Critic’s Corner: Best Visual and Performing Arts of 2024

Many of the South Sound’s best theater and visual arts critics write for OLY ARTS. We asked six of them to highlight some of their favorite visual and performance art shows from 2024, and we congratulate and celebrate the Olympia and Tacoma-area artists selected. Due to the limitation we put on the critics of no more than two or three shows, we are aware of and acknowledge that many great shows and artists were not picked. We are lucky to live in such a vibrant creative community.

Tacoma Light Trail Lends Brightness to Winter Doldrums

Tacoma Light Trail, December 31 through January 12, brings much-needed illumination to the dark winter streets of Tacoma. The Light Trail will line the streets of Tacoma with light art installations, and the entire free event will be blessed by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. Food trucks will be on hand to make this a perfect family-friendly way to ring in the new year.

Summer at the Schmidt: Midsummer Night’s Dream Faire

“Midsummer Night’s Dream Faire” at Schmidt House in Tumwater features live music by Tacoma-based Pearl Django, other performances, games, dinner and refreshments (21+). This one-night event on Thursday, August 8th is a fundraising event to benefit the Procession of the Species organization.

The Shoestring Circus to Make Its Olympia Debut This Summer

The Shoestring Circus, a one-of-a-kind, all-human circus experience headquartered in Bellingham, will debut in Olympia with more than a dozen local performances from June 28 to July 7. Audience members can expect family-friendly humor and acrobatics all set to a “medieval fantasy” storyline.

Strip at the Crypt Returns to Olympia’s Cryptatropa Bar This May

Through Strip at the Crypt, the art of burlesque is melded with elements of improvisational comedy into one tongue-in-cheek show that’s bound to skirt expectations. Strip at the Crypt was established in 2019, and after experimenting with the layout over the years, each one-night show features around eight performers as well as a live song from co-creators and hosts, Hattie Hotpants and Vanessa the Witch.

Airbound Arts

by James O’Barr If you want to learn airborne arts, there are a number of skydiving venues around the state, or you can join the Army and go to the Jump School at Fort Benning, Georgia. But if it’s aerial skills and circus arts instruction you want, then you need go no further than downtown …

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Fall Again – Arts and Entertainment

by Alec Clayton Fall is a time for rebirth, for rejuvenation, especially when coming in the wake of a scorching dry summer and a pandemic that refuses to go away. Children return to school, and there will be football — Friday Night Lights at area high schools and U-Dub and Seahawks on the telly. Fall …

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The Art of Sound and Motion

Dozens of performers promise to dazzle Olympians from stations all over the city’s downtown core during Arts Walk Spring 2023.

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