Popular Sip & Soar SkyRide event, with food and drinks high above the Spokane River, sells out fall event

Mothers Day weekend saw the birth of a new event at the Numerica SkyRide in Riverfront Park, and it was so popular that it’s happening again this week.

Sip & Soar was designed as a way for the Spokane community to have a new way to “enjoy something that they’ve probably already done a million times,” Vanessa Esparza, the attractions and retail manager for Riverfront Spokane, said.

An event for those at least 21 years old, attendees ride in a gondola cabin over the Spokane Falls. A charcuterie box and two drinks per person are included as part of the ticket.

Offered in the spring when the Spokane Falls are flowing and in the fall when autumn hues are on full display, the event also features a cash bar with both alcoholic and nonalcoholic options.

The charcuterie boxes are done by Wanderlust Delicato. There are gluten-free and nut-free options available. Red Rock Catering is managing the bar for the fall events. They have created a signature drink for the events called Soarin’ Sangria.

The first event took place on May 10. There were three hourlong sessions that were available for up to 60 people.

After the success of the first event, Riverpark Spokane planned two events for this fall. One event on Sept. 20 and another on Oct. 11. Both dates, with two sessions each, sold out within a week.

For the fall events, tickets were changed from individual tickets to tickets for a cabin, which seats up to four people. Tickets for a cabin are $150. The price is the same if there are less than four adults attending the event together.

The tickets are not the only thing to change for the fall events. The sessions increased from one hour to two, with each two-hour session hosting 15 cabins.

To create a place in each gondola cabin for the charcuterie box and drinks, the park operations team built custom tables.

A full loop over the river takes around 30 minutes, but thanks to a new texting system, riders can order drinks ahead to have ready when they come back around.

With this being the first year of the Soar & Sip event series, it is likely to only rise in popularity. In the future, Esparza said that they hope to “showcase the best of Spokane” through partnerships with local restaurants.

“If there are restaurants or chefs in town that are interested in participating, definitely reach out, because we would love to add new experiences to this and highlight different food,” Esparza said. “It’d be awesome.”

The plan is that Riverfront Spokane will offer four Sip & Soar events in the spring and four events of the fall every year.

For more information about future events, Esparza recommends following Riverfront Spokane on social media.