Participant Information

Remember the Three Procession Rules!

Except for those with special needs, there are only three rules for participating:

  • No written words (or symbols)

  • No live animals

  • No motorized vehicles 

Click here for more info about the rules.

And don’t forget about cleanup on Sunday, April 27 on the day after the Procession! We’ll meet at the Bread Peddler on Capitol Way just north of State Street for coffee at 9:00 am, then help clean up the streets along the Procession route. Bring a large plastic bag and gloves to wear.

  • Registration forms may be picked up & returned at the: Procession Community Art Studio, 515 Eastside Street, Olympia Armory Creative Campus. Or register online! It’s easy!

    There’s no registration fee, however, if you are able to, we would appreciate your donation of two cans of food per person for the Thurston County Food Bank. Please bring your food donation to the Art Studio (there’s a box at the entrance). Or, bring it with you the day of the Procession. The Food Bank’s white van will be at the registration table on Procession day to receive your donation: please bring your donation directly to the Food Bank van. Thank you for supporting ALL of our community!

  • Check-in begins at 3:30 pm. Check yourself and your group in at the Registration table at the corner of Legion and Jefferson. Each of the four Element sections of the parade and their assigned blocks will be clearly marked by signs. You are encouraged to come early, walk around, and view all the other marvelous species... but please have your group assembled at your registered Element by 4:15 pm -- We need to assure that music groups are placed in good positions throughout your Element.

  • Procession participants will meet at the intersection of Legion Way and Cherry Street. Each of the four adjoining blocks will be closed to traffic and used by participants to gather according to their designated Element. Please see map to locate the block where your Element will gather.

  • Traffic and parking will be very congested in downtown Olympia. Please carpool or ride the bus if possible. Parking may be available in the surrounding lots along 7th Ave between Adams and Cherry. But please check for signage!

  • The Procession will gather in the street on Legion Way within the two-block span between Jefferson and Chestnut. Participant drop-off will occur at the intersections of Legion & Chestnut (heading south) and 7th & Cherry (heading west). Parking may be available in the adjacent parking lots south of 7th; check for signage! Drop-off can occur in a similar fashion on 5th Avenue between the intersections of Jefferson and Cherry. (Note: Please expedite the process by leaving the drop-off area promptly, so as many people as possible may be dropped at the staging area in a timely manner.)

  • Honey buckets will be provided at the intersection of Legion and Jefferson and at Sylvester Park. Restrooms are also located at Heritage Park at the end of the Procession. The entire event should last about two hours. (Note: Please respect neighboring businesses with regard to restroom use.)

  • Spectators! Art in the streets! Procession volunteers will be distributing street chalk for those waiting along the Procession route between 3:30 and 4:00 pm. This is an invitation for all of us to be part of this amazing celebration and a true opportunity for each of us to literally bring the beauty of nature onto our streets. With the help of your artistic agreement not to use the chalk for political graffiti, we can assure our Procession of the Species remains a true community exchange of acceptance. Please encourage both art without words and respect for the property of downtown owners. Please keep chalk on the streets and off of building walls.

  • Please observe these basic safety rules during the Procession:

    • Carry NO GLASS during the parade.

    • Stay within your Element (section) during the parade.

    • Dance, slither, waddle, but please NO RUNNING.

    • In fact, go slow, be seen, dance from side to side and visit with your friends!

    • Help any fellow Processioneers that may need assistance.

    • Keep a watch over our small species and help any lost children to Lost and Found.

  • Please be mindful of not creating waste at Procession locations. This event celebrates Earth Day and the natural environment. Leaving no "footprints" of litter. Thank you for helping to pick up what others may leave behind. 

  • We are asking for food donations, so if you can, please bring two cans of food for the Food Bank. However, DO NOT bring candy to throw out to spectators. Your smiles and artistic creations in delight of the natural world are what we are all really hoping for. And along with that, throwing out candy along parade routes is now forbidden by the City of Olympia for health and safety reasons.

  • In the event that a child becomes separated from their group, please instruct children to ask to be taken to the nearest Police Officer located along the route. For lost items please contact Earthbound Productions at and leave a description.

  • Bring snacks & drinks, especially for young children, since Arts Walk night is a very busy time and finding space in local restaurants may be difficult.  Remember, NO GLASS packaging!

  • On Procession Day we hand-out dozens of windsocks and glittery spangles to wave and hold aloft while strolling along with the Procession. Pick them up at the registration table at the start of the Procession and RETURN them at the end of the Procession so we can hand them out again next year. And them come to the studio next year so you can learn to make one of your own!

  • WE NEED LIKE MINDED PEOPLE to adopt the large animals, and get them ready to roll on Procession Saturday. Some animals need touch up paint, wheels fixed, paper mache repaired, etc. Animals that aren’t adopted will not be moved on Saturday. So, even if you haven’t created a new project, it’s not too late to join the Procession!

  • Friday of Procession Weekend
Volunteers are needed to connect bamboo to luminaries and carry over to the beginning of the Luminary Procession, to keep an eye on luminary during the Procession at Sylvester Park, and then to collect and return luminary to the studio afterwards.

    On The Day Of The Procession

    EVERYONE meet at 9:00 am at the Procession Studio for coffee, snacks and assignments. At 9:30 there will be a logistics meeting for all volunteers. This is the big day!

    Dozens of Volunteers (#) are needed for the following tasks:

    In the morning:

    •   Readying Element banners and registration gear for staging the beginning of the Procession route – set-up a starting point 11:00 am (4+ people)

    •   Moving the large animal carts, banners etc from the Studio to Legion x Cherry – 12:00 pm (20+)

    •   Connecting bamboo to banners, wind silhouettes (i.e. fish on sticks), and windsocks so that they are ready to handout - 2:30 p.m. (4)

    •   Handing out windsocks, spangles, float pullers – 4:00 pm (4)

    •   Crewing Registration Tables and Food donation collection; acting as Information Guides – 3:30 pm (6)

    After the Procession:

    •   Helping to move things back to the Studio from Heritage Fountain Park – 6:30 to 9:00 pm – whoever’s left standing!