From leopards and ladybugs to whales and wild flowers, Mother Earth and all her species will be celebrated in the Procession of the Species - Olympia's beloved 19th annual tribute to natural selection, human creativity, and the flora and fauna of the planet. The afternoon of Saturday, April 27, about 20,000 members of species H. sapiens will gather to watch a few more thousand hominids dress as gregarious wildlife and parade down the streets of Olympia, as part of the city's annual Spring Arts Walk.

For all the creatures that have paraded up and down the streets with their flowing Batik designs, their creative construction and their adorable kid costumes, there are a few Olympia-centric designs the Weekly Volcano would like to see at this year's parade. After a drunken editorial meeting we compiled a list of should-be creatures in the Procession of the Species. Enjoy. And please, if anyone executes any of these costume designs, send us pictures.

Bar Fly

A wandering insect, this creature tends to mate, nest and defecate anywhere it pleases. They travel in packs and can be aggressive if agitated.

Hamm's Beer Bear

Only a few of these remain in this region - most are held in captivity inside antique shops and personal estates. Before their habitat fell into disrepair, the Hamm's Beer Bear enjoyed spending its time in the land of sky blue waters, AKA the Olympia Brewery.

Reef Rat

As long as anyone can remember, the downtown Olympia Reef Rat is unique in that it constantly evolves and adapts to its surroundings. It is surprisingly resilient to fire, sleeps for only four hours a day and has an insatiable appetite for fried chicken and Jagermeister.

Evergreen Geoduck

The Evergreen Geoduck often burrows in its studies, isolating itself from the rest of the group, until it achieves its goal of a degree, or at least an internship. When it does emerge, the Evergreen Geoduck can take in obscene amounts of alcohol. Scientists compare the phenomenon to a camel's hump, speculating the creature's body will tap into its reserves when it goes back to burrowing. It also secretes an oil that smells like patchouli.

Street Sloth

While these species are often dubbed "lazy" or "slow" the Street Sloth actually works quite hard at "hustlin'" which means to gather the day's provisions. The Street Sloth will play music, do odd jobs and even commit petty crimes to survive. Their natural habitat is street corners and alleyways. If any authoritative species come around, the Street Sloth has been documented to increase its normal speed by almost 10 times and can easily outrun said authority. Often considered a nuisance.

Legislative Lizard

Unlike its cousin the Community College Chameleon, that can blend into any background, the Legislative Lizard stands out in any environment outside of its normal habitat up on the Hill. The Legislative Lizard is especially easy to spot at local watering holes, where its suits, ties and heels let predators know to stay away.

Rock Fish

Indigenous to the area, the rock fish is known for its versatility and flavor. It's also known to play a mean Zeppelin riff, is often seen sporting sunglasses and prefers the vintage Converse. An independent species, Rock Fish tend to have their own record labels.

Barista Banana Slug

Usually spotted in the early morning, Barista Banana Slugs are recognized by their impeccable timing to make your double Americana take longer than necessary - especially when you're already late for work. This process tends to create a mess and they leave behind a telltale trail of frothy soymilk.

Seagull

These under-appreciated birds just need some more love. Who cares if they poop everywhere? So does your kid.

While we may never see these satirical creatures, Weekly Volcano staffers can still dream. In the meantime, we'll toss back a couple more and go back to designing our butterfly costumes. See you at the Procession!

PROCESSION OF THE SPECIES, SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 4:30 P.M., LEGION WAY AND CHERRY BETWEEN JEFFERSON AND CHESTNUT AND ENDS AT HERITAGE PARK, DOWNTOWN OLYMPIA, 360.705.1087

Spring Arts Walk XLVI to consume downtown Olympia

The Olympia Spring Arts Walk, and it's highly regarded Procession of the Species, is just six short weeks away, set for Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27.

Preparation for Arts Walk is in full swing, with artists, businesses and parade participants gearing up for the event that brings 15,000 people - and an additional 5,000 for the Procession of the Species - to downtown Olympia.

"Downtown is full to the brim!" exclaims Stephanie Johnson, arts and events manager for the city of Olympia, and voted Arts Scene MVP in the 2013 Best of Olympia issue.

While the 128 participating businesses have already paired with artists, Johnson recommends prospective contributors to "keep an eye out for places your art would be a good fit and then contact them."

The artists and businesses may be in place, but the Procession parade workshops continue until April 18. Coordinators encourage volunteer participation to help create, build and design. Three studios are open to the public - a whale studio, butterfly studio and central studio - where animal, insect and luminary costumes and props come to life.

And for those who go to enjoy the art, rather than create it, the city of Olympia created a mobile app that gives real time event updates and acts as a virtual tour guide, complete with interactive map.

For Procession of the Species volunteer hours and information call 360.705.1087.