Part of West Coast Entertainment’s Best of Broadway series, which brings Broadway shows to Spokane, this Beauty and the Beast production is a national tour that was developed by the original creators of the Broadway run that began 15 years ago. Amy Burger of KDHX Radio in St Louis, where the show recently played, wrote: “The show is a complete feast for the senses with detailed, colorful, multi-layered sets, special effects and elaborate period costumes.” If you saw the very popular 1999 show in Spokane, you’ll recognize some of the great special effects. For a video preview of the beautiful show, click here. Can’t get enough and want some Beauty on your computer? You can download a Beauty and the Beast widget and wallpaper here.

Beauty and the Beast runs January 26–29, 2012, at the INB Performing Arts Center in downtown Spokane. Click here for directions. Parking is available in pay lots (one is across the street and another is just a block away) for around $10.00. For tickets, go to TicketsWest.com. Seats are $42.50 to $92.50.

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Highlights

Live Variety Show at INB Performing Arts Center

Several great performers will entertain you with juggling, comedy, boogie-woogie piano, jump-rope acrobatics (from Rene Bibaud, who has performed with Cirque du Soleil) and old vaudeville style clowning. Shows are at 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 p.m.

Yoke’s Dinosaur Egg Safari

From 7 to 10 p.m., pick up a passport from one of four locations. At each location, you will receive a clue to solve before moving on to the next location. Once a clue is solved, you will receive a stamp on your passport. When you have all four stamps, drop your passport into a Yoke’s Dinosaur Egg Safari enter-to-win box to be entered into drawings for prizes.

5k Resolution Run

Start your healthy resolutions a few hours early with a 5k run through downtown Spokane. Runners line up at 6:30 p.m., and the run begins at 6:45 p.m. An optional bag drop makes it easy to get your coat and purse afterward. Fill out and bring the waiver form before you go. Click here for a map of the course.

Midnight Fireworks Spectacular

At midnight, a fireworks show will begin at Riverfront Park.

Free Parking and Shuttle Service

Don’t let fear of downtown parking keep you from First Night! Just park at the Riverpoint Campus just east of downtown Spokane (412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd.) in the yellow lot and catch a bus to one of several First Night venues. Buses run every ten minutes from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Free Carousel Rides and Ice Skating

From 7 to 11 p.m., you can skate free at the Ice Palace in the heart of Riverfront Park (you still have to pay for skate rental) and take free rides on the beautiful Looff Carousel, also located in Riverfront Park.

The Comedy Show at the Spokane Masonic Center

Four comedians will perform in the ballroom. Show times are 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 p.m.

You can also check out plenty of live music, theatre from Stage West Community Theatre and the Spokane Community College Players, Spokane Theatre Ballet, improv comedy from Blue Door Theatre, and much more! Check out the full schedule on the website.

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Copyright Northwest Museum of Art and Culture

Campbell House Holiday Tours

The MAC Museum of Art and Culture is putting on living history performances in its largest exhibit, the Campbell House, during the two weeks around Christmas when most kids are out of school. The Campbell House is a turn-of-the-20th-century English Tudor Revival mansion designed by renowned Spokane architect Kirtland Cutter. You can see the house decorated for the holidays and learn about the times in which it was built and the daily life of the Campbell family from December 21 through January 1 on the days the MAC is open (the MAC is right next door to the Campbell House) from 12–4 p.m.

New for this year: Check out the just-opened Interpretive Center to create your own Campbell House experience and connect the past and present with interactive computers and hands-on exploration, and you can also take a horse-drawn carriage ride. Admission is free for MAC members or $7 adults/$5 students and seniors, which includes both museum entry and a tour of the Campbell House. For more information, call the admissions desk at 509-363-5355. The MAC is located in Spokane’s gorgeous historic Browne’s Addition neighborhood at 2316 W. First Ave.

Mt. Spokane Tubing Hill

A friend with three children in elementary school shared this story:

My kids had been out of school on break for three days and they were driving me crazy—fighting, not listening, whining, throwing tantrums. Suddenly I realized that for the past two months it had been go-go-go, with football practice, dance lessons, after-school activities, and homework every day, and now they suddenly had nothing to use up their energy. So I loaded them into the Suburban and took them to Mt. Spokane to go tubing. Those kids played HARD and wore themselves out and had a great time. They couldn’t stay awake on the ride home, and after that, I recognized my children again and things were back to normal.

Enough said? The hill has been moved and newly constructed this year at Lodge 2, just north and downhill of the parking lot and Ski Patrol building. With several lanes, a new tow-rope to haul tubers back up the mountain, a limit of 50 participants per session, and plenty of snow, the Children’s Choice Tubing Hill is great for families and safer than uncontrolled sledding in parks. The hill is open weekends and holidays (except Christmas and Christmas Eve), for the remainder of the season, with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. and the last session starting at 2:30 p.m. One-and-a-half hour sessions are $10 for everyone 42” and over. Kids under 42” are free but must ride with a paid adult. Check conditions before you come up. Mt. Spokane is 28 miles from downtown Spokane; click here for directions.

Horse and Carriage Rides through Downtown Spokane

Through Christmas Eve, the Downtown Spokane Business Improvement District and Spokane Teachers Credit Union presents free old-fashioned horse and carriage rides through the streets of downtown. Just show up on Wall Street at Main Avenue on Fridays 3–8 p.m., weekends 12–5 p.m., or Christmas Eve 12–3 p.m. This is a great outing for family from out of town! Rides are given on a first-come, first-serve basis. After your ride, you will receive free candy canes and coupons for hot chocolate and coffee at participating downtown businesses. Click here to see a video preview of the ride.

Ice Skating in Riverfront Park

The Ice Palace, one of the nation’s best outdoor ice skating rinks, is open all winter long under the Pavilion in the heart of Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane. Lessons and drop-in hockey are available. Click here for hours. Admission is $4.50 for adults and $3.50 for youth/seniors/military, and skate rental is $3.50. Thursday nights are Inlander appreciation nights—get your ticket from the Inlander, a free weekly publication, to skate for $1. The Spokane Falls SkyRide, IMAX Theatre, and Looff Carousel are also open all winter if you want to spend more fun family time in the park.

First Night Spokane New Year’s Eve Celebration

By far the biggest New Year’s Eve party around, First Night Spokane is a huge, alcohol-free festival of the arts in downtown Spokane for the entire family. This year’s theme is “Dawn of Time” Year of the Dinosaur. At venues within a walkable area of downtown, you can enjoy live music, theatre, dance performances, film, dance parties, art, comedy, and a fireworks show. There are plenty of activities for kids, including face painting, bookmark making, magic shows, free ice skating and carousel rides, and rolling video games. Click here for the schedule of the night’s event’s, which get started at 7 p.m.

If your family is making a resolution to exercise more, start early with the 5k Resolution Run! Runners line up at 6:30 p.m., and the run begins at 6:45 p.m. An optional bag drop makes it easy to get your coat and purse afterward. Fill out and bring the waiver form before you go. Click here for a map of the course. Admission buttons are just $12 in advance or $15 on New Year’s Eve. Kids 10 and under are free with a paid adult. Purchase tickets here or at various participating Spokane businesses.

On New Year’s Day, celebrate First Day Spokane and get free admission to the MAC Museum of Art and Culture with your First Night button plus discounted passes to play in Riverfront Park.

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If you don’t know how to ice skate and would prefer proper lessons to the rather embarrassing, yet popular, learning method of clinging to the wall, you can sign up here for lessons at the Ice Palace (search under Riverfront Park in the Complex drop-down menu). There are classes for kids, adults, and parents with tots.

The IMAX Theatre, Black Light Mini-Golf, historic Looff Carrousel, and Spokane Falls SkyRide are all open at Riverfront Park as well.

The Ice Palace is open Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $3.50 for youth, seniors, and military, and $4.50 for everyone else. Skate rental is $3.50. Season passes are available. Check the website for deals and hours, for example, Thursday nights are Inlander appreciation nights, when you can skate for $1.00.

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Speaking of beer, on October 22, the Chiefs will hold the first annual Hocktoberfest and will give away a trip for two to Leavenworth, WA, courtesy of Leinenkugel’s. Click here to sign up for your chance to win through October 12. Five finalists will be selected and notified on October 17. These lucky people will each receive four complimentary tickets to the October 22 game. One more finalist will be selected from entries at the night’s game, and the winner will be determined through a series of promotions, including an on-ice competition during intermission. You have to play in the night’s promotions to win.

For the full Chiefs season schedule, click here. There is no substitute for live, local hockey, but there will be live TV broadcasts of ten Tri-Cities vs. Chiefs games on SWX via Comcast on channel 115 and over-the-air at digital channel 6.2. Click here for the TV schedule.

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Valleyfest 2011 is based at Mirabeau Point Park in Spokane Valley off I-90 exit 289. There is plenty to do for all ages, including hot air balloon viewing, a run for diabetes, a family trail ride, music and other live entertainment, and a car show. Click here for a map of the park. Here are a few of the main attractions.

The Spokane Astronomical Society will let you look through telescopes at solar flares and sunspots (don’t worry, they have special safe filters) on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., plus they will host a night sky gazing session Saturday night from 7 to 10 p.m. You can also check out the planetarium in the Great Room at CenterPlace from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Taste of the Valley, 6–8 p.m. Saturday night at CenterPlace, is an evening of wine tasting with hors d’oeuvres from Red Rock Catering and live music and entertainment. Afterward, you can stroll outside to watch the hot air balloon “Night Glow” show. Click here to buy tickets ($40 each).

Although registration is now closed for the Valleyfest 5K/10K Run for Diabetes, which starts Saturday morning at 9 a.m., everyone is welcome to take part in the Family Trail Ride on Sunday, with four routes to choose from. Click here for a video and click here to register. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children.

Saturday and Sunday, a variety of performers will provide free entertainment, including local bands, hula dancing, skits, comedy, and more. Click here for a full schedule of all the fun!

Grab your kids or borrow someone else’s for Fishing at the Falls. Kids 14 and under can learn how to fish in the stocked pond at the park starting Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

Balloons Over Valleyfest is an excellent reason to get out of bed early this weekend. Right after sunrise Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings, 80-foot hot air balloons will launch and fly over the Spokane Valley. You can also see the balloons lit up at night on the back grass of CenterPlace just after sunset Saturday night.

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Bedazzle Your Bra Competition: Come to Bay 3 to view entries in this new competition of creatively decorated bras. This exhibit is put on by the Home Arts Department and the Susan G. Kohmen Foundation to raise awareness about breast cancer.

Goat Cart Rides: Ramona Mather and her goat Casper will give kids rides in the Goat Barn!

Dancing Horses: On Friday, September 16, at 2:15 p.m., watch members of Spokane County 4-H perform a dressage exhibition in the Horse Arena.

QR Code Barn Tours for Smart Phones: If you have a smartphone, you can scan a code at the entrance to each barn for a self-guided tour, which will make looking at livestock much more interesting! It’s sponsored by Big R. Stores, and you will receive a Big R. 15% off coupon for participating.

Not-So-Newlywed Contest: Tuesday, September 13, at 1:15 p.m., couples pre-selected through an essay competition will play for a grand prize at the North Stage. Play along in the audience to find out how well you know your partner!

As always, you can count on fun shows at the Grandstand: PRCA rodeos Friday and Saturday nights (September 10 and 11), compact car demolition derby and lawn mower races Sunday, September 11, two monster truck shows on the second Saturday (September 17), full-size car demolition derby on the second Sunday (September 18), and five great acts during the week: Neal McCoy, Osmond Brothers, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Switchfoot. Tickets are available at the Interstate Fair Office or at Ticketswest.com. General admission to the Fair is required for all shows.

The North Stage features a wide variety of free entertainment throughout the Fair, including regional and local musicians, comedy, hypnotism, juggling, and dancing. There are many other free entertainment events each day, such as racing pigs, kids pedal tractor racing, and demonstrations of “how it used to be” (butter churning, rope making, etc.) Click here for a complete day-by-day schedule of all that is happening.

General admission to the Fair is required for all shows. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for kids 7 to 13 and seniors 65 and over, and free for kids 6 and under. If, for you, going to the Fair means having a blast on the carnival rides, consider going on September 12–15, when you can buy a pay-one-price bracelet for $25, good for unlimited rides all night. Otherwise, each ride is $3–$5 in single carnival tickets. Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day except September 18, when this year’s big event will wrap up at 8:00 p.m. Parking is available at the Main Gate and South Gate. If you are travelling from out of town to play at the Fair, do yourself a favor and book a comfortable one- or two-bedroom suite at Stratford Suites Hotel, Spokane’s best lodging value! Full kitchens, leather furniture, pillow top mattresses, and 50” HDTV with DVD await you.

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Thorson’s Country Farm and Nursery

You don’t have to go far from the city to experience some good old fashioned farm fun. Just 20 minutes north of Spokane, at Green Bluff, you can pick your own delicious peaches, apples, and other produce in season (or buy them already harvested), take a free wagon ride, taste local wine, listen to live music, have a picnic with lunch and snack items from one of several places, tour some farms, and entertain the kids at numerous play areas. The scenic area is at the foothills of Mt. Spokane.

If you haven’t tasted just-picked Green Bluff peaches and apples, you are in for a treat! Local, farm fresh produce is a world away from the usual grocery store fare and may inspire you to try new recipes and cooking methods. A great website with recipes for natural, healthy cooking that really highlights farm fresh food is At My Kitchen Table. Pictures with the steps make the recipes easy to follow.

The Green Bluff Growers, founded in 1902, is an association of small farms and food stands. In two driving loops, you can visit over 30 farms and stands with an abundance of locally grown and manufactured food. In addition to extremely fresh fruits and vegetable, you will find gifts, alpaca yarn and wool goods, frozen Italian meals, candy, honey, jams, pies, and much more.

Each farm is a little different, and food and entertainment offerings vary by season. Although many farms are open on weekdays, most of the entertainment only happens on weekends. Some farms are closed on Sundays. Check the website to see what is happening at each farm. There are several big festivals at Green Bluff—currently, farmers are celebrating the August Peach Festival on weekends through Labor Day as it is prime soft fruit season. Next up is the September Apple Harvest Festival, when you can pick up some of the best chunky applesauce and fresh pressed apple cider you’ll ever taste. In the fall, pumpkin picking and corn mazes are always popular, and you can even come back for a Christmas tree in the winter. A Sanctuary Bed and Breakfast, on 11 wooded acres at the gateway to Green Bluff, offers the option of a retreat without travelling far from Spokane.

Parking is available and free; expect the roads to be crowded on weekends, but with over 30 farms, lines are generally short. Click here for directions. Green Bluff is great for anyone who loves fresh food, and it is a great family outing, with plenty for kids to do. Each farm sets its own hours; check the farm locator page for details. Click here for a map that shows what each farm offers.

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MarchFourth Marching Band

This year’s headliners are Marcy Playground, Charlie Musselwhite, Too Slim, Leon Russell, Carbon Leaf, and MarchFourth Marching Band. Pig Out in the Park will also showcase many local favorites, including Mon Cheri, Blue Ribbon Tea Company, and Hot Club of Spokane. Click here for a full schedule of bands.

Pig Out in the Park is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the music starts at noon each day. You won’t run out of new kinds of food to try even if you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the park, with everything from bacon-wrapped hot dogs to authentic Greek, Vietnamese, and Indian dishes. As Spokane’s largest cultural event, this is a golden opportunity to broaden your taste horizons for a decent price—the price cap for all items is $8.95. Picky kids (of all ages) will be happy to see plenty of tame options like Zip’s hamburgers, pizza, and of course funnel cakes.

Riverfront Park is always a fun place, and all the usual attractions will be running during Pig Out—IMAX Theatre, Looff Carrousel, Spokane Falls SkyRide, and Pavilion amusement rides. The day pass is the best deal at just $16.25 for unlimited amusement park rides and mini-golf plus one regular IMAX feature.

Getting there: As Pig Out is contained in the park, street closures are not an issue; however, this very popular event means close parking will be limited. If you drive, try to carpool and arrive as early as possible. In the afternoon, expect a healthy walk if parking on the street. Parking meters are free on Sunday and Labor Day. Buses will be running all weekend, including the Arena park-and-ride shuttle, but check schedules to make sure you don’t miss the last bus home! Bicycles are a great option for this event, with places in the park and surrounding businesses to lock up. Most concert seating is on the grass. Feel free to bring your own chairs and blankets, but keep in mind that wandering through the food booths can be a little tight for carrying bulky items, so think slim folding chairs and/or backpacks. See you there!

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Qualchan Golf Course

Spokane boasts a number of scenic golf courses with prices that are lower than in other cities. There are a variety of options—public, private, and municipal—to choose from. This is not a comprehensive list and only includes 18-hole public courses in the immediate Spokane area. For a more comprehensive list, try GolfLink.

Spokane Parks and Recreation operates four golf courses: Downriver, Esmeralda, Indian Canyon, and Qualchan. Standard fees are $27–$29, $20 for Mon.–Thur. 9-hole, and $12–$22 for juniors (but see the $15 deal below!). If you plan on going several times, discount cards are available. By comparison, Seattle Parks and Recreation golf courses are $32 to $37 for standard rates.

Money-Saving Tip: Take advantage of the $15 August deal (golf cart rental $22) at the four Spokane Parks and Recreation Golf courses. The special is good at Esmeralda Mondays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Downriver Sundays 2 p.m. to dusk and Mondays 1 p.m. to dusk, Indian Canyon Sundays and Mondays 1 p.m. to dusk, and Qualchan Sundays and Mondays 2 p.m. to dusk. Call pro-shop for tee times.

Downriver

Built in 1916, this heavily treed 18-hole course lies along the Spokane River and is bordered by Riverside State Park, a natural area with great hiking, fishing, and bicycling opportunities. To schedule a tee time, call 509-327-5269.

Esmeralda

Excellent for seniors and beginners, this northeast Spokane course offers open space and flat fairways lined with over 2,000 trees. Call 509-487-6291 for tee times.

Indian Canyon

This place, designed in 1930, has been selected by Golf Digest as one of the top 25 public courses in the U.S. You can enjoy a view of the city among towering pines from the west entrance of Spokane while enjoying a diverse playing environment that hosts many major tournaments, including the Rosauers Open. Call 509-747-5353 for tee times.

Qualchan

Spokane’s newest golf course, Qualchan sits in a natural setting that is a sanctuary to many protected birds and wildlife species. A creek meanders through the course, and there are five ponds, wooded and hilly areas, and beautiful open areas. Call 509-448-9317 for tee times.

Hangman Valley (Spokane County operated) is a public municipal golf course along Spokane’s lovely Latah Creek. The same low standard fees as at the Spokane Parks and Recreation golf courses (see above) apply here; discount cards are available, and through the end of August, tee times after 3 p.m. are 20% off.

Wandermere opened in 1929 and is located in the peaceful Little Spokane River Valley just north of Spokane off Highway 395. This scenic course offers some of the most challenging golf in the area. Standard fees are $25–$29 or $19 for 9-hole on weekdays. Punch cards are available for a slightly discounted price. Call 509-466-8023 for tee times.

Sun Dance is a challenging and rewarding course in Nine Mile Falls, just twelve miles from the center of Spokane. Standard fee is $24. Call 509-466-4040 for tee times.

The Fairways is located ten minutes west of downtown Spokane just off of I-90. Here you can play through natural wetlands and native grasses, with panoramic views of the surrounding hill country, making it an excellent place to be around sunset. Standard rates are $17–$27. Call 509-747-8418 for tee times, or reserve online.

With beautiful Spokane weather and numerous great choices for affordable golfing, you may just want to take a golf mini-vacation and get away from home for a couple of days. If you do, be sure to check out Stratford Suites’ beautiful rooms with full kitchens, leather furniture, pillow top mattresses, and 52” hi-def. televisions. Located minutes from downtown Spokane, close to the airport with easy freeway access, Stratford Suites Hotel is perfect for your getaway.

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