Olympia Fall Arts Walk and Spring Arts Walk/Procession of the Species are beloved community institutions, which take place on the first weekend in October and the last weekend in April, respectively. Because of the the variations of the Jewish lunar-based calendar, these community celebrations have conflicted with Jewish holidays. Fall Arts Walk fell on Yom Kippur, the most sacred day of the Jewish calendar, in 2014, and Spring Arts Walk conflicts with the first two days of Passover this year. (The first two days of this 8 day holiday are the most important as it is on these days that we hold the primary ritual of the Seder.)

Since we are able to determine the dates of the Jewish holidays in respect to the Gregorian calendar, we know that Fall Arts Walk will next fall on Yom Kippur in 2041 (and Rosh Hashanah in 2027), and Spring Arts Walk on Passover in 2043. We request that the City of Olympia Parks and Recreation Department consider altering the schedule of Arts Walk in these years.