If you have never experienced Olympia, here's a couple things to keep in mind when walking downtown. 1) It's a very "come-as-you-are city". If you're rocking a $500 suit, or a pair of pajama pants, you fit right in. 2) Don't judge the book by its cover; the best food, art and cocktails are behind the walls of what some would call "hole-in-the-wall" establishments. Some of the most amazing people you will talk to in Olympia are covered in tattoos, have dreadlocks, and have worn the same beanie every day for the past six months. Finally, Olympia has a very proud art community that gets celebrated and showcased almost year-round. Whether it's in the form of sidewalk chalk or spray paint, it's hard to throw a rock and not hit some sort of art form. What's beautiful about it is it all tells a story of the artist, how they feel about a certain subject, or about the city they live in and call home.

This weekend, Olympia is having a little showcasing party for the art community called Arts Walk. Over 100 businesses from all over the city are hanging art from local artists in their establishment for the community to view. Along with having a sea of art covering downtown, there are plenty of festivities that carry through the weekend. Starting Friday at 3 p.m., there will be a memorial bike ride in honor of J. Parker (Olympia hero, and planning commissioner) to kick off the weekend. To wrap things up, there will be a Luminary procession starting on 5th Avenue and ending at Sylvester Park at 9:30 p.m.

Even though there are a ton of things to do this weekend on the streets of Olympia, it's all leading to the main event. The Procession of the Species is an annual parade that celebrates the earth through art. All of the floats, costumes and props are all made by hand, with about 80 percent recycled materials, and all showcasing an earth element. The floats and costumes are all made by local schools, organizations and art groups. Before the parade starts Saturday at 4:30 p.m., there will be street performers as well as the Arts Walk to view. If you're a native Olympian, or an Olympia skeptic, this is just one you have to see to understand.

Spring Arts Walk and Procession, 3-10 p.m., Friday, April 28; noon-8 p.m., Saturday, April 29, downtown Olympia, olympiawa.gov/artswalk