What's Happening in Olympia, WA…

Local businesses in Downtown Olympia are preparing for a weeks-long Halloween celebration throughout October.

The Olympia Downtown Alliance, a nonprofit that represents merchants throughout the city's downtown core, is organizing the event. This year, downtown toy store Captain Little is presenting the celebration, alongside community sponsors including The Pet Works and the Washington Center for the Performing Arts.

Among the highlights is a two-week scavenger hunt running from October 17 through 31, in which participants search for hidden rubber ducks at shops and restaurants throughout downtown. The celebration takes place on Halloween afternoon, when families can enjoy trick-or-treating as local stores hand out candy, while pet owners gather at 5th Avenue and Washington Street for a festive pet costume contest.

Poster printing offers a practical way for local shops to turn window displays into visual markers that help steer foot traffic into their stores during community events like this one.

This Halloween celebration is just one of many seasonal initiatives organized by the Alliance, which supports local merchants by hosting events year-round to drive foot traffic into the area.

While the scavenger hunt aims to keep downtown buzzing from October 17 through 31, the main event arrives on Halloween afternoon at 5th Avenue and Washington Street, with trick-or-treating from 3:00 to 6:00 pm and the pet costume contest kicking off at 4:00 pm.