Hayden, Rathdrum ready to celebrate
It's the time of year when the citizens of North Idaho's cities and towns come together to celebrate their communities.
Hayden and Rathdrum will be hosting their annual summer celebrations the next couple weekends.
The 35th annual Rathdrum Days starts festivities Friday with a classic car cruise downtown and on Main Street from 5-10 p.m. Rathdrum Parks and Recreation Department will provide burgers and hot dogs, the Rathdrum Chamber of Commerce will host a beer garden and people can dance in the streets to the music of Strictly Business. Bouncy castles and kids games will be on site.
Saturday's festivities will begin with a biplane fly-over at 9:45 a.m., followed by the annual parade at 10 a.m. on Main Street. Lakeland Junior High School will host a 9 a.m. basketball tournament, the Lions Classic Car Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and wiener dog races at noon.
A 5K fun run begins at 8 a.m. at Lakeland High School, with food and craft vendors on site from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. At 11:30 a.m., the Color Guard will present colors, and Rathdrum Mayor Vic Holmes will give a welcoming speech. Live music and magic shows will continue throughout the day. Rathdrum City Park will feature a "wife carry competition" at 5 p.m. with the Rotary dinner from 5-8 p.m.
Sunday in Rathdrum begins with the Big Back-In lawnmower races on Main Street and vendors at Lakeland High School from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as a rock crawl. Music and magic will be happening most of the day and the watermelon-eating contest is from 1-2 p.m.
The Hayden Days Celebration will be in Hayden City Park the following weekend, from 2-9 p.m. July 25 and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. July 26.
The events will include the annual Hayden Days Parade, Northern Lakes Fire Department/Hayden Chamber pancake breakfast, the Napa Car Show, live entertainment, a beer garden and plenty of children's games and activities. Fun for the kids includes pony rides, bouncy houses, spin art, a dunk tank, water bobbles, games and more.
Several food and craft vendors will be on site with a variety of cuisine and merchandise. Vendors are still being accepted based on availability, along with a $10 late fee.
Festival-goers can kick up their heels to the Kelly Hughes Band the evening of July 25 and the Swint Street Big Band the evening of July 26. The Hayden Peak Health and Wellness Center will be conducting a zumba, war and nia demonstrations July 26 at noon, and the Hayden's Got Talent competition will be from 2:30-4:30 p.m. that Saturday. The judges and the audience will determine the winners.
The all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at the Northern Lakes Fire Station is $7 and will be served from 7-9:30 a.m. July 26. The Napa Car Show will be from noon to 5 p.m., with registration beginning at 11 a.m.
The Hayden Days Parade will begin at 10 a.m., just after the breakfast. It will run along Government Way, beginning at Hayden Avenue and ending at Honeysuckle Avenue. The parade will include the 2014 Hayden Citizen of the Year, Northern Lakes Fire Protection District, Shriner's Octocycle, Smokey the Bear with the United States Forest Service, Hot Punch Highlanders, Flip Factory Gymnastics, the Blazen Divaz, Mrs. Kootenai County, classic cars and more. Applications for the parade will be accepted until July 21.
For vendor or parade applications or information about Hayden Days events and activities, visit www.cityofhaydenid.us, contact the Hayden Community Services Department at 209-1080 or email jarrotta@cityofhaydenid.us. For Rathdrum Days information, visit www.rathdrumchamberofcommerce.com.