APRIL

Get Lit! In Spokane, April 1-15

Now in its tenth year, Get Lit! has become a premier event in the literary life of the Northwest. Each April, readers and writers congregate in theatres, cafes, school rooms, lecture halls, and bars throughout the region to enjoy all phases of the literary life. Sit back and soak in readings by world class writers, help kids discover poetry, or duke it out in a poetry slam. Many of the events are free and open to the public. This year’s headliners include mystery writer Walter Mosley, Pulitzer Prize winner Timothy Egan, and National Book Award Finalist Jess Walters.

MAY

Bloomsday, May 6

Every May, people come to participate (whether it be running, walking, or viewing) in a 12K (7.46 mile) road race through downtown Spokane , Washington .

The Lilac Bloomsday Run was born during the running boom that swept the nation in the late 1970s. Local runner Don Kardong, who moved to Spokane in 1974, competed in several national class road races before and after his participation in the 1976 Olympic Marathon, and in the fall of 1976 he suggested to a local reporter that Spokane should have a downtown run of its own. The suggestion made its way into the newspaper's headlines.

Spokane was enjoying renewed interest in its downtown area after hosting the 1974 World's Fair (Expo '74), and a fun run that took advantage of the newly renovated downtown and Riverfront Park seemed a natural fit. Spokane Mayor David Rodgers encouraged Kardong to pursue the idea, the local Jaycees adopted it as a project, and Medical Service Corporation (now Premera) joined as the event's major sponsor, supplying financial support and organizational expertise. www.bloomsdayrun.org

Spring Barrel Tastings, May 12 and 13

On Mother’s Day weekend, May 10 and 11, the Spokane Winery Association hosts their annual Spring Barrel Tasting at local wineries. Barrel tasting is your chance to sample the wines aging in the barrels, plus taste and purchase the new releases of the season.

Spokane County is home to many award winning wineries, including association members Arbor Crest, Barrister Winery, Caterina Winery, Grande Ronde Cellars, Knipprath Winery, Latah Creek, Lone Canary Winery, Mountain Dome Winery, Robert Karl Winery, and Townshend Cellars.

Spokane wineries draw most of their grapes from the nearby Columbia Valley growing region. This region contains approximately 30,000 acres of vines. Because the area contains many different microclimates, a wide variety of both warm-weather and cool-weather grapes thrive in the region, meaning you can sample an array of varietals and blends produced from Pacific Northwest grapes.

Memorial Day Weekend, May 27 and 28

Spring can be a transitional, and transitory, season in Spokane . By St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, residents feel ready to put away their skis and snowboards and break out the garden trowels, even though the ground hasn’t yet warmed. Plans alternate between cleaning up inside and out after winter, and preparing for summer. But, plans need to be flexible. April and May are known to include both gray morning snow flurries and clear afternoons with temperatures in the 80s. By the time Memorial Day weekend arrives at the end of May, locals have nearly forgotten spring in their rush towards summer. Blame it on the lilac blossoms perfuming the air. This first three-day weekend in months provides a great excuse to throw a barbeque, plan a hike, or ready the boat or lake cabin for the hot, blue days to come.

JUNE/JULY

Baseball, July 1-15

Spokane has a four season climate, and one of those seasons is baseball. From little league to professional, you can enjoy the full range of America ’s pastime at green fields around the Inland Northwest. The Spokane Indians play A-level professional baseball from June through September at Avista Stadium just east of downtown. The franchise has a century of history behind it, and boasts distinguished alumni such as Stan Coveleski, George Kelly, Duke Snyder, Hoyt Wilhelm, Don Sutton, and manager Tommy Lasorda. More recently, Carlos Beltran and Gary Matthews, Jr. ran the bases in Spokane . The Indians are owned by the Brett Brothers, including George Brett, and are affiliated with the Texas Rangers.

The Spokane Riverhawks play in the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League, a summer wood bat league for college-eligible student-athletes. The team is a non-profit organization, so any profit the RiverHawks generate go back into the Spokane community and youth baseball. The RiverHawks play at the Patterson Baseball Complex on the campus of Gonzaga University.

For budding baseball stars, Spokane Youth Sports offers a wide array of leagues and opportunities.

Hoopfest, June 30 & July 1

Each summer, people from all over the United States come to play basketball in the streets of downtown Spokane , Washington .

Hoopfest has grown to become the largest 3-on-3 street basketball tournament and family festival of its kind in the world. Participation in Hoopfest has increased every year, topping out in 2003 with almost 25,000 players on 6,245 teams. With players coming in from 42 states including Hawaii, Georgi a , and Kansas , it now takes over 400 courts to house the 13,000 games. It is believed that the second largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the country has no more than 3,000 participating teams.

NOVEMBER

Skiing / Snowboarding in Spokane, November 1-15

Whether its skiing or snowboarding, powder hounds love the Inland Northwest. Spokane and Coeur d’Alene ’s location at the western foothills of the Rocky Mountains offers easy access to quality snow adventures. Thanksgiving traditionally marks the start of the snow season at area resorts.

Five ski areas with full amenities ring Spokane and Coeur d’Alene . All are accessible with less than two hour’s of driving. These five ski areas average over 300 inches of snow fall a season. The ski areas range from Mt. Spokane , a non-profit ski hill just on the outskirts of Spokane , to Schweitzer Mountain Resort, an internationally-known ski and snowboard destination just outside Sandpoint , Idaho .

Summit elevations range from 5,650 feet to 6,400 feet. Combined, these ski areas offer 9,000 acres of playground with 9,600 feet of total vertical. Uphill capacity on the lifts ranges up to 8,000 per hour.

Learn more about skiing the northwest Rockies.