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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Labor Day Weekend: Five things to do in Spokane

So, your plans to finagle an invite to the lake failed, and you didn’t jump on camping reservations in time, so you’re stuck in town for the Labor Day weekend.

It’s a good thing for you that Spokane is pretty lively this weekend. Here are five things you can check out to occupy your time.

1. There’s live music. Outdoors. And it’s free. Pig Out in the Park has been in full swing since Wednesday, and will keep Riverfront Park hopping through Monday. There are dozens of cool bands to check out, and some real legends, too. Rapper Sir-Mix-A-Lot, he-who-likes-big-butts and can’t lie about it, will headline the Lilac Stage at 9 p.m. Sunday. Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Famer Elvin Bishop brings his trio to the Lilac Stage at 8:45 p.m. Saturday. Favorites Sammy Eubanks, Peter Rivera and David Raitt also are on the bill for the festival’s final three days. For a schedule, visit www.spokanepigout.com.

2. There’s even more live music outdoors that’s free. It wouldn’t be Labor Day weekend without the Spokane Symphony concerts in the park. Head to Liberty Lake’s Pavillion Park on Saturday or Spokane’s Comstock Park on Monday to enjoy popular classics, show tunes, marches and selections from the symphony’s upcoming season. Spread a picnic blanket, pack a dinner and bring the whole family to enjoy music under the stars. Both shows begin at 6 p.m. Visit www.spokanesymphony.org/ for details.

3. There’s live music that’s not free but worth checking out. Foster the People, the indie rockers behind “Pumped Up Kicks,” will be at the Knitting Factory at 8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $35. Saturday night, country singer Cody Jinks takes the stage, beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $23.25. Visit http://sp.knittingfactory.com/ for tickets and information. Meanwhile, if you’re up for a drive, Guns N’ Roses, featuring Axl Rose, Duff McKagan and Slash, will be rocking the Gorge Amphitheatre in George at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $75 for lawn seats through www.LiveNation.com.

4. Take your last ride down Avalanche Mountain for 2017. Boulder Beach, the water park portion of Silverwood Theme Park, will close for the season after Monday. (The amusement park portion remains open weekends through Sept. 24. Scarywood opens Sept. 29.) As the weather is cooperating, with highs predicted in the 90s all weekend, an afternoon spent floating the lazy river or body surfing in the wave pool just might be the ticket. Saturdayand Sunday also will feature Silverwood’s annual Coaster Classic Car Show on the theme park grounds, and is included with admission. Visit www.silverwoodthemepark.com for information. (And one tip: Buy your tickets online in advance to enjoy a discount.)

5. Enjoy some air conditioning with your popcorn. You can always chill at the movies. Find some time to check out one of the summer hits that you’ve missed – “Dunkirk,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “War for the Planet of the Apes,” “Baby Driver,” “Wonder Woman” or “Logan Lucky.” Or step back in time to catch “Terminator 2” remastered in 3-D, or Steven Spielberg’s glorious “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” being re-released for one week in honor of its 40th anniversary. Visit www.spokane7.com/movies/now_playing/ for movie times and locations.

This story has been updated to reflect that the Guns N’ Roses show was set at an outdoor venue.