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Organizers of the first Valleyfest celebration at Terrace View Park in 1990 estimate that a crowd of around 4,000 may have turned out for Spokane Valley’s inaugural community celebration.
The event included a dunk tank with local politicians, an array of booths and carnival food and a finale featuring the Spokane Symphony serenading residents with harmonies on the park’s baseball diamond.
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| Last year’s Valleyfest celebration featured the inaugural hot air balloon rally above the skies of Spokane Valley. The colorful vessels will be back for the 20th rendition of the community festival Sept. 25-27. File photo |
Two decades later, Valleyfest director Peggy Doering is doing her best to orchestrate a festival that has gone from a simple sonata to a complex concerto.
In 2005, the occasion was moved from Terrace View to Mirabeau Point Park, a 14-acre greenspace near the Spokane River. Some residents grumbled when the shift was announced, saying that Valleyfest should remain in the neighborhood where it originated. Others celebrated the change to a more spacious venue that would include more booths and the addition of activities like fishing in Mirabeau Springs Pond.
Mary Farley, one of the organizers in the early days, said the relocation to Mirabeau Point marked the beginning of a transition in the way Valleyfest was perceived.
“Things have changed a lot since we were at Terrace View,” she said. “It wasn’t nearly the event it is today.”
The same year that Valleyfest switched sites, the agenda included the dedication of CenterPlace, a 54,000-square-foot regional event venue that includes the Spokane Valley Senior Center. The weekend also marked the return of a parade route down Sprague Avenue, hearkening back to the Hearts of Gold procession that had its heyday in the 1950s.
The parade was held on Friday night, a change from the days at Terrace View when participants walked through neighborhood streets on Saturday morning. Floats, horses, vintage cars and local politicians took part in the one-mile march beginning at Spokane Valley City Hall and proceeding to University.
The 20th anniversary of Valleyfest will begin with the latest rendition of the Hearts of Gold Parade on Friday, Sept. 25, beginning at 7 p.m. This year, mayors from the area – including Wendy Van Orman from Liberty Lake and Richard Munson of Spokane Valley – will serve as grand marshals. Floats are expected from surrounding towns such as Chewelah, Fairfield and Teko.
Doering said that while the event will include representation from local staples like the Lilac Festival and contributions from groups like the University High School drum line, attendees shouldn’t expect to see the marching band from the University of Southern California or floats festooned with thousands of flowers.
“We’re still a community parade,” she said. “We don’t want to be the Rose Parade.”
The festivities will continue Saturday morning, Sept. 26 at 9 a.m., with a 5k/10k fun run along the Centennial Trail beginning at Mirabeau Point Park. Proceeds will go to support the Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank. The traditional pancake breakfast will run from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at CenterPlace.
The lineup for Saturday includes a car show (shifting this year from the lawn at Mirabeau Point to the CenterPlace parking lot), fishing at the pond, three stages featuring live music and around 150 booths.
Absent in 2009 for the first time in three years will be Loggingfest, a two-day competition featuring a variety of timber sports. The change reflects the impact of the struggling economy on the latest version of Valleyfest. Doering said sponsorship funds are down around 35 percent from previous years.
One feature that will return after its launch last year is the hot air balloon rally. After taking off from a parking lot in the Spokane Business Park on Sullivan in 2008, the balloons will take flight from a launching pad in the park on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
From a literacy outreach booth that will provide free books to a “green zone” featuring lessons in ecology and recycling, the lineup for Saturday and Sunday includes a unique blend of fun and education.
“The great thing about Valleyfest is it helps people know what’s in their community,” Doering said.
A family bike tour will be held along the Centennial Trail beginning at 11 a.m. Sunday morning. The day will also include instruction in responsible dog ownership with groups like the Spokane Kennel Club and Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service contributing to the discussion.
As Doering and the rest of the Valleyfest staff prepare for the two-decade celebration of an event that began as a neighborhood festival and has turned into a regional spectacle, attention is being paid to the origins of the event. On Sunday, Sept. 20 at Terrace View Park, a gathering will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. to pay tribute to residents who have contributed to the success of Valleyfest over the years.
“It’s a way to honor the neighborhood and the people who started it all,” Doering said. “We’re looking back at our roots and thanking the community for 20 great years.”
Want to find out more?
To learn more about Valleyfest 2009, visit www.valleyfest.org.
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By
Craig Howard
