Ten events, places to experience in Spokane

Since 2001, First Night Spokane has helped the city kick off the new year on the right foot with an eclectic mix of musicians, magicians, crafts, theater and dance throughout various venues downtown. Last year’s event, with the theme “Midnight in Wonderland,” also featured Kids Night Out from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Those braving the cold between events enjoyed hot chocolate and bonfires, which came in handy during the closing ceremony, which featured fireworks and, of course, a countdown to the new year. Last year, admission buttons were $15-$18, and children under 10 were free with adult paid admission.

On the first Sunday in May, you can practically feel the ground shake as thousands of runners, chair rollers, walkers and stroller pushers of all ages and athletic abilities from around the world descend on the streets of downtown Spokane for the annual Lilac Bloomsday Run. Celebrating its 41st birthday this year, the 12-kilometer Bloomsday course is lined with people cheering participants on, with many selling bottled water and popsicles. There is also always plenty of entertainment along the way thanks to more than two dozen musicians set up at various points along the route. There’s still plenty of time to get ready for the 2018 Bloomsday run; lace up your shoes and mark your calendars for May 6.

On the third weekend in May, when, appropriately, the lilacs are in full bloom, the Spokane Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade takes over downtown Spokane, a.k.a the Lilac City. The morning of the parade, the Cruzin’ the Falls Car Show, featuring hot rods and classic cars, is held along Spokane Falls Boulevard. It’s around this time that people stake out the best spot for the Torchlight Parade, which begins at 7:45 p.m. The largest of its kind in the nation, the parade features nearly 300 entries, including floats and regional bands, all in support of local military heroes. The 2018 parade will be held May 19.

For those who wish it was March Madness all year round, Spokane is home to Hoopfest, the world’s largest three-on-three outdoor basketball tournament. Every summer during the last weekend of June (the 2018 competition will be held June 30 and July 1), more than 6,000 teams in a variety of divisions, including elite, standard and high school elite, play 14,000 games on 450 courts spread out over 45 city blocks. All the while, 3,000 volunteers help things run smoothly while 225,000 fans cheer players on. Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant stopped by the 2017 event, showing even pros can’t resist the Hoopfest hype.

If there’s one thing that marks summer in Spokane, it’s music festivals. The week-long Musicfest Northwest kicks things off in May, culminating in a Festival Highlights concert, but things really get going in June. This year, Artfest, an art, music and food festival hosted by the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, and Volume, a two-day festival, kicked off the local festival season. Volume brought acts like Built to Spill and Chastity Belt to town, while acts like the Donkeys and Dustin Thomas performed at Elkfest, held in Browne’s Addition, the next weekend. Unifest brought art, music and dance to downtown in July, and Grouplove headlined this year’s Gleason Fest, which was inspired by Spokane native Steve Gleason and benefits the Gleason Initiative Foundation’s mission to help those with ALS. The newest addition, the Tinnabulation Music Festival, closed Spokane’s festival season by bringing OK Go, American Authors, the John Butler Trio and more to Riverfront Park in September.

In the mood for bacon-wrapped burgers? Pig Out in the Park has a booth for that. Have a hankering for oysters on a stick? Pig Out can help. Want to try a deep-fried pickle or deep-fried caramel apple? Check and check. The annual food and music festival, which was held Aug. 30-Sept. 4 in Riverfront Park, features 44 food booths and 225 menu items, some more unusual than others. There are also three adult beverage gardens and 85 free concerts on three stages. There’s also a public market to browse while you’re chowing down. Oh yeah, and admission and the concerts are free.

With five gardens, a conservatory, a duck pond, walking and biking paths, and playgrounds, it’s no wonder why Manito Park attracts more than 150,000 visitors every year. Located on the South Hill, the 90-acre park is truly a year-round attraction. Visitors can take in the Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden, Duncan Park or Rose Hill in the spring and find some space to lounge in the shade during the summer. The multicolored leaves are a striking sight in the fall, and in the winter, bundle up and head to the park’s Gaiser Conservatory, where plants are decked out in holiday lights.

Since it opened in 1916, the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture has been a local institution, inviting curious visitors young and old to learn more about both the region and the world at large. The museum’s permanent collection features more than one million artifacts, including fine art and material culture from North and South America, Europe and Asia, and the neighboring Campbell House gives visitors a glimpse into the life of a prominent Spokane family. Current exhibits highlight the Spokane-filmed sci-fi show “Z Nation,” art by Melissa Cole and Ric Gendron, concepts of chemistry as communicated through poetry and art from students at the Community School in Spokane, contemporary Northwest art and the life of an artifact.

Though most of Riverfront Park is currently under construction, it still remains a popular attraction. And with so much to do there, it’s easy to see why. Paved walkways and the Centennial Trail draw in runners and bikers, and attractions like the SkyRide gondola and the Looff Carrousel, set to open this fall and early next year, respectively, and the Radio Flyer red wagon, created by artist Ken Spiering, appeal to the family crowd. Visitors can take self-guided tours of the sculptures in the park, and Expo ’74 relics, especially the Sister Paula Turnbull-designed Garbage Eating Goat, still make for impressive pit stops. Events like Pig Out in the Park, outdoor movies and the Tinnabulation Music Festival also keep Spokanites coming back to the park.

Riverside State Park is just a short drive from downtown Spokane, but once there, looking at the river as it winds through the trees, it can seem like you’re much farther away. The 14,000-acre park draws thousands of visitors throughout the year who take advantage of all it has to offer. Mountain bikers and hikers can explore 55 miles of trails or check out the 40-mile mixed-use Centennial Trail. For equestrians, there is a horse-friendly campground, 25 miles of trail and an obstacle course with a 60-foot round pen. Boaters, anglers and water sport enthusiasts can hit the Spokane River, and there is a 600-acre off-road vehicle riding area for dirt bikes and snowmobilers. Weekend warriors and full-time adventurers alike will be happy to know Riverside State Park is open year round.