Parks and recreation

In 1907, Spokane's board of park commissioners retained the services of the Olmsted Brothers to draw up a plan for Spokane parks. Today, Spokane has a system of over 75 parks totaling 3,500 acres, with parks ranging in size from the quarter-acre Skeet-So-Mish Park playground to the 464-acre Palisades Park conservation area. Some of the parks in Spokane’s extensive park system are listed below:

• Riverfront Park, created after Expo '74 and occupying the same site, is one hundred acres in downtown Spokane and the site of some of Spokane's largest events. The park has views of the Spokane Falls, and holds a number of civic attractions, including the Skyride (a recently rebuilt gondola that carries visitors across the falls from high above the river gorge), the 5-story IMAX theatre, and numerous rides and concessions. Various festivals are held in the park throughout the year. A new "Great Gorge Park," originally designed by the Olmsted Brothers, is being proposed as an extension of Riverfront Park along the deep river gorge through the Peaceful Valley neighborhood.
• Manito Park and Botanical Gardens, on Spokane's South Hill, has a duck pond, a central conservatory named in memory of Dr. David Gaiser, Duncan Garden, a classical European Renaissance style garden and the Nishinomiya Japanese Garden.
• Riverside State Park is close to downtown and is a site for hiking, mountain biking, rafting, and also has scenic views.
• The Centennial Trail has over thirty-seven miles of paved trails running along the Spokane River and across the metropolitan area for running, walking, bicycling or inline skating. Informational signs and parking are provided along the trail.
• Highbridge Park and People's Park: These two parks, located in Peaceful Valley where it meets Hangman Valley, are centers of Spokane's nudist culture, though the parks are open to all.
• The John A. Finch Arboretum is a 57-acre public arboretum featuring a variety of rare and native trees and wildlife.
• Downriver Park, near Riverside State Park and Downriver Golf Course, has a championship 21-hole disc golf course adjoining the Spokane River. Another 18-hole disc golf course can be found in High Bridge Park, near downtown. Maps and information are available at: Spokane Disc Golf Association
• Award-winning, city-owned golf courses include: The Creek at Qualchan, Indian Canyon, Esmerelda, Downriver, and Hangman golf courses. In addition, the Spokane Country Club and Manito Country Club offer private memberships to their own courses. Spokane County also runs a number of public courses • In the summer Spokane residents may visit Lake Coeur d'Alene, Priest Lake, Lake Pend O'Reille, or one of the other nearby bodies of water. The Spokane area has numerous lakes and rivers, where various water sports, fishing, camping, and rafting take place.
• In the winter, Spokane residents have access to five ski resorts within a few hours of the city. A non-profit organization operates nearby Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park. Mt. Spokane also has trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and dog sledding. During the non-winter months, hikers and mountain bikers use the trails.

Sports teams and events

 Spokane has hosted the NCAA Men's (2003) and Women's (2002) Basketball Tournaments, and has been selected to do so again in 2009.

Spokane will host the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, and was a candidate city for the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, losing its bid to Los Angeles.

The Spokane Arena is also the perennial host to the State 'B' Basketball Tournament, which brings athletes and fans from many of Washington's smaller high schools to town. In 2007 it will be host to the State 2B (the states second smallest class) Championships.

Events and activities

Spokane is home to a number of annual events and attractions that draw people from a large surrounding area:

• The Lilac Bloomsday Run, a 7.46 mile race for walkers and competitive runners, is the largest timed road race in the world, typically drawing about 45,000 participants. It is held on the first Sunday of each May.
• Hoopfest is the largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the world. It is held the last weekend in June, and has a variety of participants, from kids, teens, and adults to former college and NBA players, in their respective brackets. Started in 1989 with just 300+ teams, the event now annually averages more than 25,000 participants or around 6,000 3-man teams.
• Each April, Japan Week celebrates the sister-city relationship with Nishinomiya, Japan, demonstrating the many commonalities shared between the two cities. Students from the Spokane campus of Mukogawa Institute, Whitworth College, Gonzaga University, Spokane Falls and Spokane Community College organize an array of Japanese cultural events, in addition to a number of others that take place around the city.
• The Garland Village Arts & Music Festival takes place the second Saturday each August. 2006 will mark the 4th annual street fair. More information can be found at The Garland Village.
• Pig-Out In The Park is an annual summer festival celebrating the joy of food. Local restaurants set up booths all around Riverfront Park. Visitors can browse for food and listen to local bands perform. It is traditionally held over Labor Day weekend in early September.
• Tour Des Lacs is a two-day benefit bike ride that takes place in September. The route takes riders from Spokane to Coeur d'Alene and back, and includes short route options along the Centennial Trail. Routes vary in length from 80 to almost 200 miles and include breakfast, dinner, and food stops.
• Spokane is also home to a National Historic Landmark hand-carved carousel, created in 1909 by Charles I. D. Looff as a wedding present for his daughter. The carousel still operates in Riverfront Park, downtown, where riders can participate in an old-time ring toss. The carousel continues to offer a free ride to the rider who grabs the brass ring.
• The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture houses a large collection of Native American artifacts as well as regional and national traveling art exhibits. Located in Browne's Addition amid the mansions of Spokane's late 19th-century golden age, the Museum is in a secluded setting a few blocks from the center of downtown.
• The Spokane Symphony performs a full season of concerts and the Spokane Jazz Orchestra is the oldest performing jazz orchestra in the United States.
• The Spokane Folklore Society hosts its annual Fall Folk Festival the first full weekend of November at the Spokane Falls Community College.
• Mobius is a science center and children's museum.
• Gay Pride is the Inland Northwest's largest Gay & Lesbian celebration held every June.
• The Northwest Renaissance Festival is a renaissance festival north of Spokane that began in 1995. Every summer the villagers of Pleasance, England celebrate Henry VIII's annual visit with the Royal Joust, Battle Chess, Mud Show, Gypsy Show, Whip Show, Commedia Del'Arte, Peasant Show, Belly Dancing and more. Pleasance is a village located on a permanent 20 acre site, filled with merchants, featured musicians, food, games and a huge cast of characters. The festival's 13th Season will be open every weekend from June 23rd to July 15th, 2007 11am to 7pm.

Notable Spokanites
 

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