Coeur d'Alene Chamber hosting COEURfest on Saturday
The Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce on Saturday is introducing an event that’s all about living local in North Idaho: COEURfest 2018.
COEURfest, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in McEuen Park, is an experience-based festival that highlights the great things about the region and why people enjoy living here.
"It's a re-introduction to why they love this community," said Marilee Wallace, vice president of membership for the chamber. "Maybe they haven't been a part of things going on, and we want those people to come down to remind them why it's so awesome to live in this community."
The free family day will be filled with different themed areas that will give attendees plenty to observe, learn and do.
The main All-American Experience area will feature Air National Guard representation, exhibits and a flyover by Fairchild Air Force Base preceded by a flag ceremony at the start of the event. This experience is the foundation of COEURfest and will be center stage. Wallace said Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little will deliver the opening remarks.
The Epicurean Experience will showcase North Idaho's culinary offerings, with food demonstrations, wine, craft beer and cider.
Water sciences, farm life, timber and tribal culture will be explored in the North Idaho Natural Resources area.
Hiking, biking, climbing and other outdoors and lake activities will be featured in the Let's Get Physical Experience.
The All the World's a Stage area will showcase the local arts scene, complete with artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers and hands-on art projects for kids.
Local businesses will have the goods in the Commerce Experience and robots, drones and tech will be exhibited in the Science and Tech Experience.
Wallace said a big inspiration for the experience format was Disneyland, which has special immersive areas like Tomorrowland.
"I thought, 'Why don't we do experiences of things that happen in our region?'" she said. "Each area is going to be very cool."
Wallace said the chamber annually holds its member appreciation day in September, but this year chamber officials want to share that appreciation with entire local community.
"That’s why we're doing this," she said. "We thought we’d expand it more into a community thank you to say, 'Hey, we are happy we've got the summer, but we also want to celebrate local and what's going on in our region and why people live here.'"
To add another treat, a favorite local band, the Rhythm Dawgs, will close out COEURfest 2018 with a performance on the main stage at 4 p.m.
"We're so busy in the summer with our tourists and with everybody coming into our community, which is awesome, but at the end of the summer, we get our town back and it's time for us to focus on our locals," Wallace said.
The festival is financially supported by member-sponsored dollars. Free hot dogs will be provided while they last. COEURfest will also be sharing McEuen with the "Mudgy and Millie" 10th birthday party, which is taking place at the Coeur d'Alene Library that day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
"We're celebrating them too," Wallace said. "We'll have lots of little kids. It's a kid-friendly and family-friendly day."
Info: www.cdachamber.com