June, 2012

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Pick Your Own Fruit, Enjoy Live Music, and More at Green Bluff Farms!

Saturday, June 30th, 2012

Castle and maze at Siemers Farm

Fresh fruit, directly from the growers, is far superior in taste and quality to anything you will find in your local supermarket. At Green Bluff, about 15 minutes north of Spokane in the foothills of Mt. Spokane, you can even pick your own fruit if you want to. Two loops of farms (East and West loops) offer a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, farm products, candy, and fun things to do for the whole family. The views are spectacular, and you can see for miles on a clear day. During festivals, there are live bands, country cooking, hay rides, corn mazes, and more. Hours vary by farms, but most farms are open on weekends. Click here for a map of the farms and links to information for each farm.

You don’t need a plan to enjoy Green Bluff. You can just show up and poke around the different farms. Each farm has its own charms. But here are a few highlights if you want to plan your visit!

High Country Orchard Country Store is a great place to pick up a variety of produce from the area farms, especially if you are in a hurry and don’t have time to visit several farms or to pick your own. They also feature gifts, collectibles, and décor, plus the tasty Bistro Grill.

The Strawberry Celebration is June 30–July 1 and July 7–8. This is when the strawberries at Green Bluff are at their peak. Bring the whole family and pick your own strawberries, or purchase strawberries and strawberry-laden foods ready to go.

Walter’s Fruit Ranch offers tours by appointment with “Farmer Mark” on the Fruit Loop Express for all ages. Tours include a stop to pick fruit, time to browse the gift shop, and a piece of Walter’s fruit pie. Call 509-238-4709 to schedule.

Hidden Acres, Green Bluff’s only bio-diesel run farm, operates a petting zoo. During the festivals, the farm also offers narrated hayrides, a tepee, corn maze, and live music. Call 509-238-2830 before you come up to find out what’s happening.

Townshend Cellar makes excellent Washington wine. Stop by the tasting room and gift shop to try distinctive reds (you must try the T3!), dry whites, riesling, late harvest, ports, and huckleberry wines while enjoying beautiful views on the bluff. Tasting hours are Friday through Sunday noon to 6 p.m. Call 509-238-1400 for more information.

Fleur de Provence Lavender Farm

Stroll through the fields and savor the heavenly scent of lavenders at Fleur de Provence Lavender Farm. You can pick your own lavender bouquet or purchase essential oil, soap, wreaths, sachets, and more. The farm opens July 6 on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closes for the season August 4.

The Cherry Festival is July 14–15 and July 21–22. Bring the family and pick your own cherries, run in the Cherry Picker’s Trot, listen to live music, and enjoy delicious food.

Posted in Family, Home & Garden, Live music, Spokane | No Responses »

Ringo Starr, Kelly Clarkson, and Sugarland among Acts at Northern Quest’s 2012 Outdoor Summer Concert Series

Saturday, June 23rd, 2012

Photo by Young Kwak from Inlander.com.

The weather is getting warm and sunny in Spokane (finally!), and it’s time for outdoor concert season. Last year, Northern Quest Casino and Resort in Airway Heights opened its wonderful new addition to the region’s summer concert venues, an outdoor pavilion with 11,000 square feet of space that holds over 5,000 people. Small enough to feel intimate, but big enough to attract big music acts. The sound quality is great, and there is room for dancing or sitting on the grass if you don’t want to stay in your assigned seat.

The Pepsi Outdoor Summer Concerts series at Northern Quest began on June 15 with John Fogerty (of Credence Clearwater Revival). Ringo Starr (former Beatle) plays on July 13, and Earth, Wind, and Fire play on July 19. Kelly Clarkson and the Fray take the stage on July 22, and Journey, along with Loverboy and Pat Benatar, will be entertaining ‘80s rock enthusiasts on July 29 (you’re out of luck if you don’t have a ticket because this one is sold out!). In August, you can see Darius Rucker (formerly of Hootie and the Blowfish) on the 4^th, country stars Sugarland on the 16^th, and bearded rockers ZZ top on the 25^th. Heart will wrap up the season on September 9.

Shows begin from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; check the website for exact times. You may want to come early for dinner or drinks—the resort boasts 14 restaurants and lounges with a variety of cuisine. Food and drink vendors serve in the concert pavilion as well, including alcoholic beverages.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Northern Quest Box Office at 1-877-777-5252 or online at northernquest.com. Prices range from $30 to $150. Hotel packages are available at the resort. All concerts require guests 16 years or younger to be accompanied by an adult.

If you don’t want to drive home after the concert, Stratford Suites is just a couple of minutes away from Northern Quest and offers luxurious one- and two-bedroom suites at an affordable price.

Posted in Events, Live music, Shows, Spokane | No Responses »

Ear-Splitting Nitro, 2-Wheel Standers, Jet Cars, and Alcohol Funny Cars at Spokane County Raceway’s Northwest Thunderfest, June 21–24

Thursday, June 14th, 2012

Like fast cars? Don’t miss the upcoming Northwest Thunderfest NHRA Top Fuel Heritage Series on June 21–24. This is a great show for the whole family: children 6–12 are only $5, children 5 and under are free with a paid adult. Adult prices are $10 on Thursday, $18 on Friday and Sunday, and $23 on Saturday. Get $5 off vouchers at local Napa stores! Spectator hours are Thursday noon to 5 p.m., Friday noon until close after 7:30 p.m. NTF qualifying, Saturday 9 a.m. until close after 10 p.m. eliminations, and Sunday 8 a.m. until close of the show. Want to see more jet cars? Napa’s Night of Fire, with jet cars and funny cars, will be Saturday, August 18.

All summer long, professional and hobby drag racers will be burning up the track at Spokane County Raceway. You can watch local and regional racers almost every weekend, or test your own car’s power. Spokane County Raceway hosts street drags almost every Friday night, where anyone can run their street car (a tradition originally started to make our city streets safer by giving racers a place to play). The Summit Bracket Series competition runs on most Saturdays. Click here for a full schedule. General admission is $5 for most Friday and Saturday races, but this coming weekend is free. Call 509-244-3333 for more information.

Since its ownership change in 2005, the Raceway has undergone a makeover. The county is continually making improvements to the facility as a whole and has resurfaced the track: “My first couple of passes down that racetrack, I couldn’t believe how good the traction was,” nine-time NHRA event winner Tom Manfred of Liberty Lake said. Most recently, a new concrete launch pad has been entirely resurfaced and is getting rave reviews from racers. Concession food is on site and, beginning the weekend of Thunderfest, beer and wine will also be available.

If you are coming in from out of town to race or watch, ask for the Spokane County Raceway discount at Stratford Suites, located just minutes from the track!

Posted in Deals, Events, Family, Spokane | No Responses »

Summer Festival Season Begins with ArtFest and Elkfest, Two Back-to-Back Weekends of Food, Art, and Music

Friday, June 1st, 2012

Kids can make their own art at ArtFest.

The next two weekends are perfect for spending in Spokane, with a lot of live music, art, and fun for the low admission price of $0.00. The 27^th annual ArtFest runs June 1–3, and the annual indie music celebration Elkfest will be held June 8–10. Both of these popular events are outdoors in Browne’s Addition, and both are free! In previous years, both festivals occurred on the same weekend, causing dilemmas of which shows to choose. This year, you don’t have to miss anything at Elkfest because your favorite band is playing at ArtFest.

The MAC Museum of Arts and Culture ArtFest consists of three days of fine music, good food, the fun children’s hands-on art making area, and over 160 fine artists and craftspeople. Come see and buy unique furniture, glass, ceramics, fiber art, drawings, paintings, jewelry, leather art, food, and more. The event is held in Coeur d’Alene Park, just west of downtown in Browne’s. Hours are Friday, noon–8 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. There will be live music and beer gardens until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Click here for a list of participating artists. Some of Spokane’s best bands will be performing, including Six Foot Swing, Angela Marie Project, and Sammy Eubanks.

Elkfest indie music festival

The Elk restaurant in Browne’s Addition will serve up good food and drink along with an incredible three days of live music at the 8^th annual Elkfest on June 8–10. Over 10,000 people come every year to listen and dance to local and regional indie bands. The event is free and open to the public, and kids are welcome. The festival has the feel of a neighborhood block party, with the street blocked to traffic and the stage set up right next to the restaurant. The line up of bands includes My Goodness, Emily Wells, Whiskey Dick Mountain, the Camaros, and the Globes. Elkfest runs Friday, June 8, 5–10 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday 1–10 p.m.

Posted in Art, Deals, Events, Family, Live music | No Responses »

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