The Olympia Art League has been a sponsor of the fine arts exhibit at the Thurston County Fair for many years. The Fair is a precious, old-fashioned event complete with 4-H livestock exhibits, ferris wheels, canned pickles, and cotton candy. It is the Olympia Art League’s task to staff the exhibit and to select the award-winning pieces from a large selection of fine art entries from all ages. Most members sign up to take a turn staffing the exhibit at this fun event. The Thurston County Fair takes place annually the first week in August. All ages and artists at all levels of ability are welcome to enter.

There is an exhibition guide with rules and guidelines to follow on the Thurston County Fair website. There are many different categories to enter your art into the fair. It is recommended that the work shown should be from the last 2 years. The intake for art will be on Saturday July 26th from 10:00-4:00 and Sunday, July 27th 11:00-3:00.

The fair opens July 31st thru –August 3rd. Art pick up will be on August 3rd, 7 -8PM or Monday Aug. 4th 12:00 to 6:00PM. Contact Heather McDougall Simons about volunteering. There are many options for volunteer work and many hands are needed. Duties include judging, sitting with the art, possibly demonstrations and plein air painting during the fair. Please volunteer if you can.

Direct your questions about the Art Show to Heather at 360-742-4667 or 2stanheather@gmail.com

The path to the fair open class website is: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/community-planning-and-economic-development-cped/fairgrounds-events-center/fair-exhibitors-guide-open-class