May, 2011

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Leonardo da Vinci exhibit opens at the MAC in Spokane on June 3!

Friday, May 27th, 2011

The Mona Lisa

Leonardo da Vinci was unquestionably a genius. Nearly everyone knows his name and the images of his most famous paintings, including the Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. Less people are familiar with his other works of genius, including his many inventions, which were so far ahead of his time that few could be produced with existing materials and manufacturing methods. His inventions are still up-to-date 500 years after his death and are currently used in the aviation, war, maritime, and automobile industries. He was proficient in all areas of art, science, engineering, and music. The major traveling exhibit that opens at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC) in the gorgeous Browne’s Addition neighborhood in Spokane on June 3 aims to show how da Vinci mastered diverse subjects and fused them together through observation, insight, and inspiration. This unique exhibit includes sixty of da Vinci’s invention models with the same craftsmanship and beauty of the materials that the artist used in the 15th century.

Visitors can view twenty-three made-to-scale replicas of da Vinci’s artistic masterpieces, watch videos about his life, hear music composed by the artist, and check out interactive inventions and machines from the four codices: flight, civil machines, hydraulics and engineering, and military machines. This is a rare opportunity to consider all of his artistic masterpieces together along with many of his other creations.

The exhibition has been hosted by major museums including the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, Illinois; The Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington; Exhibition Hall of the Eaton Centre, Montreal, Quebec, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science & History in Texas. It will run June 3 through September 5 at the MAC in Spokane, WA. The museum expects visitors from all over the region; if you are travelling here for the exhibit, Stratford Suites Spokane area extended stay hotel is close by and offers beautiful suites at affordable prices.

Tickets are available now through TicketsWest for Leonardo da Vinci: Man–Inventor–Genius, reserved by date and time. MAC members can buy tickets at a discount at the museum admissions counter (not restricted by date and time). If you are not a MAC member, this might be a good time to support the arts in Spokane and become one! Non-member exhibit prices are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $8 for students.

On select Sundays, you can further explore the world of da Vinci at Renaissance Mix events at the MAC. These afternoon events include a cash bar with Italian wines, renaissance music performances, and lectures about the Age of Discovery. Suggested donation for Renaissance Mix afternoons is $8. I’ll see you there!

While you are in the Browne’s Addition neighborhood, it is worth your time to take a walking tour and see some of the incredible historic houses that Spokane’s oldest neighborhood is known for. The MAC has just released a Browne’s Addition walking tour e-book that works on Apple and Android smartphones, portable media players, and tablet computers. The route takes about an hour to walk. The tour e-book includes photos, architectural descriptions, and brief stories of fifty-four properties. This great new guide is free! Just download it and you will be on your way.

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Posted in Art, Events, Shows, Spokane, Travel | 2 Responses »

Don’t Miss the Planet’s Largest 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament June 25–26

Friday, May 20th, 2011

There is no event like Spokane Hoopfest. At this hugely popular annual 3-on-3 street basketball tournament, players of all experience levels and all ages (minimum age requirement for kids is to be entering the third grade in fall of 2011) can compete for the chance to win prizes while experiencing the exhilaration of playing with new people and being a part of a famously fun weekend that includes 14,000 basketball games and over 20,000 players from all over the country. Anyone who wants to play basketball is welcome, from beginners to those who qualify for the 3BA Elite Division, which often features former CBA and European professionals. Prizes are given to winners in each bracket. Games are played on courts set up across forty downtown city blocks.

If you want to play but missed the official deadline, it’s not too late! Registration will remain open as space allows, so go to the Spokane Hoopfest website to sign up before all the spots are taken. If you are not playing, odds are good that you know someone who is. In addition to cheering on your friends and family, you can see concerts and other entertainment, shop, browse booths from local organizations and businesses, watch the Marine Air Slam Dunk Contest, play games for prizes at the kid-friendly Safeco Zone, and enjoy delicious food and drink at the Washington Dental Service Foodfest in the west meadow of Riverfront Park.

Hoopfest is able to run so smoothly because hundreds of volunteer court monitors and other volunteers make it happen. If you are interested in volunteering, submit an application to earn the right to say “I helped run Spokane Hoopfest 2011.”

Spokane Hoopfest is an enormous festival and one of the city’s largest events, so parking downtown will not be easy. A better option is to take the Spokane Transit Hoop Loop. Every ten minutes during the festival, a bus will arrive at each park-and-ride lot to transport people to and from downtown Spokane. At only $1.50 per day to use the system and free parking at the park-and-ride lots, it’s a bargain. Go to the STA website for more information about times and locations.

Coming to Hoopfest from out of town? Watch this blog in the next few weeks for tips on making the most of your stay and saving some time and money!

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Posted in Events, Family, Live music, Recreation, Shows, Spokane, Sports, Travel | 1 Response »

Spokane Lilac Festival will “Ignite the Spirit of America” as well as downtown Spokane

Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

The 2011 Lilac Festival Royal Court

If you only see one parade this year, make it the Spokane Lilac Festival’s Armed Forces Torchlight Parade on Saturday, May 21, the largest armed forces torchlight parade in the nation. You will see glittering, creative floats, the Lilac Queen and Princesses, cheerleaders, dance teams, and bands performing through the streets, as well as active and reserve military units. This year’s theme is “Ignite the Spirit of America.” Groups come from all over the Northwest and even Canada to participate. The parade begins at 7:45 p.m. and runs until 11:00 p.m.

You can bring the family and make a day of it by playing in Riverfront Park and the surrounding downtown area—there are fun things to do from morning until night, including the Spokane Falls SkyRide, Pavilion amusement rides, the historic Loof Carousel, and the IMAX Theatre. The day pass is the best deal if you are playing in the park for more than an hour or so.

Cruzin' the Falls Car Show

Starting at 10:00 a.m., you can see some beautiful classic cars plus free music and entertainment all day at the Cruzin’ the Falls Car Show on Spokane Falls Boulevard. If you are one of the lucky owners of a classic or otherwise remarkable car that you want to show off, arrive at 9:00 a.m. for check-in, and you will also gain entry to the drive through of the parade route at 6:00 p.m. There will also be vendors in the park all day with a variety of merchandise as well as plenty of food. Kids of all ages who want to see the floats close up can view them on Fourth Ave. at Jefferson (under the freeway) all day while participants set up.

This is a very popular event, so if you want good seats, it is best to arrive as early as possible and stake your claim. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets for bleacher seats for $15. The bleachers will give you a fine view from the east side of Washington between Spokane Falls Boulevard and Main. Bleacher seat tickets can be purchased through the website.

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Posted in Events, Family, Live music, Spokane, Travel | No Responses »