Sandpoint’s Winter Carnival starts Thursday

Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast or prefer to curl up with a hot bowl of chili during the cold days of January, Sandpoint’s 35th annual Winter Carnival has something for everyone. Scheduled for Thursday through Jan. 20, the Winter Carnival is a tradition for Sandpoint residents as well as people from surrounding North Idaho communities.

The Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the event, whose theme this year is “The Last Annual Best Ever Sandpoint Winter Carnival – or Is It?”

“People will have to come to the Carnival this year to find out what is in store for next year,” said Amy Little, executive director for the Chamber.

Little said that the Carnival is a great opportunity to showcase the beauty of Sandpoint as well as the great restaurants and businesses nestled in this community.

“It brings people in from surrounding areas, and they have a chance to see what we have to offer,” said Little, who adds that it provides a great boost to the Sandpoint businesses during a usually slow time of year.

The weekend festivities kick off on Thursday with the Taste of Sandpoint at the Cedar Street Bridge Marketplace on First Avenue. This is an opportunity for people to sample the best food in Sandpoint as area restaurants come together at one venue to showcase their various specialties.

Little said the Taste of Sandpoint is the biggest event of the weekend and after a one year hiatus from holding the event on the recently renovated Bridge, the Chamber is excited to have the event return to Cedar Street.

“We usually have over a thousand people at that event and anywhere from 25 to 30 restaurants,” said Little. “It’s an event people will not want to miss.”

Gloria Waterhouse owns the Sand Creek Grill in downtown Sandpoint and said she looks forward each year to the Taste of Sandpoint.

“It’s a wonderful way for people to be reminded of the many different restaurants we have in the area,” said Waterhouse. She said that each year people she meets at the Taste of Sandpoint comment that they have wanted to try her restaurant and are happy for the opportunity to sample its menu.

“We try to give people a taste of what is representative of the type of food we have at The Sand Creek Grill,” said Waterhouse.

Little said that the Bridge has several new merchants that will be open during the Taste of Sandpoint giving those in attendance an opportunity to visit the newer businesses in town.

New this year at the Taste of Sandpoint will be a V.I.P. Lounge for sponsors who have donated at least $500 to the Winter Carnival. It will have food, beverages as well as tables for the sponsors.

On Friday people will be entertained as businesses and organizations from around town compete in the Adult Spelling Bee. Employees of Panhandle State Bank are the reigning champions, and although the event was light-spirited, they took it seriously last year and prepared for the competition.

“We had a few study sessions and talked about the origins of words,” said Panhandle Bank employee Linda Robey.

Capping off Friday night will be a performance at the Panida Theater by The Alley Cats. Brought to Sandpoint by the Pend Oreille Arts Council, the Alley Cats interact with the audience while entertaining through music and comedy.

“They will be a fun and entertaining addition to the Winter Carnival,” said Judy Thompson, Pend Oreille Arts Council board member.

Amy Queen, director of the Arts Council agrees. She said the group brings its own contemporary style to songs of the ‘50s and ‘60s and that the group relates directly to the crowds with humor, stories and audience participation.

Next Saturday there should be no excuse for anyone to go hungry. The Bonner Mall in Ponderay will be the sight for a chili cook-off and a fudge and candy contest. At the end of the day, people can travel up to Schweitzer Mountain Resort for a torchlight parade, fireworks and live music.

To finish off the weekend, people can head to Eichardt’s Pub on Cedar Street Sunday morning for the annual K-9 Keg Pull.

“That is always a lot of fun,” said Little about the event where dogs are harnessed to empty kegs and race a 50-yard course against like-size dogs. All the proceeds from entry fees benefit the Panhandle Animal Shelter.

The weekend concludes at the Bonner Mall with a teddy bear contest and a pizza eating contest.

“The weekend is a ton of fun,” said Little. She added that the Winter Carnival Web site will be a great resource for people to learn about lodging, shopping and dining specials as well as all the details for the weekend’s activities.

Log onto http://www.sand point.org/wintercarnival/ for more details and entry forms to various contests.