Jacob Dimond / jake@yelmonline.com
For the second consecutive year, the sounds of local musicians serenaded Yelm City Park as the Party on the Prairie returned during the evening hours of Friday, June 14.
Nisqually Valley locals Dakota Poorman, the Olson Bros Band and Adam Craig each took the “Centennial Stage” at Yelm City Park from 5 to 8 p.m. in front of a packed audience, which left limited green space open but created a lively environment.
Line Roy, Yelm’s communications and recreations coordinator, said each of the three acts brought a strong and unique sound to the event. She was also thankful to see the local community come together in full force to enjoy the second ever “Party of the Prairie.”
“The Party on the Prairie was amazing,” Roy told the Nisqually Valley News on Saturday, June 14. “The community really came out to celebrate summer and the start of Prairie Days. It’s definitely a testament to what Yelm loves, and what Yelm wants to see. We were really excited to bring that to them, and we’re looking forward to continuing this event.”
Roy was also thrilled to see the audience size at the Party on the Prairie grow tremendously. She believes the growth in attendance was a combination of the community wanting to see the three local artists perform, and the offering of a family-friendly and free event.
“I think the growth is a testament to what Yelm wants to see. I think we love a community event with good vibes, where you could just hangout with your family — no matter what ages they are. We had tiny, tiny babies all the way to their grandparents and their great-grandparents,” Roy said. “It’s something you can bring the whole family to, and they’re going to be entertained for a couple of hours for free. We love it.”
The Olson Bros Band and Craig each performed at the first ever “Party on the Prairie” event in 2024, which was donned the “Centennial Concert” in celebration of Yelm’s 100th anniversary as an incorporated city. Roy was thrilled to see the continuity of The Olson Bros Band and Craig returning to perform this year, and noted the musicians have already vocalized interest in returning to the event in 2026.
“This is the second year we’ve had the Olson Brothers and Adam Craig back. It was because they were so loved last year that we brought them back. Bringing Dakota Poorman on to round out the sound was a perfect combination. I think the lineup was incredible,” Roy said. “We are so excited that we have such great local acts at our disposal. One call, and they’re like “yes, we want to do it again.”
Like any event hosted by the City of Yelm, Roy hopes to see the Party on the Prairie continue to grow and develop into one of the region’s most beloved events. To stay up to date with announcements on the event in 2026, visit “Yelm Parks and Recreation” on Facebook.
“Next year, we’re definitely going to bring in more local acts. We’ve always got our eye on what Yelm wants to see, and we’re going to keep growing that event into something really cool for our community,” Roy said. “Keep showing up for these events. You are why we do these events, and you will be why we continue to do these events in the future.”
