What’s happening this week around Thurston County

Sunday, April 21

The Olympia Symphony presents Flamenco: This concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia, is a collaboration that brings together live flamenco dancing and classical music. The symphony’s season finale will transport you to southern Spain to experience the heart of its culture. Tickets are $17 to $85.

SLURP returns: After a 4-year hiatus, SLURP! is coming back better than ever. The 21-and-older event features shellfish, wine, and beer tastings, and will take place from 1-5 p.m. Sunday at the Port of Olympia, 1422 Marine Dr. NE, Olympia. SLURP stands for Shellfish Lovers Ultimate Rejuvenation Party. Dishes are crafted by top local restaurants featuring fresh, beach-harvested shellfish. There also will be a Grand Oyster Bar, a live auction, an oyster shucking/eating contest, and live music. The event put on by the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association supports clean water education and shellfish restoration in the Pacific Northwest. Tickets are $100.

Great Beginnings Child Development and Daycare Center farewell open house: Great Beginnings was recently sold. Pat Sarmento snd Joanne Ponzo ran the center for 45 years. A farewell open house is planned for them from 1-3 pm Sunday, April 21, at the former Great Beginnings building at 703 Rogers St. NW, Olympia.

Tuesday, April 23

North Thurston School Board meeting: The North Thurston Public Schools board meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Woodland Elementary School, 4630 Carpenter Road SE, Lacey. This will be the board’s first meeting since announcing the hiring of new Superintendent Justin Ainsworth on April 10. He will replace current Superintendent Debra Clemens on July 1.

Wednesday, April 24

Thurston County Commissioners seek input on budget amendment process: The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners are seeking input on the budget amendment process through Wednesday, April 24, using the county’s budget prioritization tool. Powered by Balancing Act, the county created an interactive prioritization tool that allows residents to make budget selections and rank them in order of priority. Selections and rankings help to provide insight to support decision-making. The tool can be found on the county website. The commissioners will be making final decisions on office and department budget changes to the 2024-2025 Biennial Budget on Monday April 29. Budget amendments are limited to emergencies, technical corrections, updates to beginning fund balance, and new grant awards from outside sources. Interested in learning more about the Thurston County budget and budget development process? Visit the Thurston County budget website.

United Way of Thurston County’s Shelter Shower Drive & Drop event: The United Way is bringing back its annual Shelter Shower in a new form from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 24. The event will take place at the United Way of Thurston County headquarters, 3525 Seventh Ave SW, Suite 201, in Olympia. The Shelter Shower gathers essential shelter items for the Family Support Center of South Sound and SafePlace. Items such as diapers, wipes, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, and more are needed to support local individuals and families facing homelessness. You cab find a full wish list on the United Way website.

Heaven on the Half Shell -- Washington State’s Oyster Odyssey: Get to know the Pacific Northwest’s most beloved bivalve — the oyster — at this Humanities Washington talk by author David George Gordon. Gordon will discuss three species — the Olympia, Eastern, and Pacific oysters — along with the people who have cultivated them for generations. Learn about the Native American sea gardens and clam beds that existed 11,500 years ago, as well as the contemporary efforts to cultivate oysters, both native and introduced. The free talk begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, at the Olympia Timberland Library, 313 Eighth Ave. SE.

Welcome to Medicare Zoom Presentation: This presentation at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday is an introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries. It covers Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Prescription Plans, Medicare Supplements, and programs for limited-income beneficiaries. To get a link, email thurstonmasonshiba.volunteers@southsoundseniors.org or call and leave a message at Senior Services SHIBA program at 360-586-6181 ext. 134. A registration link will be sent to you.

Thursday, April 25

The Olympian community gathering: In May, The Olympian will move to a three-day-a-week print publishing schedule — Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Join an in-person discussion about this transition, and ways to access content online, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the Lacey Timberland Library, 500 College St. SE. It’s free. Learn about the changes, see demonstrations of various ways to read and see Olympian content. You’ll also have a chance to meet with the newsroom team in person and sit down with a customer service representative if you’d like.

SPSCC Machining Technologies Open House: South Puget Sound Community College invites the community to its upcoming Machining Technologies Open House from 1-5 p.m. Thursday, April 25, in Building 3 of SPSCC’s Lacey campus. The Open House welcomes anyone who has a passion for working with their hands, machines, and advanced computer software. Attendees will have the chance to learn firsthand how graduates from SPSCC’s Machining Technology program are crafting products such as surgical equipment, aerospace components, satellites, prosthetics, and more. There will be a welcome at 1 p.m.; shop tours will begin at 1:30 p.m. and run throughout the event. To RSVP, visit the college’s Program Spotlight webpage.

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood in Asking for Trouble! Get ready for an evening of improv as Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood from TV’s “Whose Line is it Anyway?” take the stage in a one-night-only live show. Mochrie and Sherwood transform the audience’s suggestions into an unpredictable evening of comedy. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $39 to $78.

Olympia Garden Club celebrates 100 years: The garden club is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Visitors are welcome at club meetings which are held at Gull Harbor Lutheran Church, 4610 Boston Harbor Road NE. The next meeting is April 25. The group will gather at 9:30 a.m. with a social time and sales of plants donated by members. Meetings begin at 10 a.m. and include a business portion, a review of horticulture samples from members’ gardens, a report on the habits of various birds, and a floral design of the month. Debra Langley-Boyer with the Olympia Bee Keepers Association will present this month’s program: “Supporting Pollinators in Your Garden.” Coffee and tea are provided; members bring their own lunch. For more information, visit www.olympiagardenclub.org.

Friday, April 26

Olympia’s Arts Walk: Olympia Arts Walk is a semi-annual community event celebrating the arts. Since 1990, thousands gather in downtown Olympia in both the spring and fall for a festive arts experience. Downtown businesses become galleries displaying the work of local artists both Friday evening and Saturday. Street closure hours at 6-10 pm Friday and noon to 6 pm Saturday. Friday night’s events include the Luminary Procession at 8:30 p.m., when lighted lantern creatures parade through downtown. For the full schedule and participating businesses, visit the events page at artswalkoly.com/events

Saturday, April 27

Procession of the Species: The Procession begins at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and winds its way through downtown Olympia, using art, music, and dance to inspire cultural appreciation, understanding, and protection of the natural world.

The Power of Stories: Storytelling is a fundamental part of being human. Stories connect us to our past, help us empathize with others, let us imagine possibilities. We all have stories to tell, and the WET Science Center has got just the activities to help you get started! Tell a story through puppet-making and storytelling games. All ages are welcome at the center, 500 Adams St. NE, Olympia, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.

The Greatest Showman Sing Along: One of the Washington Center for the Performing Arts’ most popular sing-along movies is back! The Greatest Showman was inspired by the legend and ambitions of America’s original pop-culture impresario, P.T. Barnum. Local host Lauren O’Neill will warm up the audience. Come sing along with Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya on the big screen. The screening begins at 6 p.m. at the center, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $6 plus a service fee.

Washington State National Organization for Women 2024 Conference: The conference will be held Saturday on Zoom. The theme is “Equal Rights and Gender Equity: What Can We Do NOW?” Starting at 10 am and running to 3 pm, participants will hear about 2024 Legislation that affects women and what’s ahead in 2025. Sen. Manka Dinghra will discuss domestic violence, accessibility to reproductive healthcare services, and end of child marriage. Sen. Patty Kuderer will discuss the Keep Our Care Act and universal healthcare. There will be break out sessions for discussion and ideas for local areas. The conference is free for NOW members. Guests who register for $25 will receive a free membership. Registration is at https://www.now-wa.org/

Family & Friends Game Night: Get ready for a night of fun and games from 5-8 p.m. Saturday at ASHHO Cultural Community Center in partnership with the South Sound YMCA. Bring your favorite board games because we’re turning up the excitement with chess, dominos, spades, art, and more. The center is at 5757 Littlerock Road SW #4, Tumwater, across from Costco. Register using an ASHHO form.

Sunday, April 28

Silent Movie -- Kings of Silent Comedy: Experience silent films the way they were meant to be seen and heard, accompanied by the Washington Center for the Performing Arts’ 1924 Wurlitzer Organ. Featuring Charlie Chaplin’s The Pilgrim and Harold Lloyd’s Why Worry? Tickets are $21 and $26 plus service fee.

Would you like to have your event included in our weekly What’s Happening listing? Email the details to news@theolympian.com at least 10 days before the event. Please put What’s Happening in the subject line.