By Billy Thomas As the weather continues to warm up, and the sun — that’s that bright thing in the sky, for those of us who have forgotten, due to its infrequent presence — begins to shine brighter, the promise of a long weekend is a reprieve from the slog. For readers who are looking …
By JONAH BARRETT Steamboat Island isn’t known for its boisterous antics, but that changes every spring as it bursts with a variety of melodies. The fifth-annual Steamboat Stringband Jamboree, occurring the last day of May and first day of June, is hosted by Olympia bands The Oly Mountain Boys and The Pine Hearts. The jamboree’s a celebration of …
By Billy Thomas The City of Olympia announced on Friday that it is looking for citizens interested in serving on the Heritage Commission. “The commission provides a structured way for citizens to share opinions and perspectives, study issues, develop recommendations, and provide the Olympia City Council advice from the citizen perspective,” said Kellie Purce Braseth, …
By NED HAYES Photography by Shanna Paxton Photography Procession of the Species is Olympia’s annual celebration of the natural ecosystem. It’s been enlivened in recent years by the massive creations of large-scale puppeteer Jerry Berebitsky, whose creations delight crowds with brilliant color, innovative imagination and awe-inspiring movement. This year, however, instead of a single, oversized …
By Tom Simpson Hal Schrieve is well known to Olympians as a local word nerd, ardent reader, University of Washington graduate and trans activist. Schrieve, 22, is about to be well-known for hir—Schrieve’s preferred pronoun—powerful, debut novel, a transformative murder mystery that features teen zombies and werewolves. “I tried to imagine a modern fantasy world …
By Alec Clayton There’s nothing like getting up close and personal with artists in the places where they create their art—see how they work, pick their brains, maybe even get a chance to experiment with their materials. Art appreciators will have the chance to do just this at the upcoming South Sound Studio Tour. Over …
By Alec Clayton Local artist Kimberly Saltiel believes art has the power to heal, and she has the research to back it up. She notes that studies show a direct link between the content of images and the brain’s reaction to pain, stress and anxiety. Hospitals and elderly care facilities turn to art as part …
By Billy Thomas South Puget Sound Community College announced that it has partnered with the City of Olympia to transform the former Ben Moore’s restaurant into Percival Place at Ben Moore’s. The special event location will provide the college the opportunity to return to downtown Olympia, bringing with it its mission of education and workforce …
By Alec Clayton Washington State’s Poet Laureate Claudia Castro Luna offered up a fitting end to a glittering night of art at the Washington Center‘s “Center Salon” on Friday, April 12. Castro Luna called her suite of poems “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” as inspired by the Tina Turner song of the same …
By CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Janae Huber and other citizens launched the group Olympians for People-Oriented Places in 2015. Their goal was to support a compact, diverse Olympia designed around attractive public spaces. Abbreviated O-POP, the organization recognizes the challenges of housing an estimated thousand new residents each year without sacrificing environmental protections or civic beauty. Toward …