Valleyfest Struggles With Politics

The political season is almost upon Spokane County, and with it, an annual debate.

Should Valleyfest, the Spokane Valley’s annual neighborhood celebration, allow candidates to advertise in Terrace View Park?

“It’s come up over and over and over again,” said Valleyfest director Sue Delucchi. “It’s difficult trying to find a way to cope with that.”

Valleyfest, which ends two days before the Sept. 19 primary, is viewed by some candidates as the ideal opportunity to get that last-minute edge on an opponent.

Last year, when Valleyfest officials asked former House Speaker Tom Foley to be the parade grand marshal, Foley opponents turned out in droves, saying it gave the Spokane Democrat an unfair advantage over Republican challengers.

And although elected officials are welcome to walk in the parade, candidates and supporters trying to hand out political announcements have been asked to leave.

Some Valleyfest organizers think allowing politicians to set up booths on Sunday might help.

If they have booths they might be less inclined to hand out material elsewhere, said Terry Lynch, Valleyfest Foundation treasurer. That might foster more cooperation between Valleyfest and county politicians, he said.

“If you want to get political support, you’ve got to work with the system,” Lynch said.

But, added Lynch, “put (the candidates) someplace where they’re not going to be in an area where the kids are.”

Saturday, the first day of the festival, is geared primarily toward children. There’s a punt, pass and kick tournament, fun run and parade. A second day, added last year, has become the day of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra’s performance.

Most festival organizers want no part of political advertising during Valleyfest. It has no place in a festival for children and it could open the stage to extremist political groups, said Peggy Doering.

Last year, said Delucchi, a Spokane Valley newspaper expressed interest in sponsoring a candidates’ forum during Valleyfest.

Delucchi plans to approach advertising representatives from that newspaper to discuss the issue again.

But Delucchi’s gut feeling is that the candidates’ forum won’t happen this year. “I suspect from everything that everyone said, that we’ll probably just stay away from it,” she said. “If you’re out for a fun day with your kids, your point is not to listen to political speeches.”

, DataTimes