Need a break from the cold rain and winter blues? Travel around the world to 30 countries in just one day at the FREE Lacey Cultural Celebration on February 1st. Exploring these countries and getting stamps on an event passport will give you the opportunity to celebrate your neighbors, taste diversity, applaud local performers, and learn something new.
The Cultural Celebration has been a beloved Thurston County tradition for decades. Downtown Olympia hosted this event for 25+ years until budget issues threatened to put an end to it. To keep the celebration alive, the City of Lacey adopted it in 2011 and moved it to Saint Martin’s University where it still resides each year, even when the world was in chaos. The event shut down just like the rest of the world in 2020, but found a virtual platform in 2021. That year, activities and recorded performances were available online as well as at a variety of vendor stores. The following year, the celebration was held hybrid and returned to fully in-person in 2023. Through it all, the City of Lacey felt it was important to keep alive and to uplift the spirits of the community. Event planners remain grateful for the different organizations that partnered with them during these times.
There is a world of fun planned for this year. Jeanette Sieler at Lacey Parks has been involved with the Cultural Celebration since Lacey adopted it in 2011. Sieler advises to “come early and plan to stay the whole day … don’t try to do it all in an hour.” Along with shopping and watching event performances, attendees are invited to roam through the festival and collect stamps in their passport by engaging in conversation or participating in activities. Open to children and adults alike, this optional passport activity allows you to choose your own adventure with a free prize at the end, sponsored by Lacey Collision.
When ready to taste the world, celebration attendees can look forward to traditional favorites as well as new food options this year, including dim sum. Sieler always looks forward to eating her way around the world at this event and watching the kids perform. She shared:
“Every year, we see the children who are learning the Filipino dances or the Panamanian activities, along with the Alaskan and Indian families that come out. It’s all generations — grandparents, their kids, and now their grandchildren. They are learning, sharing their history, and are so excited to wear their costumes and perform for folks on that stage. That is what I really enjoy seeing.”
At the very heart of the Cultural Celebration is the idea of understanding your neighbors a little more, learning something new, and doing so in an environment that is accessible to all. The only things that cost are food and items bought from vendors, all other activities are free and open to everyone. Anyone in need of a break or a little rest can spend time in the sensory recovery area brought to you by Sensory Toolhouse LLC.
Photos of past years’ Cultural Celebrations courtesy of Lacey Parks, Culture & Recreation.
WHAT:
Lacey Cultural Celebration
WHEN:
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 1
WHERE:
St. Martin’s University, 5000 Abbey Way SE, Lacey
LEARN MORE:
https://laceyparks.org/events/cultural/