August 26, 2026 — Music on the Water, Art on the Farm and a Classic Flick
Sleater-Kinney Rockin’ the Block
The fifth annual South Sound Block Party will be the last, and the popular summer music festival, happening Friday, Aug. 28, and Saturday, Aug. 29, is ending on a high note: The legendary Sleater-Kinney is headlining Friday’s concert, continuing the festival’s (https://www.southsoundblockparty.com/) tradition of celebrating Pacific Northwest women. Saturday’s headliners are Sleigh Bells and Shannon & the Clams. Doors open at 4 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Port of Olympia’s NorthPoint, 1022 Marine Drive NE, Olympia. Tickets, available online (https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/23737/south-sound-block-party) and at the door, are $66.16 for one day and $99.44 for the weekend, with children younger than 12 admitted free.
The productions, directed by Taproot’s Karen Lund and associate directed by Harlequin’s Aaron Lamb, share scenic design, costumes and staging. The casts are different, although Anders and Bolduc understudied their roles at Taproot. Rounding out the Harlequin cast are three veteran actors with comedy chops: Russ and Kim Holm, who get to show off their chemistry, and Andy Gordon. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 21, 22 and 27-29 and Sept. 3-5 and 2 p.m. Aug. 23 and 30 and Sept. 3 and 6 at the State Theater, 202 4th Ave. E, Olympia. Tickets (https://harlequinproductions.org/show/barefoot-in-the-park/) are $35-$49, with rush tickets available for $5-$24.50 two hours before showtimes; for shows at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28 and Sept. 3 and 5, pay what you choose.
Art on the Farm
Art on the Farm, an occasional art sale that’s meant to blend art with nature and connection, is happening Saturday, Aug. 29, on two adjoining properties at the end of Johnson Point Road,. The sale, organized by jewelry artist Rachel Jamison, offers an opportunity to wander in a peaceful landscape and mingle with artists. including such well-known painters as Aimee Schreiber and Danny Gordo of The Copper Wolf, Darcy Goedeke and Jimmy Ulvenes. Chances are you’ve seen Schreiber’s mystical moths and Ulvenes’ evocative landscapes, but have you seen them in a setting of trees, flowers and maybe even an occasional deer? Also on offer will be pottery, jewelry, textiles, flowers, candles and more. Marmo, a gallery and café in Shelton, will be selling seasonal food and botanical refreshments. The free event (https://www.facebook.com/artonthefarmoly) is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 8708 Johnson Point Road NE, Olympia. Parking is limited, so it’s a good idea to carpool if you can.
‘Broadcast News’ on Big Screen
The Olympia Film Society is hosting not one but three screenings of the 1987 romantic comedy “Broadcast News” — a surprising choice that literary and journalistic types, yours truly included, are greeting with excitement. Part satire, part romcom, James L. Brooks’ film looks at TV news at a time when serious broadcasters telling serious stories were sharing airtime with pretty faces reading from teleprompters (a time, in other words, that doesn’t look so bad by current standards). The film, starring Holly Hunter, William Hurt and a delightfully acerbic Albert Brooks, delighted critics and got seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Screenings are set for 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, and 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, and Wednesday, Sept. 2, at the society’s Capitol Theater, 205 5th Ave. SE, Olympia. The first screening (https://www.olympiafilmsociety.org/movie/broadcast-news-post-film-qa-w-author-lana-schwartz/) will feature an introduction, Q&A and book signing by Lana Schwarz, whose new romance novel “Set Piece” goes behind the scenes of movie-making. Tickets are $7-$14.
Molly Gilmore absolutely adores alliteration, and “Broadcast News” includes one of her favorite examples (https://youtu.be/XXRhZxOnAzw), fittingly spoken by a character named Aaron Altman (played by Albert Brooks).
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