Oly Arts is happy to publish part two of the introduction to the new column of culinary and artistic delight by the mysterious Phantom: “The Phantom of the Diner,” — “On Edible Art, an Introduction, Part the Second.”
Oly Arts is happy to announce the beginning — joyfully starting in September 2026 — of a new column of culinary and artistic delight, “The Phantom of the Diner,” by a mysterious and erudite writer who identifies only as The Phantom, and who asserts that “There simply must be some right perspective in the world, … a hierarchy of principle and right order to our existence, even in our world of postmodern relativity.” So welcome, dear reader, to the world of The Phantom.
Molly Gilmore “Arts Aficionado” #7 — August 12, 2026
— Good Times Flow in Tumwater
— It’s the Water — and the Culture
— Creative Space Opens Downtown
The purpose of LoveOly, in its third year, is to bring people together and promote downtown. “I love it that we bring the community together right when kids are fresh from the school year,” said Desiree Freeman, executive director of the Downtown Olympia Alliance, which organizes LoveOly. The family-friendly event comes to life June 20 to 22.
If you enjoy a good old-fashioned multi-disciplinary arts party, including more than a dozen zero-budget film productions by local artists, the Ground to Sound Arts Festival in Tacoma might be your lucky festival. Co-sponsored by Foster’s Creative and the City of Tacoma, the Ground to Sound Arts Festival began last year with local artists creating original short films highlighting the problem of untreated water and trash and its journey to the Sound in documentary form. This year there will be a Music Open Mic, film and art, a Literary Reading and Open Mic.
There is a world of fun planned for this year’s Lacey Cultural Celebration, happening Saturday, Feb. 1 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at St. Martin’s University. There will be dance and music, activities for children and adults and food vendors from around the world. Jeanette Sieler at Lacey Parks, Culture & Recreation advises to “come early and plan to stay the whole day … don’t try to do it all in an hour.”
“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.
MOSAIC: Tacoma’s Arts and Culture Festival at Tacoma’s Wright Park on July 27 and 28 is a weekend of multicultural music, dance, art, crafts, and cuisine, with an evening movie in the park and a Kids Zone and sprayground. The festival will see a visit from the Mobile Teaching Kitchen, which will provide a preview of culinary courses available through Metro Parks Tacoma.
Walk into a whimsical fair with fire breathers, live music from Pearl Django, and activities!. Enjoy themed food and drink while you stroll through the grounds and rose garden. Other surprises will entertain you throughout the night. Proceeds will benefit the Procession of the Species organization.
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. And the biggest, most extravagant arts event of all, Olympia’s fall Arts Walk — October 6 and 7 — our semi-annual community event celebrating all of the arts, but with an emphasis on visual arts when a majority of downtown businesses turn parts of their stores into art galleries.