Join us for the 16th Annual
Oly Old Time Festival
February 12-15, 2026
2026 Ticket Info Here!
Featuring
Alum Ridge Boys and Ashlee
Golden Shoals
Squirrel Butter
and more!
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About the Festival
The Olympia Old Time Festival (Olympia, WA) is an annual music event dedicated to teaching, learning, and participating in the tradition of old-time music. Artists from around the US and Canada come to play concerts, jam, call dances, and teach workshops in this beloved event well-known in the national Old Time Music scene. The festival began in 2008 as a grassroots passion project and in 2016 became a program of Arbutus Folk School.
We open with a jam at a downtown restaurant/brewery on Thursday night, run concurrent workshops during the day and concerts/dances at night on Friday and Saturday, and end on Sunday afternoon. Events for this festival unfold at multiple locations: Arbutus Folk School downtown, and the South Bay Grange.
We offer amazing concerts and performances, entertaining and exciting old time traditional dances, and hands-on workshops that cover a wide variety of musical instruments, singing styles, traditional crafts, and dances. Old-Time music is highly participatory, with most fans participating in dances to the music and usually are musicians themselves.
The opportunity to learn from, jam with, and dance to music from well-known national artists is a key feature of the festival. Free daytime workshops cover topics like clawhammer banjo, fiddle tunes in two keys, hambone (body percussion), make a crankie, two-step and waltz Cajun dancing, and clogging, all led by festival artists in addition to their nighttime performances and all-weekend jams.
Join us for our next Festival on Presidents Day weekend, February 13-15, 2026!
We open with a jam at a downtown restaurant/brewery on Thursday night, run concurrent workshops during the day and concerts/dances at night on Friday and Saturday, and end on Sunday afternoon. Events for this festival unfold at multiple locations: Arbutus Folk School downtown, and the South Bay Grange.
We offer amazing concerts and performances, entertaining and exciting old time traditional dances, and hands-on workshops that cover a wide variety of musical instruments, singing styles, traditional crafts, and dances. Old-Time music is highly participatory, with most fans participating in dances to the music and usually are musicians themselves.
The opportunity to learn from, jam with, and dance to music from well-known national artists is a key feature of the festival. Free daytime workshops cover topics like clawhammer banjo, fiddle tunes in two keys, hambone (body percussion), make a crankie, two-step and waltz Cajun dancing, and clogging, all led by festival artists in addition to their nighttime performances and all-weekend jams.
Join us for our next Festival on Presidents Day weekend, February 13-15, 2026!
Interested in Volunteering?
Click Here!
Olympia Lodging Options!
Festival discount at DoubleTree hotel downtown if you're with Oly Old Time!
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Taco Truck
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Beer and Wine
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The Oly Old Time Festival is a
Program of Arbutus Folk School |
The Oly Old Time Festival is volunteer-run.
100% of donations go directly to support performers and festival operations.
Donations are tax deductible
(pursuant to state and federal laws)
100% of donations go directly to support performers and festival operations.
Donations are tax deductible
(pursuant to state and federal laws)
Thank You to Our Generous Donors!
John and Kris Flory | Jeanette Henderson | Jim and Shelly Williams
Tim Myer | Tom Myer and Melissa Coiley | Willie Smyth | Ann and Zane Smith | Tom Paul
Tim Myer | Tom Myer and Melissa Coiley | Willie Smyth | Ann and Zane Smith | Tom Paul
Thank you to our generous sponsors!
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Three Magnets Brewing Co., Matchless Brewery beer, and Whitewood Cider will be available again this year
thanks to their generous sponsorships!
