The ten days of fun start on September 10 and end on September 19. You can pick up amusement ride bracelets at a deep discount through the close of day September 9 at the Fair Office (at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. in Spokane Valley). At just $22, the bracelets are good for one day of unlimited rides. Individual ride tickets are $1, and each ride costs three–five tickets, so the pre-purchase bracelets are an excellent deal. Bracelets are available after the fair has started as well, but they cost a bit more. Discount pre-fair admission tickets are also available at the fair office through September 9.

In addition to thousands of exhibits, the 2010 Spokane County Interstate Fair will offer plenty of free entertainment including the ever-popular pig races, International Lumberjack Show, and Mutton Bustin’, where kids 6 years and under try to stay on a bucking sheep for six seconds. Performances at the Grandstand, which you can purchase tickets for through TicketsWest, include the PRCA Rodeo, country star Clint Black, ABBA the Music (ABBA tribute band), and the hard rock band Hinder. There will also be dozens of great shows for free with admission at the North Stage, everything from a hypnotist to country gospel music. Check the website for the full entertainment schedule.

Of course, there will also be plenty of fair food to celebrate the end of bathing suit season with, so bring your appetite! You can count on all your old favorites, such as elephant ears, deep-fried ice cream, fresh fudge, pecan rolls (my personal favorite, which I eat exactly once per year), kettle corn—and those are just some of the desserts!

See you at the fair!

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Downtown Coeur d'Alene Street Fair. Copyright 2010 Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association.

Every summer for the last nineteen years, Sherman Street in the downtown lakefront district of beautiful Coeur d’Alene, ID, has turned into a giant street fair for one sunny weekend. The Coeur d’Alene Downtown Street Fair features over 250 vendors of all kinds of arts, crafts, food, and other wares plus entertainment galore. Around 40,000 people attend the family friendly fair, which runs concurrently with two other big events in the city. It is handicap and stroller friendly so that everyone can feel welcome and comfortable. Hours are Friday and Saturday, 10:00 to 8:00, and Sunday, 10:00 to 5:00.

Also in downtown Coeur d’Alene, check out A Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes, in the city park, with food booths from some of the finest restaurants in the area. This is a great way to sample some of those nice restaurants you have been wanting to try! You can also enjoy great free live music in the park while you relax in the large, grassy sitting areas.

Just a short walk away, or a short free shuttle ride that comes every thirty minutes if you are tired from walking around the street fair, is Art on the Green at the old Fort Sherman Grounds on the North Idaho College Campus. This event, in its forty-second year, brings together 135-plus artists, a variety of performers, over 500 volunteers, and 50,000 visitors for a celebration of art, creativity, and friendship. You can browse a large marketplace of original artist creations or try your hand at creating some of your own art in the hands-on sections for both children and adults, instruction provided. Two stages will showcase jazz, salsa, and Celtic music plus performances by the Lake City Playhouse, the Coeur d’Alene Opera, the Arte Flamenco Dance Theatre, and much more. Hours are Friday, noon to 7:30, Saturday, 10:00 to 7:30, and Sunday, 10:00 to 5:00.

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Fireworks show in Riverfront Park, Spokane, WA

Sure, Spokane, WA has a spectacular fireworks extravaganza on July 4th, but the fireworks show is the culmination of two full days of revelry in Riverfront Park. Spokane’s 4th of July Festival begins on Saturday, July 3. All day long, you can watch live music at three different outdoor stages, including an American Idol competition with Spokane’s top ten competitors, the Spokane Jazz Orchestra, a dozen or so popular local/regional bands, and a karaoke competition. On Saturday night, don’t miss Ignite Community Theatre’s presentation of the melodrama Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch (7:30 p.m.) followed by a showing of the film The Basket, which was filmed right here in Spokane. Roving performers will entertain you while you walk around. The shows are all free and fun for the whole family. For the complete schedule, go to the Riverfront Park website.

The historic Loof Carousel in Riverfront Park

Riverfront Park will also offer specials on day passes all weekend for the park’s many attractions including the historic Loof Carousel, the IMAX theater, amusement rides, and the Spokane Falls SkyRide gondola. Food choices will be diverse, with an international selection of food booths, and beer and wine will be available at the Boulevard Bistro. You can also browse exhibitor booths and enjoy art activities and games.

Do you have something you’ve been dying to say on stage? Sign up for a five-minute slot on the Freedom of Speech stage, which will be open on both days.

The big finale fireworks show starts at 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. If you want the best seats, you can purchase reserved seating tickets for $8.00, which includes a collectible stadium seat cushion. Tickets can be purchased at Riverfront Park’s Guest Services or by calling 509-625-6602 (there will be a $3.50 handling fee for phone transactions.) Quantities are limited and will be on sale until July 1, 2010 based on availability.

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Copyright 2010 Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau

June 20, 2010, marks the 100th Father’s Day, a holiday that began right here in Spokane, WA. Local resident Sonora Smart Dodd, who is often referred to as the “Mother of Father’s Day, was inspired to propose a day to celebrate fathers after hearing a sermon on Mother’s Day in 1909. Dodd’s mother had died in 1898, so her father raised her and her five younger brothers alone on a remote farm in Eastern Washington. With help from her pastor at Old Centenary Presbyterian Church (now Knox Presbyterian Church), Reverend Dr. Conrad Bluhm, Dodd made a proposal for Father’s Day to the Spokane YMCA. That organization, along with the Ministerial Alliance, endorsed the idea and celebrated the first Father’s Day on June 19, 1910, with sermons honoring fathers presented throughout Spokane.

The rest of the nation eventually caught on: in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recognized Father’s Day and urged the states to do likewise; in 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a proclamation calling for the third Sunday in June to be recognized as Father’s Day; and in 1972, President Richard M. Nixon signed a proclamation permanently observing Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June. Today Father’s Day is celebrated from Antigua to Zimbabwe in over fifty countries around the world.

Traveling to Spokane for Father’s Day? You can book your luxurious, affordable suite at Stratford Suites today and enjoy a 50 inch hi-def. television and pillow-top mattresses in every room.

Here are just a few Father’s Day event highlights in Spokane, WA:

Father’s Day 100th Anniversary Tour by Group Coordinators

Numerous options are available for a fun-filled tour that Dad will love. On Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19, group tours will be given for wine tasting, beer tasting, Spokane Symphony at the Fox performances, Spokane nightlife, golfing, and more. Check out the options at groupcoordinators.com/sonora-dodd.php. Reservations can be made by calling 509-455-4354 or emailing julie@groupcoordinators.com.

Dad/Daughter Style Class

Saturday, June 19, 11 a.m.
Workshop for dads to learn more about styling their daughter’s hair for picture day and special events, because mom isn’t always available.

Haute Headz
1505 N. Ash
Spokane, WA 99205

Reservations: 509.838.2280; $30 for one daughter; $5 for additional

Garage Mahal Tour

Saturday, June 19, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Take Dad on a one-of-a-kind tour that ends with a feast from Longhorn Barbeque. Sights include the oldest flying Boeing at Felts Field, the new Pullman train car museum at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, a behind-the-scenes tour of McKay Manufacturing, and Gary Hite’s custom motorcycle shop and museum with motorcycles by Harley Davidson, Merkel, and others spanning more than 100 years of technology.

Get your tickets at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture or Longhorn Barbeque. For more information, go to the museum’s website.

Spokane Indians Baseball

June 20, 3:30 p.m.
The Spokane Indians will salute fathers while playing against the Tri-City Dust Devils by wearing light blue jerseys, running light blue bases, and holding a silent auction benefitting Bat for the Cure.

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copyright 2010 Riverfront Park

Catch Some Great Live Music Under the Stars

Spokane, WA typically has warm to hot summer nights that are perfect for outdoor concerts. If you are visiting the area for business or vacation, be sure to check out some quality live music in Spokane’s two best-known parks: Manito Park and Riverfront Park. Great music is worth travelling for, and if you are coming to Spokane for a summer show, you can make a fantastic trip by staying at Stratford Suites affordable luxury hotel. Every room has pillow-top mattresses, a full kitchen, leather furniture, and a 50” hi-def. television. Ask about our shop and stay packages, which include a gift certificate to River Park Square mall.

Free Live Music Friday Nights at Manito Park All Summer Long

Starting Friday, June 4, you can relax in the beautiful ambiance of Spokane’s South Hill botanical wonder, Manito Park, and enjoy free live music. The concerts are held at the Manito Park Bench Café (between Mirror Pond and Duncan Gardens) every Friday at 6:00 p.m. Delicious food is available as well as many refreshing summer beverages, including beer and wine. This summer’s lineup includes a diversity of music, including classical guitar and pop/rock, with performances by Paul Grove, Sidhe, Trailer Park Girls, Just Plain Darin, and Matt Russell. For the full schedule, view the poster here.

Mozart in Manito July 13th and 14th

It is hard to imagine a more idyllic setting for listening to a great performance of Mozart than Spokane’s Manito Park on a summer evening. Connoisseur Concerts will present the 20th annual Mozart On A Summer’s Eve, on Tuesday, July 13 at 7:00 p.m. with a repeat performance on Wednesday, July 14 at 7:00 p.m. on the lawn east of Duncan Gardens in Manito Park. Connoisseur Concerts’ Wind Ensemble, directed by Verne Windham, Music Director of Mozart On A Summer’s Eve, will perform, with special guest artists to be announced.

Tickets are $25 for table seating, which includes a gourmet dessert and coffee provided by Luna Restaurant. Tables for eight can be reserved for $200. Tables will be set up at 5:30 p.m. for ticket holders who wish to have a potluck or picnic before the show. Tickets for lawn seating for those who bring their own blankets or chairs are $10 per person and are for the concert only with no food or beverage service. Tickets are available at TicketsWest outlets, by phone at 325-SEAT (1-800-325-SEAT outside Spokane), or online at www.ticketswest.com

Live Music at Riverfront Park This Summer

Riverfront Park, Spokane’s sprawling, magnificent park located downtown on the Spokane River Falls, hosts a wide array of musical acts throughout the summer in their spacious grass meadows. While you are there, be sure to allow some extra time to stroll around the park and explore its numerous attractions, including the historic Loof Carousel, Spokane Falls Gondola Skyride, IMAX Theater, and amusement rides. Below is a listing of some musical highlights in the next couple of months:

Friday, June 18, noon: KPBX Kids Concert with the Spokane British Brass Ensemble, free.

Sunday, June 20, 6:00 p.m.: Slightly Stoopid Concert, $20.00–$35.00.

Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4: live music all day, check http://spokaneriverfrontpark.com/ for schedules.

Sunday, July 25, 9:00 p.m.: Allegro’s Royal Fireworks Concert, on the floating stage, fireworks to George Frederick Handel’s Musick for the Royal Fireworks, 1749, free.

Wednesday, August 18, 7:00 p.m.: The Doobie Brothers, classic rock, $39.50–$49.50.

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copyright Northwest Museum of Art and Culture

June 4–6, Browne’s Addition, Spokane, WA

Don’t miss the 25th annual Northwest Museum of Art & Culture ArtFest on June 4–6 in beautiful Coeur d’ Alene Park (located just west of downtown Spokane on 2nd Ave.).

Much more than your usual arts and crafts fair, this event draws 30,000 people to enjoy quality artistic works in several mediums, artisan food (plus a beer and wine garden), music, and many activities. In addition to seeing and purchasing some fine art from talented regional artists, you can see how the art is made through live artist demonstrations of soldering stained glass, pottery wheel throwing, yarn spinning, making art with recyclable materials, watercolor, and mixed media techniques. Who knows, it might inspire you to take up a new hobby! Fourteen great music acts will keep ArtFest hopping, with styles ranging from Celtic to blues to Latin.

ArtFest 2010 is a family friendly event, with marvels including magicians, stilt walkers, and “bubbillusionists” as well as the ever-popular Make It Art area (geared for ages 3+), where kids and kids-at-heart can have their faces painted and create and take home crafts such as fish windsocks, flower leis, jewelry, and fish prints. If you will be travelling to this event from out of town with children, remember that Stratford Suites Spokane Area Hotel will make your family comfortable and happy with private bedrooms, full kitchens, and 50-inch high-def. televisions with cable and DVD players.

copyright Northwest Museum of Art and Culture

ArtFest 2010, one of the Northwest’s most respected and dynamic art fairs, runs on Friday from noon to 8:00 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but on Friday and Saturday nights, the music will keep playing and the beer and wine garden will keep serving until 10 p.m.

Are you looking for a great hotel in Spokane? Whether you are travelling to ArtFest to display and sell your art or to experience it as a visitor, Stratford Suites offers you the best lodging value in the Spokane area and is just ten minutes from Coeur d’Alene Park. Call 509-321-1600 or 888-705-8877 for reservations.

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copyright Brett Sports and Entertainment

Thirty-eight home games with fun for the whole family!

As summer approaches, Spokane baseball fans are getting excited for a fantastic season of cheering for the home team. The season opens on June 18 with a home game against the Tri-City Dust Devils, which will be followed by a fireworks show. The Spokane Indians, the Short-Season Class “A” affiliate of the Texas Rangers, thrill audiences every year with their combination of baseball and showmanship. Home games are played at Avista Stadium, which is considered the best stadium in the Northwest. As always, there will be audience participation games, contests, giveaways, $1 family feast nights, and, my favorite, fireworks nights throughout the season. As co-owner Bobby Brett said, “On a fireworks night, we will have 4,000 baseball fans and 3,000 fireworks fans.”

copyright Brett Sports and Entertainment

Whether you are in Spokane on business or pleasure don’t miss the opportunity to catch a talented, award-winning team that still maintains the fun atmosphere of small-town baseball that began with the first professional baseball game played in Spokane on May 3, 1890. Originally named only by the city, the team became the Spokane Indians in 1903 and has been entertaining baseball fans ever since, save for a few periods when the team was shut down due to national events. Indians stars from the past include Hall of Famers Stan Coveleski, George Kelly, Duke Snyder, Hoyt Wilhelm, Don Sutton, and manager Tommy Lasorda.

One of the best features of Spokane Indians baseball is affordability. Individual tickets are only $5–$10, or even less if you purchase a seven- to twenty-one-game package. To purchase ticket packages, go to the Spokane Indians website. To purchase single game tickets, go to TicketsWest.

If you can’t be there in person, the next best thing is to listen live online or on the radio at 1510 KGA Sports Radio or www.spokaneindiansbaseball.com.

If you are staying in the Spokane area for business, or traveling through do take in an Indians baseball game and check out Stratford Suites Hotel. It is clearly the best lodging value in Spokane! All rooms feature full kitchens, 50” hi-def. televisions, high speed wireless internet, and pillow-top mattresses and room to spare.

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Townshend Cellars

Whether you are a seasoned wine connoisseur or just enjoy an occasional glass of wine, the annual Spring Barrel Tasting in Spokane, WA is a fun way to check out the wonderful varieties of wine produced in the area. This friendly annual celebration marks the end of the winemaking season and the beginning of a new wine year. Wineries are proud and excited to share their latest creations, and people travel from near and far to try them and enjoy visiting with winemakers and fellow wine lovers. Wine tasting events will be held at each participating winery from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of Mother’s Day weekend (May 7–9).

If your mom is a wine lover, a Spring Barrel Tasting tour would make a wonderful Mother’s Day present! Husbands—treat your wife to a fun, luxurious weekend of wine tasting and stay at the beautiful Stratford Suites Hotel, where you can both relax in one of our all-leather furniture rooms, with pillow-top mattresses, full kitchens, and a 50” hi-definition television.

This year, sixteen Spokane wineries will welcome visitors and guests for sampling new wines, sampling current vintages, sampling wines still in the winemaking process directly from barrels or tanks, and talking with knowledgeable and friendly wine lovers.

Liberty Lake Wine Cellar

Participating wineries:

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, at the National Historic Landmark Cliff House overlooking Spokane, features a number of award winning wines that showcase the quality and essence of Columbia Valley grapes.

Barili Cellars takes inspiration from the Italians, who believe wine is meant to be shared with friends and family. It is Spokane’s newest boutique winery, so come discover their second year of great wines!

Barrister Winery showcases award winning Bordeaux varietals, produced in small quantities, and limited edition wines, available to Wine Club members, in a 100-year-old warehouse located in Spokane’s historic Davenport Arts District.

Caterina Winery has been producing hand-crafted wines since 1993 in the historic Broadview Dairy building.

Grande Ronde Cellars produces single vineyard and Bordeaux Blend red wines from Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge vineyards, Walla Walla Valley appellation. Five wines have received 90+ ratings in Wine Spectator.

Knipprath Cellars, begun as a small family-owned boutique winery, enjoys a growing enthusiasm for its wines in and out of the state, which include award-winning firsts for the Spokane area, such as Washington-State Pinot noir and the first locally produced Port.

Latah Creek Wine Cellar has a stylistic aim to create wines that taste like the grapes from which they came by using traditional winemaking principles and selecting exceptional fruit. Wine Spectator Magazine has called it one of the top producers of Merlot in the State of Washington.

Liberty Lake Wine Cellars produces small lots of hand crafted red wine for those who seek out and appreciate limited edition wines. They specialize in single vineyard wines.

Lone Canary Winery wines combine the wonderful expressiveness of Washington State grapes with the depth and elegance of wines made in an Old World style.

Mountain Dome Winery produces quality sparkling wine from grapes from a variety of sources in Washington’s Columbia Valley appellation. The winery works closely with the growers to insure the highest possible quality while keeping the harvest down to less than four tons per acre.

Nodland Cellars has chosen to make very small lots of wine and to use traditional methods like hand selection of clusters, open top fermenters, and natural yeast fermentation followed by a cultured yeast fermentation to create wines with rich and opulent textures.

Overbluff Canyons is devoted to crafting world class limited production wines from the best vineyards in Washington State. Its only mission is to exceed the expectations of the most discerning wine drinker.

Robert Karl Cellars is a boutique Spokane winery producing handcrafted, premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Claret, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and a dry Cabernet Franc Rosé.

Townshend Cellar is dedicated to producing small lots of quality wines, ports, dessert wines, and unique Huckleberry style wines. Its wines derive their distinctive flavors from extensive oak aging in small French and American oak barrels and the selection of grapes from some of the finest vineyards in the Columbia Valley.

Vintage Hill Cellars started from a passion for winemaking and sharing an experience with friends and family. It first opened its doors May 11, 2007.

Whitestone Winery has over a decade of experience growing wine grapes in the shadow of Whitestone Rock, on the shores of Lake Roosevelt. Using grapes only from their estate vineyard, Whitestone is able to handcraft bold red wines and resurrect a tradition of wine making in the region.

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While you are here in the Spokane Area check out our blog calendar of events for other fun things to do or see. Don’t forget to book your room at Stratford Suites Extended Stay Hotel if you are traveling for the Spring Barrel Tasting! Conveniently located just minutes from downtown Spokane, our spacious suites with fully equipped kitchens are the best lodging value in the Inland Empire.

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If you happen to be staying at Stratford Suites Extended Stay Hotel, Northern Quest Casino and Resort, located in Airway Heights near the Spokane Airport, is just down the road and is sure to have something to entertain you during your visit to Spokane, WA. Whether you want to listen to live music, play some poker, sip on fine wine, satisfy your craving for a great steak, smoke a cigar, dance, or shop, this is your destination!

For starters, there are six restaurants ranging from fine dining to Asian style noodles to tasty pub fare. For nightlife every night of the week, you can check out Impulse, which offers comedy, live jazz, dance lessons, and more.

The resort also features a cigar lounge, sports bar, social lounge, and a relaxing lobby fireside bar. The 46,000 square-foot casino offers over 2,000 slots and progressives, 37 table games, live poker, keno, and OTB.

If you really need to relax, indulge in a Pend Oreille River Stone Massage at the new Current Salon and Spa, a beautiful, full-service spa and salon with treatments inspired by traditional Kalispel Indian healing. You can even do some shopping at the gift store and the Logo Shop clothing store.

Coming up April 6–10, Northern Quest Resort and Casino will present Cabaret, the Broadway musical that swept the 1967 Tony Awards and has since undergone several revivals and revisions, in the Pend Oreille Pavilion. You can purchase tickets by calling the resort at (509) 481-6700 or through Ticketswest.

If you travel to Northern Quest Resort and Casino for any event, consider staying at the nearby Stratford Suites Hotel, the best lodging value in the Spokane area, with full kitchens, 50” hi-def. televisions, pillow-top mattresses, and all-leather furniture in every room. Northern Quest provides free shuttle to and from Stratford Suites.

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The 2010 Spokane Women’s Show, featuring live music, speakers, cooking demonstrations, and a variety of booths aimed towards women’s interests, will be held April 16–18 at the Spokane Convention Center. The weekend will conclude with a fundraising walk/run to benefit the search for a cure for breast cancer. Admission to the show is $7 for the entire weekend, with a $2 discount for Race for the Cure participants. Registration for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, which consists of either a 5k run/walk or a 1 mile walk, is open; click here to register online.

Featured speaker, comedian Diana Jordan

If you need a reservation for a Spokane, WA hotel for the weekend, allow us to recommend this site’s sponsor, Stratford Suites, which is the best lodging value in the Spokane area, featuring luxury, fully furnished suites at a reasonable price.

Friday night, the show begins with Spokane singer/songwriter Brett Hite at 5:30 p.m. followed by featured speaker Diana Jordan, whom Oprah Winfrey referred to as “one of the funniest people on the planet” when she appeared on Oprah. Saturday’s notable performances include the Goodwill Fashion Show, the Spokane Dance Company, weight loss speaker Ryan Hite, and the wonderful Spokane jazz/swing band Hot Club of Spokane. Check the show’s website for a complete schedule.

2009 Goodwill Fashion Show

Spokane Women’s Show hours are Friday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Race for the Cure begins Sunday, April 18 at 9 a.m. in front of the FedEx/Kinkos on West Spokane Falls Boulevard.

If you book at Stratford Suites Extended Stay Hotel for the event, be sure to ask about the convenient town car shuttle service and Shop & Stay packages, which include a gift certificate to River Park Square in downtown Spokane. Call 888-705-8877 for more information.

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