As Leaves Fall, Entertainment Events Pick Up
One of the stereotypes about the Inland Northwest is that the big entertainment season fades away with the summer sun.
Not true.
If you read on, you’ll see just how busy things get in these parts during the fall months.
A host of entertainment events will brighten the Inland Northwest. There are major concerts, theater productions, ballets, festivals, book readings, holiday bazaars and sporting events.
Country acts Wynonna and Blackhawk will kick out some boot-stomping music at the Spokane Arena tonight. Alternative rocker Sheryl Crow plays Beasley Coliseum at WSU tonight. Singer Jimmy Buffet will close out The Gorge’s 1996 concert season with two concerts Sept. 27 and 28. Ozzy Osborne, Danzig and Sepultura will stir up some pre-Halloween, devilish metal at the Spokane Arena Oct. 22. The antithesis of those bands, Christian rockers the Newsboys, will be at the Arena Nov. 3.
Of course, there are a number of concerts with a few fewer decibels. The Spokane Symphony opens its season tonight at the Opera House and repeats the program from the Labor Day Comstock Park concert Saturday at Terrace View Park in the Valley. Celtic band, the Tannahill Weavers, will perform at the Panida Theater in Sandpoint Oct. 18. Genre-bending bohemian singer Michelle Shocked plays The Met Oct. 26.
For theater buffs, many of the local theater troupes either have already opened their seasons or will do so soon. Interplayers and the Lake City Playhouse (Coeur d’Alene) open tonight with “Camping with Henry and Tom” and “Bell, Book and Candle,” respectively. Valley Repertory starts its season with “Personals” Sept. 27. Then, on Oct. 11, Civic Theatre launches a brand new season with the beloved “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Local sporting events kick into high gear in Spokane during fall. Joe Albi Stadium is the site for high school football games on Friday nights. The Spokane Chiefs open their home Western Hockey League season at the Spokane Arena on Sept. 28. NBA Western Division Champions, the Seattle Super Sonics, will take on division rival Portland Trailblazers for an exhibition game at the Spokane Arena Oct. 24. The Apple Cup is in Pullman this year - the WSU Cougars will tackle rivals, the Washington Huskies, at Martin Stadium.
Fall festivals in the crisp outdoors are always a staple of the season. Today through Sunday, Odessa is throwing its annual rural Deutchesfest. Starting next weekend, Sept. 28 and 29, Greenbluff will host the Greenbluff Apple Festival. The festival continues every weekend through October.
With Halloween looming just a liottle more than a month away, haunted houses will no doubt open their creaking doors to the public. Among them is the Riverfront Park Haunted House, which can be visited Oct. 17-31.
On Halloween, St. John’s Cathedral will show “Nosferatu” - the original film inspired by Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” “Nosferatu” is a silent film. However, organist Charles Bradley will perform his interpretation of the film on the gothic cathedral’s monstrous organ.
Three traveling ballet companies will visit the area this fall. The Ballet Stars of Moscow will perform Nov. 12 at the Opera House. The Stars of the Russian Ballet will dance at Beasley Coliseum at WSU on Nov. 13. Once again, the Alberta Ballet will present “The Nutcracker” at the Opera House Dec. 5-9. On Dec. 10, “The Nutcracker” will be staged at Beasley Coliseum.
As we near the Christmas season, dozens of holiday bazaars will spring up in the area, the bulk of them during October and November.
Not all local and regional entertainment events are listed in the calendar below. As they are announced, however, they will be added to the list. So keep checking the Friday Weekend entertainment section. Details and ticket information will be included the week of the event.
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