The City of Lacey is in their 56th year of celebrating Independence Day with a day of family fun! Come join Lacey Fireworks Spectacular & Freedom Concert to kick off Independence Day early on Sunday, July 3, 2022 from 4:00 pm – 11:00 pm. This free event has something for everyone with food trucks, concerts, activities for kids, and the culminating fireworks spectacular! To learn more details visit https://laceyparks.org/events/3rd-of-july-celebration/
Tumwater Parks & Recreation is proud to present the 34th Annual Tumwater Independence Day Parade. This year our theme is Aloha 4th! Come celebrate our nation and show your patriotic spirit! Parade starts at 11am at the corner of Capitol Boulevard and Lee Street. Moves south on Capitol Boulevard to Israel Road. Turns west (right) onto Israel Road and continues past City Hall, ending up at Linderson Way/Israel Road Intersection.
Afterwards, there will be Tumwater Thunder Valley Fireworks show at 10:15 p.m. July 4 Fireworks discharged from Tumwater Valley Golf Course; viewing locations around the City.
Do you love slow-cooked traditional BBQ? Well here’s your chance to get your taste buds satisfied. On behalf of the Lacey South Sound Chamber and community partners, we welcome one and all to the mouthwatering world of BBQ at the South Sound BBQ Festival in Lacey on Saturday, July 9, 11:00 am – 6:00 pm. There will be live entertainment, free kids activities, chicken wing eating contest, adult-only beer & wine garden, outdoor activities, vendors, and SO MUCH MORE! For more information about this event, please visit https://laceysschamber.com/events/south-sound-bbq-festival/
Lakefair Week, July 13 – 17, offers activities for all ages. Many are open daily at the park including carnival rides and games, non-profit food concessions, entertainment main stage and arts & crafts vendor booths. Other special events include the car show, parade, seniors’ day, fireworks and more either in the park or nearby. Capital Lakefair is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Olympia, Washington. While widely known as Olympia’s annual summer festival, Lakefair operates year-round to celebrate and give back to our community in Thurston County. To learn more, www.lakefair.org.
Join Archery World on Friday, July 15th for our Elk Calling Seminar overview of all factors that will affect your hunt. Jason Phelps will be covering all of the most asked about topics such as finding Elk, Planning the approach, Setting Up, Approach to Calling, Adapting to the calling, Draw/Shot Process, and Tracking. This seminar will be packed full of useful info to help make your next hunt an all out success! Also offered is A Nock Above (Intro to Archery) – where you learn fundamentals each week on Tuesday and Friday evenings. Sign up online and pick a day and time at archeryworld.net/classes.
Love Local Lacey The Night Market at Midtown is an event like no other! Come enjoy for live music, great food, and local small businesses on Thursday, July 21, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Every event features multiple food trucks for a great variety for even the most discerning foodie! Every item at our market is representative of our commitment to supporting and sourcing local, high quality goods from our amazing state!
The Thurston County Fair is back this year Wednesday, July 27 – Sunday, July 31 with family fun for everyone – animals, carnival, exhibits, delicious fair foods and more! Visit thurstoncountyfair.org for more information.
If you like FREE, family-friendly fun, you’ll love the Port of Olympia’s Summer Nights at the Port (formerly Movies at the Marina) outdoor events. Summer Nights at the Port will take place Saturday nights, July 23 and 30, and August 13, on the lower lot next to Swantown Marina’s boat trailer parking lot at 1210 Marine Drive NE, Olympia 98501. Each event will include a beer garden presented by Nicole’s Bar with all proceeds benefiting 4 the Love Foundation. Guests will enjoy the sounds of live musicians and local food truck fare while they take in the beautiful backdrop of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Learn more at portolympia.com/summer-nights-at-the-port/.
The Olympia Downtown Alliance is pleased to announce two month-long events. First, Music in the Park is back in Olympia Sundays in July from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm at Port Plaza on July 3 and at Sylvester Park through the rest of the month! This popular outdoor, free concert series promises a season of quality music where the rhythms make your feet and soul dance while enjoying beautiful Sylvester Park and the scenic views from Port of Olympia’s Port Plaza (for the first concert on July 3, the remaining four performances will take place at Sylvester Park). This highly acclaimed series brings some of the best northwest musical talent downtown. Music in the Park attracts between 600 to several thousand attendees per show.
LoveOly SummerFest 2022, taking place every Saturday in August, from noon to 6pm. In addition to headline bands, buskers, children’s performers, and community groups will entertain attendees. Buskers such as jugglers, contortionists, and street musicians will wow audiences with their talent. Local community groups such as The Bridge Music Project and Olympia Symphony orchestra will respectively produce dance and beat-making competitions and feature local, professional musicians. The Activities Area will include ping-pong, bean bag toss, a jumbo chess set, sidewalk chalk, and more. The Biergarten will feature craft beers from Well 80 and 3 Magnet’s Brewing Co. Proceeds from the Biergarten will go towards supporting the event. Local artist Dave Sederberg, known for his recent installation “Glowhenge”, is coordinating a cadre of local artists to install interactive and engaging art. For more information about the event, visit: downtownolympia.org.
The community is invited to attend the 10th Annual Olympia Brew Fest, a beer festival at the Port Plaza in Olympia. Olympia Brew Fest will feature over 30 handpicked, Northwest breweries and a variety of 40 different beers. Mark your calendar for Saturday, August 6, 2022, from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door, designated drivers only $5 and get all the root beer and water they can drink. Purchase tickets at www.olybrewfest.com.
For almost a half century, Olympia Harbor Days has been a locally sponsored free and family friendly maritime themed festival with tugboats, historic ships, booth vendors, food, music, educational classes, children’s activities and more, held each Labor Day Weekend. This year the event starts Friday, September 2nd at 5:00 pm and closes Sunday, September 4th at 6:00 pm. The festival will take place along Olympia’s Downtown Waterfront Boardwalk from historic Percival Landing to the Port of Olympia’s Port Plaza Park. For more info, hours and schedules, please visit www.HarborDays.com.