VFW Post 318 Auxiliary is hosting its Fantastic Annual Holiday Bazaar and Bake Sale! Local crafters have created an array of unique gifts, while the Auxiliary will be serving a fabulous lunch of soups, salads, and sandwiches from 11am until 1pm. Stop by their bake sale and pick up dessert or take something home for dinner or a gift!  All proceeds go to support our local veterans, military and their families. Friday-Saturday, November 15th-16th. For more details, call 360-754-1346.

“The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night Time” is a thrilling onstage journey! The play depicts 15 year old Christopher, who has an extraordinary brain for mathematics but is ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He is accused of killing his neighbor’s dog and uses detective work to solve the mystery and clear his name. Friday-Sunday, November 15th-24th, 7:30pm (2pm on Sundays).

The ​”Celebrate Our Veterans Bazaar” features over 45 vendors! They will be offering their products, smiles and suggestions on unique gifts for that special person. There will be free gifts for all while supplies last, plus a thank you card and gift for the first 100 military personnel (active or retired) who attend. Proceeds go to Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation. The Missing Man Table presentation will be conducted at 9:45am, and will be displayed throughout the day in the Stone Parlor. Saturday, November 16th, 10am-5pm. ​Watch for the bright pink signs leading the way to the church.​ ​For more information contact Gail at 253-831-7894.

If you can’t find it here, you can’t find it anywhere! Bring family and friends to The Best Rummage Sale at the Lacey Senior Center. Why pay retail?  Come save money and support our seniors by shopping at this popular fundraiser for Senior Services for South Sound. Saturday, November 16th, 9am-12pm. Proceeds benefit the Activities Department. For more information, contact 360-407-3967. Thank you for supporting seniors in our community.

Early Bird Entry: 8am – free to members; $5 public

Free Entry: 9am

Donations needed!  Now’s the time to start looking at all those “things” that no longer serve you and are taking up space! Some of the things needed are tools, household items, sporting goods, clothing, shoes, jewelry, accessories, textiles, bedding, kitchenware, china, crafts, works of art, antiques, collectibles, garden equipment, decorations, books, CDs and albums. Only clean items in good shape that aren’t broken will be accepted including flat-screen monitors, televisions, small furniture; no computers. If you have something sizable, please contact Jill at 360-407-3967 in advance to see if it can be donated.

If you wish to donate items for this event, please take them to their wonderful sponsor, Olympic Moving and Storage, 935 Poplar St., Olympia, starting November 4th, 1-4pm.

Olympia residents can take advantage of the drop-off site and rid themselves of yard debris, tools, fencing and more! Some items, like cardboard, some plastic and scrap metal, are taken at no cost. For the rest, rates are assessed on the size of the load. Residents must unload their own vehicles. For a list of restrictions, see the City of Olympia website. Saturdays through November 23rd, 9am-2pm.

InhaleExhale – Window Seat Media’s newest Community Stories Project – is an exploration of our stories about death and dying, here in the South Puget Sound. There will be workshops, playback theater, an exhibit, dialogue and more. Saturday, November 16th, 8:30am-5pm.

What are our “blueprints” for dying? Where do these stories come from and how do they inform the care we seek and receive? What stories complicate our “master narratives,” and what can we learn from those stories? Their goal is to share powerful stories and ideas, illuminate systemic problems, and ask what is possible for end-of-life care in the South Sound community.

Join them Saturday, November 16th for their project launch! Workshops, playback theater, an exhibit, conversations and more! Together, you will consider your own stories around death, access new ideas and resources, and listen to stories in a variety of formats.

Visit website for session descriptions and list of presenters. Event schedule (below) subject to change.

Event Schedule

8:30AM | Doors Open‍
Coffee, tea, connect with friends, old and new ‍

9:00AM | Welcome and Opening with Brian Flowers ‍
Settle in and be seated by 9:00!‍

10:20AM | Break ‍

10:40AM | Session 1: Understanding the Story Landscape
Track 1: A Rivers Journey to the Sea: How ready were we for serious illness and end-of-life? How ready are you? | Hugh O’Neill
Track 2: Afterworlding | Miranda Mellis
Track 3: Nourishing Wildflowers | Jessica Caldwell

12:00PM | Lunch
Eat lunch in main house or bring food to Coach House for playback theater performance with the Heartsparkle Players from 12:15-1:15PM. Lunch provided by Nineveh.‍

1:30PM | Session 2: Living and Dying Fully
Track 1: Story Salon | Elaine Vradenburgh with conversation partners Debe Edden, Elizabeth Lord, and Eliana Stockwell-Ferber
Track 2: What is a Death Doula? Who Needs a Death Doula? | Lashanna Williams
Track 3: Rituals of Bereavement and Remembrance: Telling a Life’s Story, Connecting to a Bigger Story | Holly Pruett

2:50PM | Break ‍

3:10PM | Session 3: Honoring Our Loved Ones and Ourselves After Death
Track 1:  Reimagining What is Possible: The Art and Practice of Home Funerals and Green Burials | Lucinda Herring and Karen Lohmann
Track 2:  Green Burial and Emerging Alternatives | Brian Flowers and Nora Menkin
Track 3: Thinking with Death and Dying, Together: Written Reflection on InhaleExhale | Sophia McLain and Lucien Spect

4:30PM | Break

4:45PM | Closing Ritual with Holly Pruett

Buy Tickets

(A note about tickets: In effort to make the gathering more accessible, they are offering sliding scale tickets. The actual cost of producing this event is $90 per person. Please select the level that best works for you. Those who chose to contribute above the $90 level are helping them continue the conversation into 2020 with ongoing events and a podcast of stories. You will receive a tax receipt for any amount donated above the $90 ticket fee. Please contact elaine@windowseatmedia.org if you are unable to pay the $30 discounted ticket price. No one turned away for lack of funds.)

Saturday, Nov. 16th, 2019 9am-4pm at Youth Center.

Many booths to choose from. Bake sale and more food! Like VFW post 3057 on Facebook

The Peter G. Schmidt PTA Holiday Bazaar is on! Purchase a variety of gifts from crafters, small businesses, and reps from companies such as LuLaRoe will be there, too! Plus, a performance by dancers from Ballet Northwest’s upcoming production of “The Nutcracker” and opportunities for photos with them! Saturday, November 16th, 9am-3pm.

Escape gloomy weather and come inside to play games! Challenge someone to a beanbag toss, recycled bottle bowling, and more! Saturday, November 16th, 10am-4pm.

Discover the cool and creepy crawlers lurking in the Puget Sound during the Estuarium’s Invertebrate Insanity event! Explore all kinds of animals that squirm in the mud and scurry on the sand, from soft-bodied saltwater worms and slugs to crunchy critters like crabs, clams, and shrimp. Saturday, November 16th, 1-2pm.

Watch Estuarium staff dissect and explain what goes inside these awesome creatures. How do they move and eat? Do they see or hear? Learn how important benthic invertebrates are to our food chain, the names of our common Puget Sound invertebrates, and discover all the fascinating, familiar, and alien-like creatures living right here in the Puget Sound!

Catch the Music Mends Minds concert and support those who want to exercise and use their minds to the greatest extent possible! Bring the family and feel how music joyously creates pathways to enhance memories and keep the mind functioning. FREE! Saturday, November 16th, 2pm. For more information about Momentia and activities, contact Cheri Knighton at 360-586-6181, extension 111.

As a thank you to the community, the First Baptist Church of Lacey is serving a FREE Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday, November 16th, 3-5pm.

Sample spirits and cocktails, meet the makers of these great products and take home favorite beverages in time for the holidays at the Tacoma Distillery Festival! More than 20 distilleries and restaurant vendors will providing the goods for what promises to be the can’t-miss spirit tasting in the South Sound this fall! Saturday, November 16th, 3-7pm. To get tickets, call 253-591-5894.

The American Legion Department of Washington will host a special service session for Lacey Veterans! The legion staff will discuss veterans’ benefits, legislative efforts, claims, membership opportunities and more as part of their commitment to community services and assistance to veterans. FREE! Sunday-Monday, November 17th-18th, 9am-4pm. For more details, call 509-560-0607.

Violinist Kaia Selden performs with the Olympia Symphony in the “Seeing Is Believing” concert! Among other pieces, the Portland resident will play Vivaldi’s “Winter” – the show will also feature stunning visual effects by Adrian Wyard. Sunday, November 17th, 3pm. For tickets, call 360-753-8586.

“History Talks!” continues it series in Lacey! Researcher and curator of the Schmidt House Karen Johnson will explore the development of the Cowlitz Trail, which was used by pioneers who wanted to continue to the Puget Sound after reaching the Oregon territory. Monday, November 18th, 5:30pm. For more information, see https://www.laceymuseum.org

Applications for the 2020 WSU Master Gardener volunteer training course are being accepted now through December 20th on a first come, first serve basis! Attend one of the pre-orientation sessions to see if the Master Gardener training course and program is for you.

Dates of pre-orientation sessions:

Wednesday, November 6th, 10:30am-12pm

Friday, November 15th, 6pm-7:30pm

Tuesday, November 19th, 10:30am-12pm

Thursday, December 5th, 6pm-7:30pm

Monday, December 9th, 10:30am-12pm

Thursday, December 19th, 6pm-7:30pm

Attendance at one of the pre-orientation sessions is required for anyone applying for the 2020 WSU MG volunteer training course. No pre-registration is needed to attend the pre-orientation session.

The WSU MG Volunteer Training begins in January 2020.  More information about the Master Gardener
Training Course, including the schedule, tuition costs, and the application can be found at https://extension.wsu.edu/thurston/gardening/

“Sugar Skull” is a Day of the Dead musical adventure! This joyous, family musical delves into the rich, tuneful tradition of Day of the Dead! Fans of Disney Pixar’s “Coco” will love this show! Tuesday, November 19th, 7:30pm. For more details, call 253-591-5894.

Wednesday, November 20, 9:30 a.m. to noon 

Grass Lake Nature Park needs your help digging out Himalayan blackberry and Scotch broom. Full-length pants and a layered long-sleeved shirt are strongly encouraged! We will meet near the kiosk sign inside the park. Limited parking available. 814 Kaiser Rd. NW. Look for the Park Stewardship sign right off of Kaiser Road. ***Google Maps will take you to the wrong address. The entrance is North of 6th Ave NW and South of 11th Ave NW***

For all work parties, please dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes or boots that can get wet and muddy. Please bring a reusable water bottle. An adult must accompany youth under the age of
14 and all youth under 18 years of age must have an online waiver signed electronically by a parent/guardian. All ages are welcome to participate! Tools, gloves, and light refreshments provided.

Please arrive 10-15 minutes early to park and sign in. Visit http://Volunteer.OlympiaWa.Gov to sign up as a volunteer, then click on the work party you want to join.

Attend “Regional Housing Summit 3,” all about affordable Senior Housing in  Thurston County! A panel of seven will talk about advocacy and awareness, senior needs and policy, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the event. Lunch and admission are FREE, but registration is required! Wednesday, November 20th, 11:30am-2pm. For more information or to register, call 360-357-3362 or click here. Partners Senior Services for South Sound and the Thurston Economic Development Council have made this cost-free summit possible.

Taj Mahal is a walking encyclopedia of American Music, and is coming to the Washington Center! Playing everything from country and blues to rock, gospel and Afrocentric roots music, he has excited audiences since the 1960s. The Taj Mahal Quartet also brings reggae and Hawaiian slack key music to the table. Wednesday, November 20th, 7:30pm. For tickets, call 360-753-8586.

Experience Downtown Olympia on Third Thursdays! Participating shops, many staying open later than usual, feature deals, guest authors, artists, and refreshments! Eateries offer chef and barista specials and entertainment! See olythirdthursday.com for info, contests, and activities! A fun element of each Third Thursday is the Challenge Game! Participating Third Thursday businesses will hand out game cards. Participants can visit each business to get another letter to solve the phrase of the month. Complete the phrase first and win!

Downtown shops, restaurants and galleries offer unique Third Thursday promotions; art galleries hold artist receptions, and you can enjoy food and beverage tastes at boutiques.

Presented by Providence Health Services in partnership with the Olympia Downtown Alliance, 360-357-8948, and KXXO Mixx 96.1!

Laugh the night away with a host of brilliant comics in the Seattle International Comedy Competition! Olympia will play host to the semi-finalists who have survived the preliminary rounds and are taking it to the top, with hilarity and cutting edge comedy to thrill the house! Thursday, November 21st, 7:30pm. For tickets, call 360-753-8586.

Nisqually Valley Moose Lodge is hosting their annual holiday bazaar Friday, November 22 from 10-5 and Saturday, November 23 from 10-4.

Holiday cheer abounds on the Polar Express Train Ride on the Chehalis Centralia Railroad! The whole family is invited to take this one hour journey, as “The Polar Express” is read aloud, cocoa is sipped and Santa drops by to visit with each child! Friday, November 22nd-Sunday, December 22nd, 5 & 7pm. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure from the Chehalis Depot. For details, see https://www.steamtrainride.com/the-polar-express-train/

Tickets are $38 per person. Children under two are free but must sit on a adult’s lap.

You will BEARly believe all the crafts and antiques available at the Olympia High School BEARzaar! Hunt for that special gift at over 170 vendors. The Raffle Hall has an item donated from each vendor, so you can preview a sampling of what the vendors have to offer. It also gives you many chances to win. Admission and parking are FREE, although this year, for $5 you can enter at 8:15am instead of 9:00. They will also be accepting canned food donations for the Thurston County Food Bank. So, don’t hibernate in your cave Saturday, November 23rd 9am-4pm. BEARzaar is always the Saturday before Thanksgiving! You probably won’t leave BEARhanded.

This event is a fundraiser for the OHS Associated Student Body (ASB.)

Aspire Middle School PTO’s Pancake Breakfast and silent auction will support the award-winning band program of over 100 musicians! Funding will reduce transportation costs and will purchase new music that challenges and inspires the students. Breakfast includes, pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon. Saturday, November 23rd, 8:45-10:30am. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at the door. https://bit.ly/32wjUqH

The 5th Annual Smoky Mountain Christmas will be held Saturday, November 23rd 9am-5pm and Sunday, November 24th 10am-4pm. Three buildings of vendors to shop from, food trucks, raffles, and more! Bring the kids to meet, greet, and take free pictures with Father Christmas and the Frozen Characters – Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf – from Part of Your World Princesses on Saturday only from 11am-3pm!

Hear their KXXO Mixx 96.1 ad here!

The Old English Christmas Faire features homemade gifts from a wide variety of vendors! There are fantastic baked delicacies, chocolate, pet treats, unique crafts and woodwork. Fresh greens and wreaths for sale as well as second-hand books and music. Enjoy hearty pub food while you listen to seasonal music. Saturday, November 23rd, 9am-3pm.  

Grass Lake Nature Park needs your help digging out Himalayan blackberry and Scotch broom! Full-length pants and a layered long-sleeved shirt are strongly encouraged! Register now; arrive 15 minutes early to park and sign in. Saturday, November 23rd, 10am-1pm. Visit http://Volunteer.OlympiaWa.Gov to sign up as a volunteer, then click on the work party you want to join.

814 Kaiser Rd. NW – limited parking available. Meet near the kiosk sign inside the park. Look for the Park Stewardship sign right off of Kaiser Road. ***Google Maps will take you to the wrong address. The entrance is North of 6th Ave NW and South of 11th Ave NW***

For all work parties, please dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes or boots that can get wet and muddy. Please bring a reusable water bottle. An adult must accompany youth under the age of
14 and all youth under 18 years of age must have an online waiver signed electronically by a parent/guardian. All ages are welcome to participate! Tools, gloves, and light refreshments provided.

Please arrive 10-15 minutes early to park and sign in. Visit http://Volunteer.OlympiaWa.Gov to sign up as a volunteer, then click on the work party you want to join.

When we go to sleep, what creatures wake up? How do animals see or hear at night? Learn how nocturnal animals have adapted to thrive at night during a 2pm interactive presentation. Saturday, November 23rd, 10am-4pm.

Meet and greet ballerinas from Ballet Northwest’s Nutcracker Saturday, November 23rd 11am-1pm.

Come discover the mysterious creatures that live below the pier at Boston Harbor Marina at “Pier Peer”! Biologists provide underwater lights that attract spectacular estuary creatures for you to safely scoop up and observe, while volunteer Beach Naturalists help you identify and learn more about what you’ve found. From octopus to anemones, from sea stars to sea slugs, you never know what you’ll encounter! Register early to ensure your spot. Saturday, November 23rd, 6-7:30pm.

Visit http://sseacenter.org/pier-peer to purchase your tickets today!

Come, be thankful together! Join your Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and secular neighbors in a Thanksgiving Celebration hosted by Interfaith Works! All are welcome. There will be readings and music, plus refreshments after the hour-long celebration. FREE! Sunday, November 24th, 2pm.

There will be readings by both faith and community leaders and music by the Olympia Peace Singers, St. John’s Compline Choir, Community Celebration Bell Choir, Drum Fun, and Olympia Unitarian Universalist Choir.  Stay for refreshments and camaraderie downstairs after the hour-long celebration. Location: First United Methodist Church of Olympia, 1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia.

Join Olympia staff and stewards to weed and rake the fallen leaves at Yashiro Japanese Garden! Dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes or boots that can get wet and muddy. All ages are welcome. Register now – show up 15 minutes early to check in! Wednesday, November 27th, 9:30am-12pm.

The Yashiro Japanese Garden is located at 1010 Plum St. SE. Meet at the side entrance to the park. Parking is available at the Lee Creighton Justice Center, 900 Plum St. SE.

Please bring a reusable water bottle. An adult must accompany youth under the age of 14 and all youth under 18 years of age must have an online waiver signed electronically by a parent/guardian. All ages are welcome to participate! Tools, gloves, and light refreshments provided.

Please arrive 15 minutes early to park and sign in. Visit http://Volunteer.OlympiaWa.Gov to sign up as a volunteer, then click on the work party you want to join.

See “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol”! Harlequin Productions presents the tale of a hardened Sherlock Holmes who resurfaces, only to turn his back on the people who need him most. Unexpected callers uncover clues from the detective’s past, present and future in their quest to save Holmes and his world from a dire end. It’s a magical holiday mystery, one clue at a time. November 27th-December 31st, 7:30pm (Sunday matinees at 2pm). For details, call 360-786-0151.

Pick up your Choose Local First Black Friday Survival Bag at the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber! In addition to bags full of goodies and coupons, there are some really great prizes donated by local businesses given out at random. Arrive early! Must be 13 to receive your own bag – goodies for children under age 13 available. Wednesday, November 27th, 5pm.

Olympia Family Theater’s live production of “The Wind In the Willows,” Kenneth Grahame’s timeless children’s tale, is for the whole family! Toad’s obsession with motorcars could lead to his ruin, and his friends loyal Mole, clever Rat and stalwart Badger are the ones trying to save him. The play is about, above all, the enduring power of friendship, and is recommended to ages five and up. Friday-Sunday, November 29th-December 22nd.

Fans of “Monty Python,” “Mr. Bean” and “Dr. Seuss” – grab your teacups! Award-winning Off Broadway comedians James and Jamesy present their inventive “O Christmas Tea,” an astonishing show that has delighted the hearts of theatre goers every holiday season. Friday, November 29th, 7:30pm. For tickets and information, call 360-753-8586.

“Scrooge: The Musical” is the timeless “A Christmas Carol” recast as musical fun! Here, the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge undergoes the profound experience of redemption on Christmas Eve after being visited by the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley. The ghosts of Christmas past, present and future live on! GET TICKETS NOW! Friday-Sunday, November 29th-December 15th, 7:30pm (Sundays at 2pm). For more information, see https://www.theevergreenplayhouse.com

“Elf: The Musical” is perfect holiday fun! An orphan who was raised an elf, Buddy is actually a human, and faces harsh realities on the way to winning over his new family and helping New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This delightful modern classic should not be missed! Friday-Sunday, November 29th-December 22nd. Call 253-565-6867 for tickets and more information.

The Washington Center’s first artisan market is based on craft, community and innovation, so get a jump on holiday shopping by discovering some great handmade and original work! Saturday, November 30th, 10am-6pm. For more details, call 360-753-8586.

Meet and greet ballerinas from Studio West Dance Academy’s Nutcracker Saturday, November 30th 11:30am-1pm, with a performance at 12:30pm.

Join the South Sound Celebration in downtown Tacoma for the annual holiday tree lighting! Gather for carols and photos with Santa at this special traditional event. There will be live music as well! FREE! Saturday, November 30th, 4:30 (music and photos with Santa) and 6:15pm (tree lighting). For more information, see https://www.tacomaartslive.org

Experience the “Cirque Dreams Holidaze” extravaganza during the most wonderful time of the year! There are elaborate scenes, original holiday numbers, spectacular costumes and some of the world’s finest acts in an evening to remember. Saturday, November 30th, 7:30pm. For more details, call 253-591-5894.