Spring Break!

It's Spring Break Time in the South Sound! If you are staying close to home next week, here are a few fun activities to enjoy with your family.

1) Hands On Children’s Museum: Spring break camps for K-3rd graders. Explore ancient Egypt, have fun with Circus Science or visit the Wild World of Animals. See the Museum website for details and to register: http://www.hocm.org/page.php?id=133

2) Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day will be showing at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Bring your family to enjoy this adventure filled play. See website for show times: http://www.washingtoncenter.org/

3) SOCCER SOCCER SOCCER: Two great soccer camps to expand the skills of your budding soccer player:

Olympia High School Spring Break Soccer Camp for boys and girls in grades K-6, lead by head Coach Ty Johnson. To access information and registration form following the link: http://chinqually.org/gfile/75r4!-!HIIFKL!-!svyr5/ohs_soccer_camp_2011.pdf

Challenger British Soccer Camp: https://registration.challengersports.com/FindACamp/FindACampAcademy.asp?Method=CampSession&Key=0416514

4) Enjoy the mystery of flight? Visit our Thurston County treasure, The Olympic Flight Museum and explore the world of flight. Open Wednesday – Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. http://www.olympicflightmuseum.com/index.php

5) Basketball player in the family? Come join the fun at the Black Hills High school basketball camp. http://www.zvents.com/z/olympia-wa/all-area-boys-and-girls-spring-break-basketball-camp--events--174192185

6) Olympia Farmer’s Market Open April 7th for the 2011 Season: Come down to the Market and enjoy locally grown produce, hand-made items, great food and live music. http://www.olympiafarmersmarket.com/

7) Skiing? Yes! There is still time to hit the slopes and the late snowfall has made for great spring skiing. One of our favorites is White Pass and they are open every day of spring break! For snow report, conditions and hours of operation visit: http://www.skiwhitepass.com/

Whether you are sticking around the South Sound or travelling afar, we wish you a wonderful time with your family.

Thurston County Food Bank

Guest Blog: John Duerr, Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty

Community Food Drive To Benefit Thurston County Food Bank
Saturday, March 12th - 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Copper Creek Coffee, 4120 Martin Way, Lacey
NE Corner of Sleater Kinney Rd. & Martin Way

Join me and Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty in this community wide event to benefit those in need. We have a long history of supporting our local Food Bank and are excited to be a part of this latest effort. The Thurston County Food Bank is one of the reasons I am proud to call Thurston County home. It is truly a great place to live, work and raise a family. Several local businesses are supporting this event and will have coupons and giveaways. ROXY radio will also be there. Bring food and join us this Saturday to support one of our best local treasures and aid those friends and neighbors that need us most.

Paper Airplane Flight School

Did you enjoy making paper airplanes in school? Competing with your friends to see which plane would fly the furthest? Kids today still enjoy making and flying paper airplanes across classrooms, playgrounds and living rooms. To enhance interest in flight, our local Olympic Flight Museum is hosting a spectacular event called “Paper Airplane Flight School.”

The event will be held on Saturday, February 19th from 1-3:30 p.m. at the Olympic Flight Museum, Olympia Regional Airport, 7637-A Old Highway 99 SE, Tumwater. Participants will enjoy professional instruction, construction materials and a snack. The cost for Flight School Participants is $7.00; $5.00 for spectators and general admission.

This hands-on experience will introduce the excitement of paper airplane folding and include a friendly competition. “From the simplest folded paper airplanes to the ‘cutting edge’ in paper airplane technology, you'll learn the basics of aircraft pitch, roll, and yaw! Enter your creations in the Distance and Spot Landing Contests and compete for awesome prizes!” For more information visit http://www.Olympicflightmuseum.com for more information.

Noon Year's Eve

Join the Hands on Children's Museum at this year's Noon Year's Eve on December 31st from 10am-2pm!

Complete with kazoos, make your very own party hat, win fun prizes, and create a confetti shower. What a wonderful event that allows everyone to celebrate the New Year together!

Admission is $8 for members, $10 for non-members and accompanying adults are free!

http://www.hocm.org/page.php?id=178

Harlequin Productions - A Stardust Christmas Carol

Harlequin Productions presents A Stardust Christmas Carol, an original 1940s Holiday Musical Adventure by Harlowe Reed playing now thru December 31, 2010.

"The year is 1945 in lower Manhattan and the Stardust gang is celebrating the first peacetime holiday in four years. But in the midst of their floor show, they are invaded by a remote radio broadcast team arriving a week early for a celebrity radio presentation of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol. It's too late to reschedule the airwaves--despite the fact that they have no celebrities--so the Stardust crew is wingin' it and swingin' it to bring the classic Christmas tale to life."

Visit http://www.harlequinproductions.org/index.html for more information on this fabulous show and others to come!

Fantasy Lights, Spanaway

The 16th annual 'Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park' is now open!

Presented by Pierce County Parks and Recreation, Fantasy Lights is the largest holiday drive-through display in the Northwest! This two-mile drive features almost 300 beautiful displays and thousands of twinkling lights. Tune your car radio to FM 93.7 and listen to holiday music performed by a local high school while you enjoy the view.

Fantasy Lights will be open every night including Christmas and New Year's Eve from 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm.

Directions to FANTASY LIGHTS at Spanaway Park: - From I-5 take Exit 127 (Puyallup/Mt. Rainier) - Head east on Hwy 512 - Take the second exit (Parkland/Spanaway) - At stop light, turn right onto Pacific Avenue (SR 7) - Go south for 2.7 miles - Turn right onto Military Road (152nd St). - Spanaway Park entrance is a 1/2 mile on the left.

For more information visit http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/PC/abtus/ourorg/parks/flights.htm

Hands on Children's Museum

The ground-breaking ceremony for the new Hands On Children’s Museum is being held on November 17, 2010, at 12:00 p.m. The site is located between Jefferson Street and Marine Drive just north of State Avenue. This new facility will be the centerpiece of a revitalization project all along East Bay. It will lead the biggest downtown transformation since the Farmer’s Market was built in the 1990s.

The new facility includes an expanded version of some of the Museum's favorite exhibits along with a new cooking studio, inventor's studio, and a new gallery focused on the Wild Woods. The northwest’s relationship to water will be a big theme at the new museum and will tie in with the LOTT reclaimed water interpretive center next door. Designs for the new Outdoor Learning Center are especially exciting. The 30,000 square foot outdoor space will include interactive water features, a wetland, driftwood forts, children's garden, forest look-out towers and many other exciting additions.

Rocket Races!

Olympic Flight Museum presents Rocket Races Saturday November 13 at 1pm!

Purchase your very own balsa rocket kit at the Olympic Flight Museum for $5. Take the kit home and make your own unique rocket, paint it, decorate it, be creative with it! Bring your creation with you to the Olympic Flight Museum on the 13th of November and race in the competition!

Entry fee for participating in the race - $10

For more information visit http://olympicflightmuseumevents.weebly.com/

Hands On Childrens' Museum

Our own Hands On Childrens' Museum receives more national press. Check out the video about the Museum's programming on the link below. The Hands On Children's Museum is one of the gems that makes our community a great place to call home.

http://www.momshomeroom.msn.com/#/episode/T4//1219950//

Harlequin's Haunted Wild West Cabaret & Auction

Join us in celebrating the 20th Anniversary Season of Harlequin Productions on Sunday, October 31st, 2010 from 6:30 to 10pm.

Enjoy great food, open bar, costume contest, a haunted wild west cabaret & auction, and much more.

Visit http://www.harlequinproductions.org/seasonpages/10/hauntedcabaret.html for more information on this exciting event and to purchase tickets!

Boo Bash Fall Costume Party

This year's costume party fun begins at the Hands on Children's Museum, Saturday October 30th from noon-5pm. With something for everyone to enjoy; art and science activities, games, face painting, door prizes as well as food and beverages!

Cost is $8.50 for members, $10.50 for non-members and accompanying adults are free!

They do request no one wears scary costumes or masks.

Visit http://www.hocm.org/page.php?id=177 or call 360.951.0818 for more information.

Fun Things to do in Olympia

It is Fall! Here is a list of super fun activities that are sure to please all ages! The Olympia area is filled with great places that will keep your weekends busy no matter what the weather.

Hands on Children's Museum
Creates curiosity, creativity and learning through fun, interactive exhibits and programs
http://www.hocm.org/

The Olympic Flight Museum
Rocket Races coming soon! Check out their website for more information
http://www.olympicflightmuseum.com/

Bowling at...
Westside Lanes
http://www.westsidelanesofolympia.com/


Aztec Lanes
2825 Martin Way E Olympia, WA 98506
360.357.8808

Washington State Capitol Museum
Come learn the history and culture of Washington with two floors of exhibits.
http://www.wshs.org/scmoc/

Lattin's Cider Mill
Fun treats, petting farm, year round maze, and much more!
http://www.lattinscider.com/

Hunter's Farm
Holiday shop, wagon rides, giant slide, mazes and lots more to enjoy!
http://www.hunterchristmastrees.com/

Schilter Family Farm
Mazes, pumpkin cannon, hay rides, petting farm, and more!
http://www.schilterfamilyfarm.com/html/seasons/events_autumn.html

Rutledge Corn Maze
Fresh produce, fantastic corn maze, haunted maze nights...
http://www.rutledgecornmaze.com/

Indoor Gokarting
Experience real wheel-to-wheel racing all year-round.
http://apexkarting.com/


Great Wolf Lodge
Fun filled indoor waterpark resort
http://www.greatwolf.com/

Wolf Haven
Celebrate the beauty of the wolf during Wolf Awareness Week.
http://www.wolfhaven.org/index.php

Painted Plate
Create your very own masterpiece with Mountain ice cream, Batdorf and Bronson coffee and good company!
http://www.paintedplateolympia.com/

YMCA
Lots of fun indoor activities! Take a look at their events calendar for more information.
http://www.cambridgeymca.org/index.html

Indoor Lazer Tag
http://www.charliessafari.com/pricing.php
http://laserfunzone.net/

Indoor Batting Cages
http://www.bbcourtsandcages.com/
http://www.airportgolfcenter.com/batting.php

Lowes Build And Grow Kids Clinics
Basic projects to help build confidence!
https://www.lowesbuildandgrow.com/

Home Depot Kids Workshop
Hands-on workshop sessions are offered on the first Saturday of each month
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentView?pn=Kids_Workshops&catalogId=10053&storeId=10051&langId=-1

Indoor Swimming Pool
http://www.cambridgeymca.org/index.html
http://www.discoveraquatics.com/
http://www.olympiaathleticclub.com/swim.htm

Rollerskating
http://www.skatelandolympia.com/
http://www.olympiaskate.com/home.aspx

Cooking Classes for Kids
Bayview School of Cooking presents Kids in the Kitchen!
http://www.bayviewschoolofcooking.com/kids.html

Harlequin Productions

It is officially fall in our beautiful town of Olympia! If you are looking for fun fall activities Olympia has plenty to keep you busy through the season.

Harlequin Productions presents The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare starting today, October 7 through October 30, 2010.

"Everyone wants to marry the beautiful Bianca, but her Father won’t consider any of her suitors until he’s successfully married off her cantankerous older sister, Kate. Along comes Petruchio, strummin' his way from St. Louie, seeking his fortune... and a rich wife. Bianca's desperate suitors hire Petruchio to woo and tame “Kate the curst,” and the battle of wills is on. But human will – of either the male or female variety – is no match for the boy Cupid. A classic love story of rootin'-tootin' proportions... with original old-timey cowboy songs!"

Tickets are $12-15 available at http://www.harlequinproductions.org/

Enjoy the show!

Corn Maze in Olympia, WA

Looking for fun Fall activities? Here is a list of the near by Corn Mazes in Olympia, WA

Rutledge Corn Maze
http://www.rutledgecornmaze.com/

Lattin's Cider Mill
Navigate our new year-round (non-corn) Maze.
http://www.lattinscider.com/

Hunters Pumpkin Patch
http://www.hunterchristmastrees.com/index1.htm

Shaffner Farms
http://www.shaffnerfarms.com/

Schilter Family Farm
http://www.schilterfamilyfarm.com/html/seasons/events_autumn.html

Apple Festival at Lattin's Cider Mill in Olympia

Starting now through the last weekend in October
9 am to 5 pm
Free admission
$2.00 per vehicle parking

Enjoy Bluegrass music, sample the fresh-picked apples and take some home at a great low price. Take a tractor-drawn wagon ride to the Pumpkin Patch from 11 am to 4 pm. Find your way through the new year round Maze. Bob for apples, enjoy the clown and visit the farm animals.

While your there don't forget about the apple crisp, caramel apples, apple butter, apple cake, baked apples, apple pie by the slice and our famous apple fritters.

Three Strange Tales of Old Olympia

Have you been to our Washington State Capitol Museum lately?

This Monday September 20th at noon take a look at some of Olympia's history at the State Capitol Musem! Listen to the fun stories of our Capitol, the rise and fall of the Swiss Chalet at Priest Point Park, the unusual journey through space and time of a Native American house post, and the curious account of a pioneer song that became a modern advertising legend.

The Washington State Capital Museum is located at 211 21st Avenue Southwest Olympia, WA 98501.

There is a $2 donation to see "Three Strange Tales of Old Olympia".

For more information visit http://www.experiencewa.com/event.aspx?id=440898906

Olympia's Public Art Walking Tour

Ever Saturday now through September 25th in downtown Olympia at 11am is the Public Art Walking Tour! The tour starts on the corner of 4th and Water Street by the mural of the big waves and heads west over the bridge.

Hope you enjoy the tour!

Puyallup Fair 2010

The Puyallup Fair is finally here!

There are so many fun things to do at the fair, September 10th thru the 26th. Fabulous fair food, fair & animal exhibits, Toonzville & Sillyville, great concerts in the grandstands & tons of free concerts and music at the Coca-Cola Stage, Showplace Stage and more, along with free entertainment throughout the fair grounds.

Our very own Puyallup Fair is home to the biggest rodeo in the Northwest, going on during the first weekend of the Fair.

Don't miss out on this and so much more!

Hours:
Sunday - Thursday 10 am - 10 pm
Friday & Saturday 10 am - 11 pm

Admission:
Adults: $11Students
(6-18): $9
Seniors (62+): $9
Five & under: Always FREE

Parking:
Mon - Fri: $10
Sat & Sun: $12

For more information please visit http://www.thefair.com/puyallup-fair/

Sand in the City

Did you visit Sand in the City in Downtown Olympia this year? If you didn't get a chance to make it down there here is a small sneak peak of the fabulous sand sculptures created.




Be sure to mark your calendars for the last weekend in August for next years Sand in the City event!

Olympia Harbor Days, 2010

Olympia Harbor Days has been around for 37 years and counting! This annual festival brings tugboats to our beautiful area, the southernmost tip of Puget Sound, for three fun filled days of entertainment, food, art and history for the last hurrah of the summer.

Come on down to Percival Landing this September 3rd through the 5th to join in on the fun! Many of the vintage, working and retired tugboats will be open for tour on Saturday the 4th. Don't miss out on the exciting Annual Harbor Days Tugboat Races Sunday at noon!

Keep your fingers crossed for another beautiful weekend here in the Puget Sound! See you there!