by James O’Barr
Wild Child, Olympia’s uniquely inclusive Family Friendly Taproom, has become the downtown night-life home of imaginative, boundary-breaking programming over the past two years. One immediate example: hosting “Eat the Rich,” Capital City Pride’s New Year’s Eve extravaganza. The evening will feature a four-course dinner, with a drag show, live music, and queer comedy entertainment, followed by an after-party, with more comedy, live music, dancing, a DJ, and a midnight burlesque spectacular.
Located on 4th Avenue, in the one-time venue of a number of well-regarded bars and restaurants (Obsidian, Jezebel Bar and Grill, Octapas Cafe, Wild Man Gastropub), Wild Child is the creation of Emily Ellis and Keely Strange, two long-time workers in the bar-restaurant industrial complex. Ellis grew up in Virginia and, after making her way westerly, found employment at the Wild Man Gastropub, where she became fast friends with fellow waitron and Olympia native Keely Strange. Both, they discovered, had fantasized being bar owners, and when Wild Man announced it was pulling out of Olympia, the dye was cast; they bought the bar. “For the first time working in this business, we’re able to do the unconventional things we’ve dreamed about,” says Strange, “but our main goal is to give Olympia a great place to gather and be its best self.”
First off, they wanted to make Wild Child inclusive, not just in the expected ways, but, according to Strange, the mother of three, “by being truly welcoming to kids and families.” Thus the “Family Friendly Taproom” sobriquet. To that end, they program many events and activities open to all ages, as well as those specifically geared toward youngsters and their parents. Not to be left out, the kitchen has a children’s menu, and, on Monday nights, a free kid’s meal is offered with the purchase of an entree.
That openness to a wider swath of the community is evidenced by their involvement with Arts Walk and SafePlace, and by the range of their events programming, whether organized in-house, or, in the case of music, by CapCity Presents, or in New Year’s Eve’s “Eat the Rich” by Capital City Pride, or by the many other individuals and organizations, large and small, who’ve come to see Wild Child as a welcoming venue. A glance at the current calendar will give you a small taste of the possibilities: Jazz Jam and Magic for Beginners card game; Irish music jam; Pons, Rat Utopia Experiment, and Fermented Soul in an evening of electronic no-wave rock; a Holiday Market; Sugar Cookie Decorating Night; Baurice Nelson comedy night; Fakers Dozen improv; Diva Drag Brunch and Free Movie Night. For the full smorgasbord, go to Events on the Wild Child website, a garden of earthly delights.
Of course, Wild Child is a taproom, and I’ve said nothing about the 32 taps on offer, featuring the finest fare of local breweries, cideries, and mead makers. Nor have I made much mention of the kitchen, which, according to Ellis, continues to be a work in progress, with its very inventive pub fare, Meatless Mondays, vegan options, Happy Hour menu (all day Sunday!), and Brunch specialties.
The sense of community that Wild Child aspires to celebrate is immediately evident when you a walk through the front door: walls lined with posters, playbills, flyers, broadsides, and all kinds of artwork. In the words of the founders/managers/barkeeps/chief cooks and bottle washers, “All in all, we want to create a space filled with love, joy, and chaos.” So, they might also have said, “Eat, drink, be merry, and be your best self, Olympia, Wild Child is here for you.”
WHAT:
Eat the Rich – New Year’s Eve variety show and dinner
WHEN:
Wednesday, December 31: dinner party, 6:30- 9 p.m.; after-party, 9 p.m. to close
WHERE:
Wild Child Family Friendly Tap Room
414 4th Ave. E., Olympia
COST:
$60 per person, dinner party and after-party
$30 per person, after-party only
LEARN MORE:
wildchildolympia.com
wildchildtaps@gmail.com
(360) 995-7151