SUP Witches of Olympia, a Halloween-themed paddleboard festival, has announced a new fundraising partnership with Capital City Pride, Olympia's nonprofit LGBTQIA+ organization. Proceeds from the Oct. 10 event will help launch a new scholarship program designed to make sailing, paddleboarding, and kayaking more accessible to queer youth and adults across the South Sound, a news release from SUP Witches of Olympia announced.
The scholarship program will subsidize the cost of sailing, paddleboard, and kayak lessons for LGBTQIA+ community members, removing a key financial barrier to participation in water-based recreation.
Scholarship applications are expected to open in early 2027, with subsidized lessons available starting spring 2027. In addition to supporting Capital City Pride's new scholarship program, SUP Witches of Olympia is also a fundraiser for the Thurston County Food Bank, helping ensure local families have access to food throughout the year.
"This partnership represents exactly the kind of creative, community-driven fundraising we hope to see more of,” Natalie Coblentz, President of Capital City Pride, said in the release. “We're incredibly grateful to SUP Witches of Olympia for helping us build something that will have a lasting impact on our community."
SUP Witches of Olympia will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at Swantown Marina, 1422 Marine Dr NE, Olympia. The family-friendly festival features a costume paddle, vendor marketplace, costume contests for adults and children, live music, and food and beverage vendors — all set against a Halloween-and-witch-themed backdrop.
"SUP Witches of Olympia has always been about community and connection, so partnering with Capital City Pride to launch this scholarship felt like a natural next step,” Eva Coblentz, Founder of PNW Market & Event Co, said in the release. “Water recreation should be something everyone gets to experience, and we're proud to help make that a little more possible for queer youth and adults in our community."
Community members can support the cause by registering to paddle, attending the festival as a spectator or shopper, or donating directly to Capital City Pride's new scholarship fund.
For more information or to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/2hb47htw.
