It was dark, cold and wet last April 27, but the dismal day didn’t dampen the high spirits in downtown Olympia. Drums rumbled and saxophones wailed as a cavalcade of creatures — huge swooping butterflies, a truck-sized blue peacock, and leaping dolphins, among others — progressed down Legion Way. Kids had transformed into fish and bumblebees, parents were lions, flamingos and crows, and sunflower-clad grandmothers were dancing the samba.
On the curb, thousands of onlookers whooped and cheered. It was the Procession of the Species, Olympia’s annual honoring of creativity, community and the natural world. After a five-year pause due to Covid, the Procession was back.
This April during the Spring Art Walk, the Procession once again invites Olympia to join its downtown celebration. And this year marks the event’s 30th anniversary. In 1995, when the Procession was launched, the Endangered Species Act appeared at risk, so it seemed a dark time for the environment. Organizers sought to raise awareness.
“We wanted an opportunity for people to give witness to their creative spirit and their sense of wonder at living on this planet,” said Eli Sterling, a founder of the event.
While that mission was serious, organizers envisioned the Procession as a community celebration, with the Earth’s flora and fauna as honored guests.
This year, as in all years, the energizing spark of the Procession is children.
“For me, the gift of the Procession is being able to lose myself in the moment of creation and just be fully present and in tune with what my group is trying to create,” said Annie Douglas, an Olympia mom and a scientist. “From what I’ve observed, children are already right there in that mindset of being fully present, and it’s a joy and a gift to our community to be able to share this open wonder and delight…”
A research biologist at Cascadia Research Collective, Douglas tracks whales in her professional life. But she also loves making art, so the Procession offers a perfect blend. Over the years, she and her Cascadia colleagues have fashioned blue whales, sperm whales, and false killer whales for the Procession from paper mache, balloons and paint.
This year, Douglas is also parent organizer for Lincoln Options School kids, taking kids weekly to the Armory Art Studio to create creatures and costumes. The studio offers paint, glue and other crafting materials for free, funded by Inspire Olympia.
While many local schools take part — ORLA, Nova and Madison are a few — Lincoln got involved early. In 2000, after a grant from Sound Kids Drum and Dance, the school created the Lincoln Rhythm Machine. Kids have been beating the drums ever since.
Any child from kindergarten to fifth grade can join the band, said Scott “Scuff” Cuff, a local musician and the band’s leader. Other students can walk in the parade; this year the group will be bumblebees.
“The kids’ reaction is incredible, their joy and excitement,” said Cuff. “They don’t want to miss it.”
Nine-year-old Elliott Bond, a Lincoln fourth-grader, agrees. In past Processions he’s transformed into a bee, an owl and a peregrine falcon. His big sister Melina, a Nova student, has been a falcon, a lightning bug, a fish and a shrimp. Their parents, Morgan Bond and Tish Conway-Cranos, both ecologists, have dressed as exotic birds, jellyfish, a crab, and a garden with bees. For the family, the Procession is an opportunity to celebrate the natural world, together.
“It’s magical!” Conway-Cranos said.
To organizer Eli Sterling, the participation of children means everything.
“If I can enhance a child’s excitement about nature and help them step deeper into that miraculous world,” he said. “Then we’ve been doing something worthwhile.”
WHAT:
Procession of the Species
WHEN:
Friday, April 25: Luminary Procession – Starts at 9 PM
Saturday, April 26: Procession of the Species – starts at 4:30 PM
WHERE:
Corner of Legion Way and Cherry Street, downtown Olympia.
You can pick up an Arts Walk/Procession Route Map at downtown Olympia businesses.
COST:
It’s free!
LEARN MORE:
https://www.procession.org/
The Procession of the Species · April 26 · Begins at 8:30pm between 4th & 5th on Washington and ends on Water St.