This is on page 20-25 of OLY ARTS Summer 2024 print edition.
If Olympia has a reputation, it mainly consists of its vibe: a desire to highlight and explore left field and underground arts, and an individualist spirit that hovers somewhere in the range of hippie ideals and anarchist energy. Like Austin and Portland, Olympia is a place that we have been urged to “keep weird.”
But, in the beating heart of an Olympia summer lies Lakefair, an annual event that feels as classic, wholesome, and all-American as an apple pie cooling on a windowsill. Since 1957, Lakefair has brought the city together to revel in parades, carnival rides, live performances, and a wholly absurd amount of delicious food — an event that even the crustiest of punks would admit is a great thing to have around.
Now in its 67th year, Lakefair will once again bring a smorgasbord of family-friendly entertainment to Capital Lake for five days of events that are designed to bring in all parts of the community. From July 17-21, Lakefair takes over Heritage Park and becomes a kind of idyllic cultural hub. We recently spoke with Lakefair Co-President Karen Adams-Griggs, who provided a little more insight into how much more important and involved Lakefair might appear than from the outside.
“It is a huge event, so trying to do this in my spare time is challenging,” says Adams-Griggs. “I’ve been doing this 10 years, and I’m a schoolteacher by day. … It sounds like Lakefair is only five days — plus five days of setup and teardown — but Lakefair is actually busy year-round. We do community service hours for other organizations.
“This year, we’re going to be helping the Thurston County Relay For Life,” Adams-Griggs continues. “We’ll also be helping Little Red Schoolhouse, we helped the Bob Leingang fishing tournament, we helped with the Olympia Yacht Club, and those are just a few.”
Baked into the center of Capital Lakefair is the Royal Court, which plays a prominent part in the event’s parade. Every year, six high school girls from Thurston County schools are granted scholarships — more “gateway scholarships,” as Adams-Griggs puts it, which can lead to further scholarships. This year alone, Lakefair is donating $17,000 to these scholarships.
Those chosen few are then celebrated as queens, princesses, and ambassadors. But, unlike other pageants, there are no beauty or talent contests here, just essays and interviews that pave the way for these girls to get that momentum toward college. These honorees will be celebrated at the Capital Lakefair Grand Parade on the Saturday of the event.
Adams-Griggs, for one, is excited for everyone to see the float that Lakefair’s created, which will be a parade highlight as it rolls down Capitol Way and onto 5th Avenue.
“We started building the float in January, there every Monday night, just with volunteers,” says Adams-Griggs. “And it’s an award-winning float. … We do 15 parades a year. That’s part of going out into other communities — we do their festivals, and they come to ours.”
With 57 arts and crafts vendors, a cavalcade of music, a huge car show that we haven’t even mentioned, and so much more going on, it can be a little daunting to know where to begin. For her part, Adams-Griggs has her game plan.
“You gotta hit Food Row first,” says Adams-Griggs. “That’s always a big one for me, is to hit all the food I want on Food Row that I may not see again for another year. Then, I go through the arts and crafts, and then chill out and listen to music. Then, of course, the parade, which is another big moving piece.”
Whichever way you choose to experience Lakefair’s 67th year, rest assured that, underneath all the sun and fun and games, this is an institution that is always working to keep Olympia thriving.
WHAT:
Capital Lakefair
WHEN:
Noon to 11 p.m. Wednesday, July 17 to approximately midnight Sunday, July 21
COST:
Free
LEARN MORE:
https://www.lakefair.org
See much more in the print edition including a welcome from the Co-Presidents Karen Adams-Griggs and Ken Ringering, an introduction to the Grand Marshall and Royal Court, the events and mainstage schedule.