Region's largest Powwow starts Friday
The first Julyamsh at the Greyhound Park in 1998 and in all of the years since have been a generous gift of shared culture and sacred traditions of dance, drums and prayer from the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. Powwows are celebrations, social gatherings and friendly dance competitions surrounded by ceremonial traditions and teachings.
If you have never attended, please make a point to experience the horse parade and grand entry, when all of the dancers enter the arena with the centerpiece of the warriors color guard. The sights, sounds and traditions are unique to these native peoples gatherings, a singularly impactful experience for all who attend.
Julyamsh is Friday through Sunday this week at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. The schedule for each day is at www.julyamsh.com. FYI, Julyamsh means Gathering in July.
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On Friday members of the Coeur d’Alene High School Class of 1970 will gather at Bardenay for their 49th high school reunion. The 49th you ask? For our 10th, 20th, 30th and 40th class reunions we did the traditional decade thing. At 45 years we decided every five years would be good ... who doesn’t love returning home to this beautiful place in the summer?
After the 45th we decided that we should set a date and gather every year, which is great for those who for whatever reason couldn’t attend every decade or half-decade. Now our classmates know that the last Friday of July each and every year old Vikings from 1970 will come together for a no-host, one-night celebration.
I hope no out-of-town classmates are expecting our old high school on 15th Street (which is now Lakes Middle School) to look the same. Driving by there over the weekend I saw the in-full-swing remodeling and construction changing the landscape of the high school of our youth.
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For as far back as I can remember (decades!), the upcoming first weekend of August with Art on the Green, Taste of Coeur d’Alene and the Downtown Street Fair have signaled the homestretch of summer. Back-to-school shopping began in earnest at the sidewalk sales and there was a sense of urgency to soak up the sunshine while we could.
The lazy dog days of summer are anything but as I find myself scrambling to squeeze in every opportunity to be on and in the lake and river. So take time, my friends, to enjoy the incredible place we’re blessed to call home. See you at the beach!
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Things to do highlights:
Thursday is National Carousel Day and ICCU is sponsoring free rides from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Coeur d’Alene Carousel at City Park.
Lake Night Markets at the Lake Terrace is from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday.
Hayden’s community celebration begins Friday afternoon at McIntire Family Park. The events include live music, a Saturday pancake feed and the Hayden Days Parade. Info: www.cityofhaydenid.us.
Saturday at 10 a.m. the public is welcome to attend a ceremony honoring Korean War veterans with the Republic of Korea’s Ambassador for Peace medal. American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls will host the ceremony, refreshments will be served.
Saturday the Post Falls Parks and Recreation Department hosts the inaugural Post Falls Pickleball Tournament at Tullamore Park. Register by Friday, 773-0539.
Matt’s Place Foundation’s fourth annual ALS Golf Classic is Saturday at Highlands Golf Course. Info: 208-696-4284.
From 2-9 p.m. on Saturday, North Idaho Habitat for Humanity hosts Party in the Park (McEuen) with Kelly Hughes Band. Info: 208-651-3112
On Sunday, Heart of the City Church hosts the 13th annual Blessing of the Bikes (motorcycles) at 1 p.m. at 772 W. Kathleen Ave. in Coeur d’Alene. A group ride to Sandpoint follows with a no-host lunch at the Burger Dock. All are welcome.
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Happy Birthday today to Marie Price, Tom Taggart, Karen Youman, Mark Hunsaker, Karen Prosser, Doug Miller, Shelby Stone, Anthony “A-Train” King and Srinivas Gundari. Larry Schwenke, Robin Schlotthauer, Alenna Blakeslee, Rich Nicolson and Karen King celebrate tomorrow.
Birthday wishes on Friday to Doreen Mack, Marla Giese, Deb Miller, Marlo Gerber, Nick Epstein, Kelsey Wood and Lois Johnson. On Saturday my brother-in-law Rick Scharf, Ann Beutler, Larry Trosper, Gail Everson, Brady Campbell, Shelly Zollman, Rich May, Brian Thormahlen and Janet Pulis take another trip around the sun.
Sunday is a special day for Jan Nelson, Bekah Manderscheid (40!), Cathy Werner, Zack White, Hank Wayman, John Hensley, Debra Wunderlich, Norm Loftin, Darrell Rickard and Karen Englestad. On Monday Mark Anthony, Tanya Peugh and Alisa Loftin-Ward blow out the candles. Putting on their party hats Tuesday are Sharmon Schmitt, Nicole Coquette, Terra Karl, Dianne Ansbaugh, Kalie Bell, Brenna Meehan and Peggy Coleman.
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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.