After a 16-month hiatus from live symphonic performances, the Olympia Symphony Orchestra returns to the stage with a free outdoor concert this weekend. An Olympia tradition since 2006, the Concert @ the Capitol will take place Sunday, July 25 at 6 p.m. on the lawn of the Washington State Capitol Campus. The concert is free to the public and will feature nearly 50 musicians from the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, performing together for the first time since February 9, 2020.

The programs will feature music familiar to attendees of the Olympia Symphony outdoor concerts in previous years. Patriotic favorites, such as Stars and Stripes Forever and Armed Forces Salute, will set the stage with familiarity and tradition. Audiences will recognize selections from West Side Story, as well as Beethoven’s iconic debut movement from the Fifth Symphony (originally scheduled in the pandemic-canceled 2020 season finale). Also featured are the classic favorites made famous in old cartoons. Children and adults familiar with Bugs Bunny and Tom & Jerry episodes will recognize the lively and playful tunes.

Participants should bring chairs, blankets and umbrellas for shade when attending the outdoor concert, which will last approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. Masking and physical distancing are encouraged for unvaccinated guests. Portable toilets will be available. Parking is limited and street parking is available.

The summer concert is supported by Commencement Bank, Capital Heating & Cooling, William B. Pope Attorney at Law, Family of Keith Playstead, PARC Foundation of Thurston County, Washington State Arts Commission and generous pandemic relief funds of the SBA. For more information and to donate, visit www.olyso.org.