Submitted by City of Olympia
On Friday, April 24 from 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 25 from 12:00 – 8:00 p.m., come explore the creative and spirited arts community of Olympia, WA and help celebrate our 50th Arts Walk event! Tucked into a valley at the foot of South Puget Sound, Olympia is the state’s Capital, and also home to a vibrant mix of musicians, filmmakers, writers and visual and performing artists. Arts Walk is the largest festival of this type in the region – an unparalleled opportunity to embrace the arts and meet the artists.
As day reaches into night, Arts Walk brings together over 120 businesses, and hundreds of visual and performing artists with over 30,000 visitors in Olympia’s historic downtown as they welcome the arts in all forms during this twice-yearly event.
Meet artists from all career levels: pre-school through professional.
Listen to a variety of live music including Rockin’ Blues, Country Western, East Indian Sitar, Jazz and Youth Samba.
Learn to Zumba, try out a new instrument, or stop in at several family art activity areas.
Check out poetry, adult storytelling, puppet shows, or consult the Butohracle.
Take in impromptu street performances, all kinds of dance and of course, exhibition of fine art from photography, painting and drawing to sculpture, textiles, ceramics, printmaking and more.
The festival also includes the spectacular Procession of the Species, celebrating its 20th year, an artistic and environmental celebration presented by Earthbound Productions. The event is a colorful and joyous street pageant using the languages of art, music and dance to inspire cultural appreciation, understanding, and protection of the natural world; the Procession begins at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Due to the popularity of the Procession, it is extremely important for individuals to pay close attention to street closures and tow away zones.
Harms Woods, by photographer Duncan Green, adorns the cover of the Arts Walk map this spring; a scene of the forest’s edge newly awakened. A photographer since the age of 14, Duncan has worked the professional and artistic sides of the field, both as Staff Photographer for the Washington State Legislature and long-time contributor to The Sun magazine. He has studied with renowned photographers Chris Rainier, Amy Arbus and Arno Minkkinen and his work is in private collections across the US and in Canada, France and Holland. Duncan’s cover art can be seen during Arts Walk at Childhood’s End Gallery (#101 on the Arts Walk map).
Arts Walk is sponsored by the City of Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation Department and Olympia Arts Commission, with support provided by Art House Designs, Capitol City Press, Heritage Bank and MIXX 96fm. Arts Walk maps are available at participating locations after April 11, and at Olympia City Hall, 601 4th Ave. East and The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. NW.
A digital map and Arts Walk app are also available after April 11 at olympiawa.gov/artswalk. For more information, contact Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation at 360.753.8380.
