June 7 and 1st Friday of the month. 12-1 PM at the Olympia library. Corey Snow, professional audiobook narrator and voice actor, will entertain and inspire us with selections from the wide, wonderful world of short fiction. This month Corey will read stories by Sam Cohen, from their collection Sarahland. The reading is from 12:10-12:50, so you have time to sneak away from work and get back undetected! https://timberland.bibliocommons.com/events/65cd1ec9167c313700fd5747
LGBT (Let’s Go Birding Together) bird walk at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge – June 7. 6:30-8:30 PM Meet at the Education Center. There is an entry fee of $3.00 or you can use a federal park pass. https://blackhills-audubon.org/event/lgbt-field-trip-nisqually/
2024 Thurston County Pride Fest – June 8. 10AM-5 PM – Thurston County Fairgrounds, 3054 Carpenter Rd SE Lacey – Live DJ, vendors, food, free crafts for kids to do, raffles, and lots more! (360) 995-9554 ladonnashea@icloud.com – Free admission
Bird outing to Bayshore Preserve- June 8. 8-10 AM Bayshore Preserve, Shelton https://capitollandtrust.org/bird-outing-to-bayshore-preserve/
Sirens & Sea Monsters – A Drag Benefit Show for The Puget Sound Estuarium and Stonewall Youth: June 8 . 6pm-8pm at Stonewall Youth, 112 State Ave NE, Olympia. All ages. Tickets at: https://stonewallyouth-bloom.kindful.com/e/sirensandseamonsters
Anna Zivarts: When Driving is not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency with Veronica Jarvis – June 11. 6-7PM Browsers Bookshop, 107 Capitol Way N. Olympia
Friends of the Olympia Library Meeting – June 11. 1-2 PM – Join the Friends of the Olympia Library for their monthly general meeting. The Friends are a 501(c)3 non-profit providing advocacy and support to the Olympia and West Olympia Timberland Libraries through fundraising and volunteerism. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
https://timberland.bibliocommons.com/events/657dff47817cb6bf4e9c2a97
Group Vocal Improv Song Circles – June 12 & 2nd Wednesday of each month – 6 PM. New Traditions. Come experience the magic, art and pleasure of group vocal improvisation – jazz created with human voices and bodies. $5-10 donation, no one turned away. https://newtraditionsfairtrade.com/pages/events
Stories of Families and Connections – June 12. 6-8 PM Harbor House on Percival Landing, 217 Thurston Ave NW Olympia. Storyteller Maggie Lott tells stories of family connections, traditions, conflicts and adventures. She will share a historical true family story of a little lost girl and her own story of a grandfather clock and its meaning in her family. John Bertholl shares his story of a family adventure from his youth. In the second hour is our Story Swap, audience members can share a story of their own. Storytelling is telling a story, without notes, an oral art. https://www.experienceolympia.com/events/stories-of-families-and-connections/
Day Hiking Columbia River Gorge (including ADA trails in the Gorge and Olympia area- June 12. 6:30 – 7:45 PM – Olympia library. Come hike the Columbia River Gorge with award winning guidebook author, Craig Romano. https://timberland.bibliocommons.com/events/661464928b48e73a00d7822a
Women’s Liberation Book Club – June 14. 6 PM – Orca Books Co-op. 315 5 Ave SE Olympia June’s WLBC pick will be WHIPPING GIRL by JULIA SERANO. n Whipping Girl, biologist and trans activist Julia Serano shares her experiences and insights–both pre- and post-transition–to reveal the ways in which fear, suspicion, and dismissiveness toward femininity shape our attitudes toward trans women, as well as gender and sexuality as a whole. https://www.orcabooks.com/event/2024-06
Olyecosystems Work Party West Bay Woods – June 15th, 10am-2pm. East end of Dickinson Ave NW Olympia. Join us for camaraderie and progress, as we continue to remove ivy from the West Bay Woods. If you don’t think it is possible to rid woods of ivy, just go for a walk in West Bay Woods along our maintained trails. Everywhere you look was once densely covered with ivy, with little to no understory. Ecosystem recovery takes time, commitment, and work. These woods are now well-loved by people across all of Olympia. The hard work of volunteers made that possible. Continue the progress and join us.
Juneteenth Celebration June 15. 11:30 AM – 4 PM – Regional Athletic Complex 83345 Steilacoom Rd. SE Enjoy a Free BBQ lunch, live music by Andy Stokes, a short program, free haircuts by Olympia Barber School, and time to celebrate and connect with your community. https://cityoflacey.org/juneteenth-celebration/
Olympia Poetry Network – June 19. 5:30 PM – New Traditions – South Puget Sound’s Spot for Poetry Since 1990. Monthly featured poet and open mic Wednesday, 6:00–7:30 pm Hybrid presentation: reading live at Traditions Fair Trade, 5th & Water Street, downtown Olympia. https://newtraditionsfairtrade.com/pages/events
Unpacking a History of Systemic Racism in the American Education System with Tiffany Jewell. June 20. 11-12 PM. Online event. Join us as #1 New York Times bestselling author Tiffany Jewell highlights the inequities Black and Brown students face from preschool through… through college as she presents lessons and knowledge from her new book Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School. Registration required –Register for event
Love OlyFest June 21-23 – Downtown Olympia – Free 3 day Street Festival loveolydowntown.com
Author Talk with Bob Swanson on A Hole in My Road – June 22. 3 PM. Orca Books Co-op 315 5 Ave SE Olympia A HOLE IN MY ROAD was written by a long-term survivor of the progressively fatal illness of alcoholism. It is transcribed from the trenches of firsthand experience. A HOLE IN MY ROAD provides hope for the addicted, and guidance to those who love them, to escape this equal opportunity destroyer. It provides a path from darkness into the light of recovery.
Juneteenth Celebration Festival – June 22, 1-5 p.m., Rebecca Howard Park. Hosted by The Women of Color in Leadership Movement and Media Island International in partnership with the City of Olympia. The free, family-friendly event welcomes all community members to enjoy festivities, performances and presentations, The Marketplace featuring a vendor area with Black owned and operated businesses; and a variety of food to enjoy.
Community Open Mic – June 25. 6-8 PM. Olympia Library. An intergenerational community open mic night. We welcome any and all family-friendly music, dance, comedy, poetry, spoken word, or other talents. Performing is not required- audience members are encouraged to attend to support the performers! https://timberland.bibliocommons.com/events/663d2dfd8b48e73a00dc2d9a
Capital City Pride Festival, Sat., June 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Percival Landing in Olympia; parade on Sun., June 30 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. More information here.
Restorative Singalong – July 7. 1 PM New Traditions – You are invited to come sing along, sit back and listen, or a bit of both. You are welcome to move your body or to be still, and to come and go as you please. It is all about joy. You don’t need any previous singing experience. A water bottle is useful, as well as comfortable clothing, and no scent please. $25, $15 low income. Check out www.olysongmama.com for song examples and more.
Intro to Beekeeping – July 9. 3:30-5:30 PM – Olympia library – Join us at the library to learn about bees and beekeeping! This introductory class is designed to pack in a lot of information to help you make a better decision on if you want to be a beekeeper, or support the bees in some other manner. Intro to beekeeping link