What’s Happening in Central Idaho May through August?

Unless you’re an avid snowmobiler, snowshoer or downhill/snowboard afficianado, where the love of the colder winter temps just turns you into the energizer snow bunny, most of us in Central Idaho relish the days in mid April and early May when the promise of spring is in the air and the skies are clear and blue, the sunshine beckoning our LOVE of summertime fun.

We’re at that crossroads in time again when any hint of mild or may I say ‘warmer weather’ , visions of newly popped stands of brightly colored daffodils and tulips in neighborhood yards, and the greening of the landscape in general  – sends us into pre-gardening mode.   Hummingbird feeders, pansies, incubating seedlings in the bay windows and window sills of our homes,  lawn fertilizer ads in the local papers and the adornment of our yards with the props that just add that dollop of joy to the ordinary… well these are chicken soup for the soul and provide us with good reason to get the garden tilled and weeded, the yard debris removed and move beyond the winter cleanup to the excitement of summer.   Children are not alone in this spring awakening as they take refuge in thought of the end of a school year and the  planning of fun summertime activities, family plans for travel to distant locations (or not so distant) and the scheduling of events that are worthy of new adventure and getaways from the hum drum regular routines.

RODEO EVENTS

In Central Idaho, we begin the season with mention of area rodeo events.   Rodeo is a cultural tradition in many towns and communities across the entire USA but in the west, cowboy and cowgirl athletes are elevated to a status much beyond the ordinary.   Their uniforms of wrangler jeans and shirts, cowboy hats, chaps, spurs and other regalia is especially celebrated and taken very seriously as a sign of authentication.

May marks the 65th annual Riggins Idaho rodeo event
sponsored by Salmon River Cowboys Association.   http://www.rigginsrodeo.com/

June marks the 24th annual White Bird Idaho rodeo event
sponsored by Grangeville Super 8, Barefoot and Backroads Photography, Gortsema Motors and Les Schwab.  http://whitebirdrodeo.com/

June offers the annual  Clearwater Valley Rodeo Associations CVRA Rodeo Event.   http://www.kamiahchamber.com/documents/CVRA_Parade.pdf

July 2nd through 5th marks the 100th annual Grangeville Border Days event
sponsored by the Grangeville Border Days Association http://grangevilleborderdays.org

 

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

May  – Buttermilk Festival,  Clearwater Valley’s bread and butter event of the year,  held in Kamiah’s Riverfront Park
sponsored by       http://buttermilkfestival.com/

June – Riggins Big Water Blowout Festival http://www.myraspberryfestival.org/

August  marks the 21st Annual Raspberry Festival at the Historical Museum at St. Gertrudes  http://www.myraspberryfestival.org/

August  is the weekend for the Annual Kooskia Days Celebration  http://www.kooskia.com

August marks the annual Idaho County Fair held at Cottonwood Idaho Fair Grounds http://idahocountyfair.org

 

ART AND HISTORY

Grangeville’s Art in the Park is scheduled during the annual Grangeville Border Days event during July’s Independence Day Holiday weekend.

Grangeville’s Summer Concert Series usually falls in July and offers a taste of music in City Park on each of four consecutive Thursday evenings. FUN!

July will mark the 3rd Annual Warbird Weekend at the Idaho County Airport – a wonderful historical commemoration of the WWII Warbird Aircraft