Spice it up Saturday at Lakes

If variety is the spice of life, Saturday should get delectably hot in Coeur d'Alene. Known to his kids as BW, a.k.a. "Baldy Waldy," Press editor Mike Patrick will kick off the first Multicultural Faire at Lakes Magnet Middle School at 10 a.m. After he bowls us over with wisdom and wit (no four-letter words, honey), the event promises food, fun, and plenty of ethnic flair.

If variety is the spice of life, Saturday should get delectably hot in Coeur d'Alene.

Known to his kids as BW, a.k.a. "Baldy Waldy," Press editor Mike Patrick will kick off the first Multicultural Faire at Lakes Magnet Middle School at 10 a.m. After he bowls us over with wisdom and wit (no four-letter words, honey), the event promises food, fun, and plenty of ethnic flair.

Local restaurants, volunteers and vendors will man 25 booths with cultural flavor both foreign and domestic, offering food, clothing, crafts, and other items.

Organizer and teacher Dave Eubanks describes it as "a celebration of human cultural diversity, to provide our kids and our community with a rich and varied cross-cultural experience." At least for one day, being different will be cool.

Varied it will be. Attendees can enjoy mini-concerts, watch dancers, and - bet you didn't see this one coming - hear a yodeler.

The tentative schedule:

10 a.m. Coeur d'Alene Tribal Warrior

10:15 Multicultural Dance Troupe "One Tribe"

10:30 Rod Erickson - Norwegian yodeler

10:45 Arvid Lundin - Celtic/bluegrass

11 African drummers

11:15 Texas Road House line dancers

11:30 Steve Harris - folk/country

11:45 Russian and Italian singers

Noon Absence Excused - rock

12:15 p.m. Chris Hammons and Shelly Phillips - "something special"

12:30 Riverboat - folk/country

12:45 Japanese musicians

1 Chris Hammons and Shelly Phillips

1:15 Celtic punk

1:30 Zimbabwe

1:45 Shelly Phillips

The fair will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lakes, 930 N. 15th St. Admission is free. The event is cosponsored by the Human Rights Education Institute.

Sholeh Patrick is an attorney and columnist for the Hagadone News Network who enjoys being different. E-mail sholehjo@hotmail.com.