Kris Geringer, Leslie Gowell, Joyce Mercuri
Olympia, WA, USA | Paper Lanterns, Papier Mache, Fabric Batik | Resident in 2026
Kris Geringer, Joyce Mercuri and Leslie Gowell are just a few of the long-time creators, teachers and volunteers who bring the annual Procession of the Species Celebration to life in Olympia, Washington, USA. Each spring, this small city is transformed by an extraordinary celebration of Earth Day and the living world around us. For one magical weekend, imagination, art, music, dance, and community come together to honor life on our precious planet.
The weekend begins after dark on Friday with the Luminary Procession. People from near and far gather with handmade and decorated paper lanterns, carrying their glowing creations through the streets of Olympia as they walk, dance, and celebrate. The lanterns illuminate more than the night—they reflect the joy of creativity, community, and our connection with nature.
On Saturday, the Procession of the Species becomes a joyous, community-based artistic pageant celebrating the extraordinary diversity of life. Land, air, and water creatures; plants; habitats; and entire ecosystems take shape through costumes, sculpture, music, movement, and imagination. The Procession embraces the languages of art, music, and dance to inspire learning, appreciation, and protection of the natural world.
At its heart, the Procession seeks to elevate the dignity of the human spirit by deepening the cultural exchange we share with one another and with the natural world. It does so through imagination, creation, and sharing. Created by the community, for the community, the Procession of the Species is ultimately an invitation: to imagine, to create, to participate, and to remember that we are part of the natural world we celebrate. A procession becomes a shared experience. And, for a moment, an entire community becomes a celebration of the living world.
Kris, Joyce, Leslie, and the many other artists and volunteers who work behind the scenes are an essential part of that creative alchemy. They teach luminary, papiér maché, batik, puppet-making, and creation of floats. In addition to teaching, each of these artists creates pieces of their own to display in the Luminary Procession and Procession of the Species.
Their contributions include creating large and small lanterns, designing new patterns, mentoring emerging artists, and teaching people of all ages how to make their own lanterns to carry in the Luminary Procession.
