Olympia is a regional center for fine arts. A number of theater experiences are available with companies such as Capital Playhouse , Olympia family Theater,Theater Artists Olympia (TAO), Olympia Little Theater, and Harlequin Productions at the historic State Theater. The Olympia Symphony Orchestra performs five regular season concerts at the Washington Center and two pop concerts. Many of the city's venues offer exceptional quality entertainment.

A lively range of visual art venues include some of the local coffeehouses, such as Batdorf & Bronson and Caffe Vita in downtown. While there is no art museum in Olympia, rotating exhibitions by regional artists as well as permanent installations from the State collection can be viewed by appointment on tours of Art In Ecology at Washington Department of Ecology headquarters, in the neighboring City of Lacey. Usually 20 or so northwest artists' works can be seen here at any given time, but calling in advance is essential.

Public art installations of sculpture in particlar are found around town, on the State Capitol Campus and along Percival Landing on the urban waterfront. At The Evergreen State College, an art gallery is located in the Daniel Evans Library Building. South Puget Sound Community College has a lovely new gallery in its Minnaert Center with rotating exhibitions. The Washington Center for the Performing Arts also presents visual art exhibitions throughout the season in the spacious lobby areas.

Each year the Olympia Film Society (OFS) produces a nationally-recognized film festival and fosters film and video education in Olympia. It also shows independent, classic and international films year-round at the art-deco Capitol Theater. A mostly volunteer-powered organization, OFS supports and presents a variety of culture events, including All Freakin' Night, an all-night horror film screening with a cult following.

Olympia hosts the Procession of the Species parade in the Spring. This popular family parade features many members of the community dressed as the various species of the earth.