The Funk Fest is seen by the organizers, Ecstatic Sound Collective, as “more than just music—it’s a celebration of community and culture.” To that end, downtown Washington Street will be transformed into a lively street party. This 2nd annual Olympia Funk Festival is an incredible lineup of talent coming to three Capital City venues—the Olympia Ballroom, the Olympia Center, and the historic Capitol Theatre!
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.
Join us for an Encanto singalong! Belt out “We don’t talk about Bruno” and “Surface Pressure” with your favorite Encanto characters. Experience the movie on our big screen and join Mirabel as she sets out to save the family and house. Local host Lauren O’Neill will be back to warm up the audience!
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.”
Maria is an in-demand drummer and educator known throughout the Pacific Northwest. She is no stranger to the Seattle jazz scene performing in such venues as The Earshot Jazz Festival, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, The Triple Door, The Seattle Art Museum, and Tula’s. As a bandleader her groups have been featured at the Portland Jazz Festival, …
Back by popular demand! You won’t want to miss this high energy, musically expansive show! Skerryvore represents the best in contemporary Scottish traditional music, with a growing fanbase worldwide and the promise of much more to come. “A spectacular mix of traditional Scottish folk music and the most diverse rock elements.” — Süddeutsche Zeitung, GERMANY
Olympia’s own Billboard hit singer and songwriter, Gretchen Christopher, whose music career began with her 1959 hit “Mister Blue,” has performed solo and with her group, The Fleetwoods. She will be releasing a new album, “21: The Times of Our Lives (Tomorrow is Not Promised)” in the near future.
Well-crafted arrangements and tight ensemble work produce a rich “mini-big band” sound from this high-energy jazz sextet’s three-horn front line. Megabopolis performs the unique, melodic originals of award-winning composer and OA2 recording artist Nelda Swiggett. The band features some of Seattle’s finest jazz musicians, passionate about their craft, who have collectively performed at many top …
