20 • September 2012
community
Expanded Valleyfest stays true to
Community Roots In the early days of Valleyfest, politicians geared up for the general election by stepping into a dunk tank. The one-day agenda at Terrace View Park also included a regular appearance by the Spokane Symphony and a simple but festive parade through the adjoining streets on Saturday morning. Attendance for the civic gathering was generally in the neighborhood of 4,000. These days, Valleyfest is marketed as far away as Montana and into parts of Canada. Last year’s event drew an estimated 45,000 people for three days of festivities, beginning with the Hearts of Gold Parade down Sprague Avenue on Friday night. The term “regional festival” began to emerge after Valleyfest made a controversial move from Terrace View to Mirabeau Point Park in 2005. The larger venue, some said, would not lend itself to the community spirit that had been a trademark of the event since it launched in 1990. “I think we realized it could have more of an impact,” said Peggy Doering, who has served as Valleyfest director since 1996 and began as a volunteer 23 years ago. “It’s still very much a celebration of community.” Even since the move to Mirabeau, there have been plenty of changes to the schedule, including the addition of a night parade. Gone is Loggingfest, a unique competition involving timber sports that drew marginal crowds over its three-year run. Meanwhile, another Valleyfest sideshow, the Spokane Valley Arts Auction, experienced so much success that it moved to a separate date. Doering, named Citizen of the Year by the
See VALLEYFEST, page 29
IF YOU GO ... Valleyfest When: Sept. 21-23 Where: Mirabeau Point Park, 13500 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley For more: www.valleyfest.org
Highlight Reel Here are a few don’t-miss happenings at Valleyfest, Sept. 21-23. For the full schedule of events and more information, visit www.valleyfest.org. 7:30 p.m. Friday (Sept. 21): Hearts of Gold Parade, Sprague Avenue (begins near University Road and travels east) 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 22): Pancake breakfast, CenterPlace 10 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 22): Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk, Discovery Playground 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. (registration) and 3:30 p.m (awards) Saturday (Sept. 22): Valleyfest Car Show hosted by Lowco’s Car Club, CenterPlace lawn 6 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 22): Taste of the Valley, CenterPlace 8:30 a.m. Sunday (Sept. 23): 5K/10K run, Centennial Trail 10:30 a.m. Sunday (Sept. 23): Bike ride, Centennial Trail
Did you know?
played at the inaugural site of Valleyfest.
Fast and fun facts about Valleyfest
• The first rendition of Balloons Over Valleyfest in 2008 featured colorful dirigibles launching from a spacious lawn at the Spokane Industrial Park on Sullivan Road.
• Renewed in 2005, the Hearts of Gold Parade dates back to the 1950s and pays homage to a locally grown cantaloupe. • When Valleyfest moved from Terrace View Park to Mirabeau Point Park in 2005, representatives of the Spokane Valley City Council and Greater Spokane Valley Chamber Commerce presided over the dedication of the CenterPlace Regional Events Center. • The baseball diamond at Terrace View Park was transformed into a makeshift orchestra platform when the Spokane Symphony
“Balloons Over Valleyfest” has been a popular feature at Spokane Valley’s annual community celebration since 2008. In addition to morning departures Sept. 22-23, hot air balloons will be part of a “night glow” near the CenterPlace Regional Events Center on Saturday night (Sept. 22).
• While parking may be limited around Valleyfest grounds, an STA shuttle bus will run all day on Saturday, Sept. 22, with regular departures from the Spokane Valley Mall. • The official Valleyfest guide, a tabloid-sized newspaper, is already being distributed around the Valley and will be available during the event as well. A whopping 50,000 copies are printed.
Submitted photos
The always-festive Hearts of Gold Parade will kick off Valleyfest weekend on Friday evening, Sept. 21, down Sprague Avenue, while another procession — this one featuring runners and walkers in a 5K/10K event — will take place on the Centennial Trail the following Sunday morning. Below, vintage cars decorate the lawn at Mirabeau Point Park.
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