Fun for all at Lake Chelan’s Bach Fest
When I was a child, my parents and grandparents thought it was a great adventure to leave the prairie and drive downtown to look at the falls. They must have really liked it, because getting my grandfather off the farm – for any length of time – took some doing.
I suffered from such an enthusiastic case of motion sickness in my youth that there’s nary a mile between Spokane and Seattle where I have not heaved. And standing above all that rushing water sent me over the edge every single time, without fail.
Good family times.
Still, people seem to want to be around water, no matter how many children are barfing nearby.
If you’re among them, Lake Chelan has a kinder, gentler option this summer unlikely to nauseate the young ‘uns among you.
The theme for this year’s Bach Fest, July 12 through 19 – “Bach, Beatles and Beyond” – leaves room for Big Band dancing, Mozart’s Requiem and a grand finale with music from the film “Gladiator,” “Broadway Showstoppers,” “Remembering the Beatles” and more.
Early birds can catch the Bach Fest String Quartet on July 11 and 12 at Tsillan Cellars winery. But the festival officially begins and ends at the Riverwalk Park Pavilion, so bring a blanket or lawn chair.
The kick-off concert stars the ACME a cappella barbershop quartet and the Dennis Clauss Big Band.
The “Young Musicians Concert,” more from the String Quartet, and a piano recital by the multiple-award-winning Stephen Beus take up Sunday the 13th, and you’ll have more wine and music opportunities at Balsamroot, Tunnel Hill and Vin du Lac wineries as the week goes on.
Take your non-queasy offspring to the Programs for Children, “appropriate for children of all ages, but designed for those 7 through 11 years old.”
Concert tickets range from $6 to $15, and you can pick up an all-performances season pass for $75.
Purchase them online at www.bachfest.org. There’s also more information on the site as well as at (509) 667-0904.
Two-by-fore
Regular readers know how I feel about golf. Why would I pay good money for several hours of abject humiliation? I could get that for free just about anywhere.
Mine is a lonely club, though, and the rest of you should know about the Hotel Bellwether’s “Tee off by the Bay” package.
The waterfront property 90 minutes north of Seattle tempts you hither with one night’s accommodations and a round of golf for two at one of two award-winning golf courses.
Golf Digest recently named Lake Padden one of the best municipal courses in the state.
On the other hand, Shuksan Golf Course took home “one of the 10 most challenging courses in the state” honors. It changes elevation more than 100 feet, with steep ridges all the way to “gentle” meadows.
If you just can’t stand another day on the links, there’s water recreation to be had on Bellingham Bay and sightseeing in Bellingham itself, one of Outdoor Magazine’s top 10 dream towns.
Top it all off with a visit to the hotel’s Zazen spa.
Book your reservations or browse through the Bellwether’s photo gallery at www.hotelbellwether.com. If you prefer, you can reach a real live person at the reservation desk by calling (877) 411-1200.
Regional events
•Tenth Annual Kestrel Festival, Saturday, Toppenish, Wash. Kestrel Vintners will open their new releases, prepare lunch and give you an eyeful of the interactive raptor display. (www.kestrelwines.com/888-343-2675)
•Breakout Bluegrass Campout, Friday to Sunday, Garrison, Mont. Pickers, grinners, bluegrass lovers and campers will gather for “great music” all day and night. (www.visitmt.com/406-846-1843)
•Alaska State Fair, Aug. 21-Sept. 1, Palmer. Like most such events, there’s a rodeo, music, food, crafts and agricultural contests. But they’ve also got “mammoth” produce grown in the midnight sun. (www.alaskastatefair.org/907-745-4827)