Spring & Summer Sandpoint Recreation Guide
Sandpoint Activities and Attractions for our warm season

While Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort and winter sports and carnivals peppers snow season in Sandpoint, Lake Pend Oreille is the central figure of life in Sandpoint. Water sports and activities is the lifeblood of Sandpoint, but the events and festivals enhance the pastoral feel of North Idaho. The events are varied and wonderful: Lost in the 50's kicks off the season with it's tribute to rock n' roll featuring dances and big name acts, plus a grand vintage car parade and show. Follow that with the Wooden Boat Show, ArtWalk, Festival at Sandpoint, Dover Days, fairs, more art events, horse shows, Summer Sampler, community festivals, and every town patriotically puts on great fireworks displays for the 4th of July. You would expect to see county fairs and rodeos, and 2009 will see several special events such as the Wallace - 125 year "Quasqui-Centennial". See the Calendar of Events for everything happening in Sandpoint.

Summer 2009 was economically draining, but Sandpoint was a blast. While other towns and areas discontinued their concerts and cut back on events, Sandpoint had a banner year. There was so much to do and the fun seemed to never end. As I write this final part of this page, it is Labor Day weekend. Can't find many places like Sandpoint, and summer is just one great part of four awesome seasons in North Idaho. To get an idea of what was going on at a few of the events this year, click one of the picture pages above left.

Every day there are concerts at venues like Three Glasses and the Panida, and live music fills the outdoors with open air musical performances. Lots of area restaurants, galleries, and pubs also have live music. While we are known as an art town, with over 600 area artists, the shear number of musicians performing is impressive.

Much of this sounds as urbane as any cosmopolitan community, but outdoors activities rules. A few years back the NORBA Nationals were held on Schweitzer Mountain, and now, with races like the ChAFE 150, bike racing rules. Mountain biking is becoming a favored sport, but rough riding is partnered with hundreds of miles of good roads, gentle trails, and paved paths make street cycling enticing. With dozens and dozens of airfields, sky diving and aviation sports are also becoming popular. With so many mountains, hiking and rock climbing are two other uses of our stunning topography.

Even with the vast number of other things to do, fun on the water is our top draw. Lake Pend Oreille offers water skiing, wind surfing, sailing and racing, world-class fishing, scuba diving, and boating at high speed or just lazing on the water. While Lake Pend Oreille, with 148 square miles and 111 miles of coastline offers much of what we do on the water, such a vast lake has to fed by other sources. The many rivers, creeks, and tributaries means that one can find placid river waters to ski on, such as offered on the Clark Fork or Pend Oreille Rivers, and white water rafting and kayaking on many others. Even if you don't want to partake in lake or river activities, it sure is nice to have them in your view as you do whatever else you choose.

To be sure, Sandpoint ain't the only game in town. Priest River has Timber Days, Hayden, Rathdrum, Bonners Ferry, and Coeur d'Alene have more going on than anyone can put to pen, and if you haven't experienced the beauty of Priest Lake or the Roman Nose, or hiked Scotchman Peak, you are missing some of life's most memorable pleasures. We are very intertwined with Hope, Idaho, and many who visit don't get the true picture of the place. There is lots to do there, plus their own dining experience. (Things to visit in Hope, Idaho)

North Idaho offers tons of summer fun. Here are some pictures of past years of good times: