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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This Saturday, November 12, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., local shops in seven different Spokane business districts will offer games, prizes, and great discounts in honor of Girl’s Day Out, a shopping event aimed at introducing women to their neighborhood business centers. Businesses in the Garland, Hillyard, International District, Monroe, Perry, N. Division/Ruby, and SoDo areas are rolling out the “pink carpet” to entice ladies to come in. Each district has a headquarters, where the first 100 shoppers will receive a “swag bag” of goodies, and you can pick up your Girl’s Day Out map. Check out the facebook page for an inside look at what some of the business owners are doing to make this year’s event the best ever.

Many shops will be offering treats and beverages, and every business will have something special to offer. You can start your holiday shopping or shop for yourself—you can find antiques, jewelry, clothing, makeup, skin care, art, new and used furniture, books, and much more. Some of the city’s best coffee houses and restaurants will also be offering great specials for the day. Door prizes and drawings for gift certificates will be part of the fun. You can see all the participating businesses and scope out all the deals before you go in this week’s Exchange, available at free newsstands all over the city.

District headquarters, where you will want to stop first to get your map and swag bag:

• Monroe: Cruz ‘n Back in Time, 3107 N. Monroe
• South Perry: Skin Care by Yisel, 1016 S. Perry
• Hillyard: Corner Cottage, 5210 N. Market
• Garland: Glamarita, 901 W. Garland
• SoDo: Ronan’s Door, 301 W. 2^nd Ave.
• North Division/Ruby St.: Retired Treasures, 2824 N. Ruby
• East Sprague/International: Northwest Seed and Pet, 2422 E. Sprague

Posted on the Girl’s Day Out facebook wall by Cruz ‘n Back in Time Collectibles

Although it is an event for women, men are welcome to come enjoy the fun as well.  Shopping local is good for the economy, good for the community, and good for the environment, just in case you needed an excuse to spend a day shopping!

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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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Earth Day is officially Friday, April 27, but the big party starts on Saturday at 11 a.m. in downtown Spokane. Main Street will be closed off between Browne and Division to allow Spokane residents and visitors to celebrate our beautiful planet and green living until midnight. The day’s events are definitely family friendly. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids can enjoy free activities like vegetable planting and marching in the Procession of the Species parade (parade is at 2 p.m., and kids will make their own fun animal masks to wear beforehand). Youngsters can also collect special “passports” that will be stamped for visiting different animal themed activity booths.

If you want to start celebrating earlier in the morning and feel good about doing something for the nature in and around Spokane, join the Earth Day Spokane River Clean Up sponsored by 96.9 the River, Friends of the Centennial Trail, and the Spokane Riverkeeper. Meet at Mission Park at 8 a.m. (across from Avista on Mission Ave.) Treats, coffee, and trash bags will be provided.

All ages will enjoy the live performances of music, dance, and poetry. Malidoma World Dance studio will be performing traditional dances, the Hoop Troup will make hula hooping tricks look ridiculously easy, and several bands will perform, including the Angela Marie Project, B Radicals, and the Brad Keeler Trio. Local community leaders, among them Mayor Mary Verner and Councilman Richard Rush, will give blissfully brief talks as well. If you have a thing or two to say or sing yourself, sign up for the open mic on Isabella’s rooftop. All day long, you can browse interesting community booths with information and activities on sustainability, and of course there will be delicious street food.

In the evening, stick around to see flaming hula hoop performances and show your moves at an electronic dance party located in the Community Building warehouse (ages 16+). Bands will continue to rock the outdoor stage until midnight. Admission is free; come for just a little while or stay all day, but don’t miss Earth Day Spokane 2011!

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1.      Plan a getaway that is closer to home. Unless you have your heart set on some distant locale, you can save a lot by staying in the Inland Northwest and driving, rather than flying, to your destination. Even with the rising cost of gas, driving a reasonable distance with two or more people in the car is almost always less expensive than flying anywhere. You don’t have to go a thousand miles away to “get away from it all,” and the Inland Northwest offers diverse choices to please any traveler.

2.      Play from a good “base camp.” Rather than staying in numerous hotels, find a place to stay that is centrally located in relation to the attractions and events you want to experience and create day trips. Some hotels offer discounts for weekly stays. Be sure to ask about specials for multiple day stays, such as third night free specials, when you book your reservations. Staying at the same hotel for your entire trip also has the advantage of allowing you to relax and settle in rather than packing and unpacking several times.

3.      Consider choosing a condo, extended stay hotel, or rental house instead of a standard hotel room. Staying in a place with a full kitchen, dining room, and separate bedrooms, like Stratford Suites in Spokane, can save you a bundle on food, especially if you are travelling with children! Think of the cost difference between buying groceries for pancakes, sandwiches, burgers, and stir fries and buying these items in a restaurant (and don’t forget the tip).  Having a separate bedroom for mom and dad is an added bonus.

4.      If you do fly, research rates and travel light! Travel sites like Kayak.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com and Hotwire.com can help you find the lowest rates.  Remember to read the fine print for hidden fees, and try to limit your luggage to a single carry-on as most airlines are now charging for checked baggage. If you are going away for a week or more, you can use the laundry facilities at your hotel to avoid bringing clothes for every single day (Stratford Suites in Spokane and most other extended stay hotels offer guest laundry facilities).

5.      Save with travel packages. Booking your airfare, hotel, and car rental together can save you a lot of money. Most travel websites offer packages (see #4), or ask your travel agent to find you the best deal for your needs. Calling the hotel directly also often results in discounted rates that seldom show up on travel websites, especially locally owned or regional chain hotels. As one example, Stratford Suites discounts monthly stays by 40%.

6.      Minimize eating (and drinking) out. Really, it is fun to eat out, but wouldn’t you rather experience more attractions that are specific to your destination than indulge in a lot of restaurant food? If you follow tip #3, you can make your own meals and pack picnics (always fun and almost every city has a nice park) and snacks.  Buy snacks from the grocery store, and buy your own beverages. Soda and alcoholic beverages are three to five times less expensive if you buy your own in stores.

7.      Plan ahead to save on fine dining and attractions. A month or more before your trip, sign up at Groupon.com to have emails sent notifying you of deals in the area you will be visiting. Most Groupon offers are at least 50% off regular prices. Spas, restaurants, and symphony groups are just some of the options. Restaurant.com is another money-saving site where you can purchase $25 gift certificates for $10. However, Restaurant.com certificates have a lot of limitations, so they work best for mid-week dining. Be sure to read the fine print!

8.      Do a little research on discounted attractions. Museums and art galleries frequently offer free admission days, and many attractions of all kinds charge less on weekdays and early times. Find out when they are, and plan your events accordingly. If you are a senior, student, federal employee, in the military, AAA member, whatever—work your discount! Don’t be afraid to ask if you qualify for a better price.

9.      Travel during the week. Flights are less expensive mid-week, and you will save time and gas by avoiding weekend traffic when possible. By the way, if you are flying, pack your own food! Airport food is outrageously priced. You can also bring empty water bottles through security and fill them at a drinking fountain or in the restroom on the other side.

10. The more the merrier—vacation with friends (and their kids). Car pooling and renting multi-bedroom apartments or townhouses can be significantly less costly than separate lodging while still providing plenty of privacy. If you are worried that spending so much time on the road with friends might strain the friendship, remember that you don’t have to spend every moment of every day together. The group can split up and go to separate events located in the same area.

To help you plan your getaway, check out the calendar of shows, events, and fairs, etc. on this blog.

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1. Ice skating outdoors at the Ice Palace: Remember John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity? Ice skating on a beautiful winter night is very romantic. Take your date on a stroll through lovely Riverfront Park to one of the nation’s best outdoor ice rinks, the Ice Palace, on Saturday or Sunday before Valentine’s Day (the rink is closed on Mondays). The rink is open until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday and until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Warm up afterward with a hot beverage at the Davenport Hotel and tour the grand, historic landmark once referred to as Spokane’s living room.
   

   Saturday Night Salsa at Simply Dance

2. Dance lessons: Dress up (or not) and learn sizzling salsa moves at Simply Dance Studio on Saturday, February 12. The drop-in lesson runs from 8:15–9:15 p.m., followed by dancing until 1:00 a.m. to try out your new moves. The lesson and dance are only $5. If you like it, you can come back for more as Saturday Night Salsa happens every week.
3. Wine, chocolate, art, and acoustic guitar: the perfect combination for an evening all about love. Jonathan Nicholson, a Spokane native who plays “soothing and introspective guitar,” will give a romantic performance on Saturday, February 12, 6:00–9:00 p.m. at Avenue West Gallery (122 S. Monroe Ste. #103). Wine and chocolate will be served at this dress-up event, and you need an invitation from the gallery to reserve your place. Just call them at 509-838-4999 between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday to claim you spot.
4. Romantic symphony music with roses and chocolate: The Spokane Symphony is putting on a special Valentine’s performance of “Romantic Chopin and Schumann” with guest pianist Orion Weiss, whom the Cincinnati Enquirer has called “a talent . . . so natural, genuine and exciting you can hardly believe your ears.” Add a long-stemmed rose and a small box of Bloem chocolates to your ticket for an extra $10. Two performances are available: Saturday, February 12 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 13 at 3:00 p.m. The home of the Spokane Symphony, the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, couldn’t be more romantic, as it is a gorgeously restored art-deco theater that opened in 1931. Buy your tickets online, at the Fox  box office, or by calling 509-624-1200.
5. Wine tasting and candy: You can’t go wrong with good wine and delectable Valentine’s sweets! The Spokane Winery Association presents ValenWine weekend on Saturday, February 12 and Sunday, February 13, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Download your map of the eighteen member Spokane wineries and grab your sweetheart or a fellow wine or chocolate lover and sample award winning, local wines and sweets.
6. Dinner and dancing at Corbin Senior Center: If you are looking for a more mature crowd to celebrate Valentine’s Day with, come enjoy an Italian buffet dinner followed by dancing at the Corbin Senior Center (827 W. Cleveland) on Sunday, February 13 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 per person or $30 per couple in advance or $20 per person at the door. Call 509-327-1584 for more information.
7. Go skiing while supporting a good cause: Hitting the slopes together is a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, and if you ski at Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park on the weekend before the holiday, you will also be sending some love to the Inland Northwest Blood Center. On February 12 and 13, $5 from every lift ticket sold will go to the INBC’s Summer Donor Awareness Program. To add to the fun, Groove Patrol, Spokane’s wonderful funk/rock/jazz band, will play in the lounge on Saturday.
   

   Brick House Massage and Coffee Bar

8. Couples’ massage with truffles and candlelight: If you really want to spoil your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day, book a “Dipped in Chocolate Special” at the Brick House Massage and Coffee Bar. Two side-by-side treatments are available at a discounted price ($144.99–$244.99). Both packages include side-by-side full body massages, lattes, and truffles! Call 509-891-1999 to book your treatment ahead of time.
9. Dinner theatre in a Victorian setting: The Lion’s Share, a creative center located in a large Victorian house at 1627 N. Atlantic, is offering a candlelight dinner plus live performances of loves songs and a play called Frame Up, a romantic comedy, for only $35. The event runs February 11–13 at 6 p.m. Call 509-327-1113 for reservations.
10. Just get away for the night! One of the sweetest ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day is to simply get out of the house, leave the kids with a sitter, and enjoy each other’s company without the pressures of housework, family, etc. Stratford Suites, Spokane’s best lodging value, makes it easy and affordable with the Valentine Rendezvous Package. Package includes a luxury suite with full kitchen, a dozen roses, chocolate truffles, a bottle of wine or Martinelli’s, and a $25 gift certificate to the nearby Rusty Moose restaurant. This deal is perfect for finishing off your evening or for staying in and cuddling while watching a 50-inch hi-def. television. Complete package is $149 per night. Reserve by calling (888) 705-8877 or (509) 321-1600 or email frontdesk@stratfordsuites.com.

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10^th Anniversary First Night Spokane

The biggest New Year’s Eve party around happens in downtown Spokane. For just $12, you can experience an incredible array of arts and entertainment, topped off with a big fireworks show at midnight. The theme for this year’s First Night Spokane is “Imagine That.”

If you haven’t been to a First Night celebration before, you can’t miss Spokane’s tenth annual bash. Where else can you see community theatre, dance to a live swing band, go ice skating, ride a 100-year-old carousel, watch several dance performances, laugh at live improve comedy, take some dancing lessons, watch artists do things like pottery wheel throwing, marvel at the stunts of a snowboard rail jam, and listen to African drumming all in one night for just $12? There are just too many activities and performers to try listing even the highlights here, but you can download a schedule.

First Night celebrations are all about celebrating arts and entertainment in a family friendly, affordable festival. The entire family can find dozens of things to do, with plenty of kids’ activities. The event is alcohol-free, although adults are welcome to pop into the many local bars and restaurants that will be open nearby for a drink, and you don’t have to worry about any of the content being inappropriate for kids. To get in on the fun, just purchase a button for $12 ($15 on December 31) at one of many Spokane businesses, including Cenex Zip Trip Stores, Auntie’s Book Store, Riverfront Park Square (concierge desk), and Windemere real estate offices. Out-of-town visitors can purchase buttons with no fees through TicketsWest. Go to the First Night Spokane website for details.

Attend a Hometown Hockey Game

Looking for a night that is a bit more exciting and noisy than a dinner and movie? Come out and support the Spokane Chiefs. You can’t help but get caught up in the enthusiasm of the Chiefs’ Pacific Northwest fans. The Spokane Chiefs, who have won two Memorial Cup Championships in 1991 and 2008, two WHL Championships in 1991 and 2008, and four Western Conference Championships in 1991, 1996, 2000, and 2008, are a Major Junior Hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Players come from all over the world and many are drafted into the pro ranks from the Chiefs. Home games are played in the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, a 10,366 seat facility. Click here for a season schedule. Adult tickets range from $10–$19 and can be purchased by calling 509-535-PUCK (7825) or from TicketsWest at 800-325-SEAT (7328), or by purchasing online through TicketsWest.

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story at Spokane Civic Theatre. Copyright 2010 Northern Exposures Photography

Enjoy Local Talent in Great Theatre

Impress your date with play tickets and experience an evening of live entertainment while supporting local artists. Spokane boasts two major theatre companies: Interplayers Professional Theatre and Spokane Civic Theatre. Ticket prices for theatre in Spokane are substantially lower than other major cities, so take advantage of our big-city quality for small-town prices!

Interplayers, Spokane’s award-winning professional theatre, is producing two plays this winter. Opus, a new play by Michael Hollinger that has enjoyed immense popularity nationwide, showcases the story of a string quartet that fires its violist and replaces him with a young woman days before a White House performance. It runs January 20–February 5, 2011. Privilege, a heartfelt comedy about the privileged lives of two Upper East Side NY teens whose lives are irrevocably changed when their father is accused of insider trading, runs February 24–March 12, 2011. Tickets are available by calling 455-PLAY (7529). You can also purchase tickets through TicketsWest at 325-SEAT (7328) or www.TicketsWest.com. Prices range from $13–$22.

Spokane Civic Theatre is a national award-winning community theatre. This winter, you can see three plays performed by the troupe. Don’t Dress for Dinner is a riotous farce about a dinner in which marital bliss is not on the menu, and between the friends, lovers, caterers, and angry husbands, comic confusion abounds. This production runs January 14–30, 2011. Next, the Civic will perform the Tony-Award wining musical comedy The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a tale of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves. The show runs January 28—February 7, 2011. The next show is another musical comedy: Nunsense, running February 18–March 6, 2011 and featuring an unforgettable variety show performed by the Little Sisters of Hoboken. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 325-2507 or through TicketsWest at 325-SEAT (7328) or www.TicketsWest.com. Prices range from $16–$32.

Copyright Spokane International Film Festival

Spokane International Film Festival, February 3–13, 2011

If you love independent and cutting-edge films, you can’t miss SpIFF. This is your once-a-year opportunity to see the very best feature films, documentaries, and short films that have been made around the world during the past two years but have not yet been commercially released for wide distribution right here in Spokane, WA. Some of the films might never be released on DVD in the United States, so this could be your only opportunity to enjoy some of the most talked-about films. They are the same films as those seen each year at the Cannes, New York, or Toronto film festivals.

But you won’t just see great new films from all over, you’ll also meet some of the filmmakers and performers. They share their own stories and anecdotes about the making of their films and answer questions from you the audience. The discussions are lively and educational and a favorite part of the festival for both filmmaker and audience. You can also take part in after-film receptions held throughout downtown Spokane.

Watch the website calendar for the upcoming schedule of events for the 13^th annual festival. Films will be shown at the AMC Theater at Riverpark Square and the Magic Lantern Theater, both located in downtown Spokane, WA.

Spokane Visual Arts Tour, February 4^th and 5^th, 2011

Twice a year, Spokane museums, galleries, arts businesses, and alternative spaces for showing art such as non-profit organizations, restaurants, and shops welcome the public in to view a wide variety of great regional art. Participating businesses extend their hours on Friday night, February 4^th, and open up on Saturday, February 5^th to support the arts scene in Spokane. Like First Friday Art Walks in downtown Spokane, the Visual Arts Tour is a self-guided walking tour (pick up a free copy of The Inlander, available at many area businesses on February 3^rd, for your guide), but it is a much larger event. Come check out local art, meet artists, and enjoy treats and beverages provided by participating businesses.

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Merry Christmas & Happy Chanukah

We wanted to thank you for being a part of making this a wonderful year for Stratford Suites. Thanks to your business, we have been able to grow and hire new people. You have made it possible to provide jobs in these difficult times. If you were a new guest this year, we are blessed to add you to our list! For all of you that returned, thank you for your continued business and loyalty!

Our Assistant General Manager, Louise, and her front desk staff Paula and Kristin, have been with us almost since our opening; Chastonie and Clint are more recent additions.  Sara, Jackie, and new hires Peter, Hillary and Anna round out the dedicated Housekeeping Department. We would be lost without our new maintenance man Dave who literally can fix anything and is ready to help any guest wherever he can.

All of us want to thank you for staying at Stratford Suites and allowing us to serve you. Additionally, we would like to give a special thanks to the guest:

• That informed us that hot water was plumbed to the commode in his suite. He said that he had really appreciated it on cold mornings! We are not sure how many others had enjoyed this unintentional “amenity”.

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Bing Crosby’s niece, Carolyn Schneider, and his nephew, Howard Crosby, will speak about Bing starting at 6:00 p.m. The classic, beloved movie White Christmas will begin and end the day, with Road to Morocco, films from Bing’s private archives, and the documentary The Legendary Bing Crosby in between.

This family friendly event is offered free, but the Advocates for the Bing Crosby Theater request a $5 donation for the entire day of fun.

If you would like to brush up on your Bing history before or after the film festival, check out Gonzaga University’s amazing Crosby Collection. Housed in the Crosbyana Room in the Crosby Student Center (502 E. Boone), this collection contains approximately 200 items, including the duplicate Oscar he won in 1944 for Going My Way, gold and platinum records, movie stills and photographs, record albums, books, and sheet music. You will also see interesting items from the Crosby Research Foundation, such as the “Trip Trap,” a mousetrap that the foundation invented. Over 2500 guests visit each year, from all fifty states and twenty other countries.

The Crosbyana Room is free and open 7:30 a.m. to midnight weekdays and 11:00 a.m. to midnight weekends. While you are there, stop by the Crosby Alumni House at 508 E. Sharp. This house was Bing’s boyhood home, and it is open to the public on weekdays. Be sure to check out the campus map before you go if you are not familiar with Gonzaga University campus.

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