Saturday
Holistic Health Fair: This event will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave. SE. The fair is sponsored by Center for Spiritual Living Olympia. Admission is $5, but children get in free. There will be over 25 vendors representing acupuncture, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, chiropractic care, digestive relief, naturopathy, massage and yoga. There will even be an animal communicator who addresses pet issues. Information: office@cslolympia.org.
Homeless Response Plan draft strategy presentation: The city of Olympia’s Community Work Group is hosting a public workshop to discuss draft strategies for the Homeless Response Plan due out in early 2020. During earlier work, the Work Group heard from more than 700 community members through workshops, focus groups, listening sessions, online surveys, and community conversations. Now it is working to identify draft strategies and is seeking feedback. The workshop will run 9-11:30 a.m. in the commons at Capital High School, 2707 Conger Ave. NW.
Country Dance with Live Music: Dance to the live music of Country Four & More band from 7-10 p.m. every first Saturday at South Union Grange Hall, 10030 Tilley Road SW. All ages welcome. Food available. Information: https://www.facebook.com/SouthUnionGrange860/
YWCA Olympia Womxn of Achievement: The celebration starts at 5:30 p.m. in the student union building of South Puget Sound Community College, 2011 Mottman Road SW, Olympia. The keynote speaker will be Ijeoma Oluo, the author of “So You Want to Talk About Race.” Honorees are Eileen Yoshina, Lily Campbell, Steffani Powell, Tonya S. Moore, Tye Gundel and Heartspark Press. Tickets are $65 for general admission, $50 for seniors or veterans, and $30 for students. All proceeds benefit YWCA Olympia. Information: 352-0593 or crsperr@ywcaofolympia.org.
Book release of “Downsizing: Living Large in a Small Home:” At 4 p.m. at Browser’s Bookshop, Tessa Smith of Artisans Group presents the book release of “Downsizing: Living large in a small house” written by author Sheri Koones. The book features two Artisans Group designed homes. Smith also will speak about how thoughtful design can make downsizing a liberating experience. Free.
The Story Starts Here Gala & Auction for Olympia Family Theater: The benefit runs 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Gwinwood Conference Center, 6015 30th Ave. SE, Lacey. Elizabeth Lord will emcee the event that includes live entertainment, a live auction, a raffle, cocktails, dinner and dessert. Tickets are $75, and advance purchase is recommended because of limited seating. Purchase tickets at http://olyft.org or 360-570-1638.
Tiny Homes Benefit Concert: Westminster Presbyterian Church will host this concert at 7 p.m. to support its new Hope Village of tiny homes. Westminster’s Chancel Choir will join with the choirs of First United Methodist Church of Olympia and The United Churches of Olympia to provide an evening of both sacred and secular music. A 20-person community handbell choir and solo pianists also will perform. A dessert reception will follow. A goodwill offering will be taken during the concert and all donations will go directly toward transitioning Olympia residents out of homelessness.
Brunch celebrates launch of The Art Resiliency Fund: The Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture Foundation of Thurston County will host a brunch at 10 a.m. at Tugboat Annie’s, 2100 West Bay Drive NW, to celebrate the launch of the new fund designed to promote and maintain the artistic expressions of Thurston County residents. Tickets are $25 at brownpapertickets.com
Farmers Market changes to holiday hours: The change of season at The Olympia Farmers Market means fall and winter produce and artisan foods, handcrafted gifts and decorations – and reduced hours for the rest of 2019. The market will be open only 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 22, plus Dec. 23 and 24 for holiday shopping. The market will be closed Dec. 28 and 29 and will reopen at 10 a.m. Jan. 4, with regular weekend hours through March.
Tuesday
Groundbreaking for the new Shelton/Mason County YMCA: The South Sound YMCA invites the community to join in a ceremonial groundbreaking event at 11 a.m. at the future site of the YMCA at 3101 Shelton Springs Road, Shelton. Phase One of the project includes a half-sized gym, health and fitness area, Kid Zone, space for community partners, and an outdoor activity pool that will be covered during the colder months for year-round programming. Information: www.southsoundymca.org
Wednesday
Washington’s Undiscovered Feminists: In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, Seattle writer Mayumi Tsutakawa presents five “woman warriors” in the arts and journalism: pioneering photographer Imogen Cunningham, black American jazz musician Ruby Bishop, Chinese American artist Priscilla Chong Jue, leftist journalist Anna Louise Strong, and Native American linguist Vi Hilbert. This free event from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m. at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. NW, is sponsored by Humanities Washington’s Speakers Bureau program. Information: www.humanities.org.
Robert A. Harvie Lecture Series: The Saint Martin’s University Robert A Harvie Lecture Series presents a screening of “Benevolence: A Journey from Prison to Home,” followed by a discussion with filmmaker Joanne Hershfield, at 5:30 p.m. in the Worthington Conference Center on the Saint Martin’s campus in Lacey. The film follows the journey of five women as they are released from prison and move onto Benevolence Farm in Alamance County, North Carolina. The event is free and open to the public. Information: cas@stmartin.edu
WSU Master Gardener volunteer training pre-orientation sessions: The 22-week training course will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on alternating Fridays from Jan. 17 through June 12, 2020. On completion of classroom work, graduates volunteer a minimum of 60 hours on community-based garden service projects. Tuition is $300 which covers all supplies and field trips. Payment plans are available as are a limited number of full or partial scholarships. To be considered for a training spot, you must complete an application and attend a pre-orientation session at the WSU Thurston County Extension Office, 3054 Carpenter Road SE, at one of the following times: 10:30 a.m. Nov. 6; 6 p.m. Nov. 15; 10:30 a.m. Nov. 19; 6 p.m. Dec. 5; 10:30 a.m. Dec. 9; and 6 p.m. Dec. 19. Course spots are filled on a first come, first served basis: https://extension.wsu.edu/thurston/gardening/
Thursday
It’s the Art! Olympia Beer Advertising Art Show 2019: The Olympia Tumwater Foundation is putting on an art show featuring more than 50 original advertising artworks produced for the Olympia Brewing Company during the 1930s through 1950s. A similar show was held in 2017, but this show will feature different paintings that were meant to be translated into billboards. Interpretive text is displayed alongside each painting, and biographies of the artists are included where possible. The show will be up through Dec. 7 at the Schmidt House, 330 Schmidt Place SW, Tumwater. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays, but closed Thanksgiving. Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted.
South Sound Anglers: The group meets the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at Woodland Creek Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave. SE., Lacey. This meeting will feature a guest speaker talking about chum fishing.
Friday
Friends Night Out in downtown Olympia: This celebration with arts, local food, shopping, and music runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Participants purchase a $15 passport and then visit the list of participating businesses that will stamp the passport and provide a gift. Proceeds from the passport sales go to Homes First, a nonprofit providing affordable rental homes for those who need them most. Purchase passports online or on Nov. 8 at The Popinjay or Sound and Vision. Information: 360-481-5010 or britk@redbarncommunications.com.
Author reading with Claire Rudy Foster: Foster will appear at 6 p.m. at Orca Books to read from their short story collection Shine of the Ever, which The Oprah Magazine called one of the “best LGBTQ books that’ll change the literary landscape in 2019.” Foster is from Portland. Free.
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