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Scoop On Summer
A weekend all about Bigfoot! A town-wide event with Bigfoot researchers and presenters, a 5K race, free entrance to a vendor mall and food vendors.
From Newport take Highway 20 north for a little over an hour. Drive over the Pend Oreille Bridge and you are in Metaline Falls.
For more information, go to mfbigfoot.com.
Summer Slam 2026: June 20-21
The Summer Slam 2026 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament takes place at the Kalispel Casino, located at 420 Qlispe River Way in Cusick, and is a free tournament for children. The 3-on-3 basketball brackets will be set up for male, female and coed teams in age categories: ages 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, high school ages 15-19 and posthigh school ages 18-20.
Spectators are welcome.
For those who want to play, event organizers are accepting the first 100 teams. Registrations need to be in by May 31; late registrations will only be accepted if there is room in the bracket.
Go to kalispeltribe.com/ kalispel-summer-slam. For more information, contact Tammy MacArthur at 509-671-5298.
Newport PRCA Rodeo, Parade: June 25-27
The Newport Rodeo is the biggest annual event in the Pend Oreille River Valley each year. Along with three days of PRCA Rodeo action, there will be a parade, vendors, food and a carnival for the community to enjoy.
The rodeo starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, with Family Night at The Rodeo. Friday and Saturday, the rodeo starts at 7:15 p.m. The parade is at 11 a.m. Saturday, starting at Stratton Elementary School and winding through downtown Newport.
Tickets for the event are available on the Newport Rodeo website, newportrodeo. com. Rodeo tickets sold through third-party sellers may not be accepted at the event; rodeoticket.com is the only official ticket supplier of the Newport Rodeo.
Ione Down River Days: July 24-26
A parade, Crazy Lady Softball, live music, arts, crafts and food vendors and of course, the ever-popular snowmobile water races return with Ione Down River Days. This annual community celebration has something for the whole family. For more information, go to facebook.com/ IoneDownRiverDays and facebook.com/profile.
Selkirk Trailblazers Club’s Facebook page. Ione is located in North Pend Oreille County.
Timber Days: July 25
In celebration of Priest River’s strong logging roots, Timber Days highlights activities around the logging industry.
This year’s Timber Days features a Lil’ Logger Expo, quilting show, logging competitions, children’s events, craft and food vendors, beer garden and the always-popular High Street parade. The parade is at 10 a.m., followed by the logging events and vendors. A car cruise hosted by the Asphalt Angels is the night before Timber Days, starting around 6 p.m. July 24.
Drive through Priest River, heading east, and the park is on the right side of the Highway, just past the only streetlight in Priest River. For more information, go to visitpriestriver. com/timber-days or contact the Priest River Chamber of Commerce at [email protected] or 208-448-2721.
Newport Rough Stock Rodeo: Aug. 1
If you like bucking horses and bulls, the Newport Rough Stock Rodeo is for you. Featuring just the bucking events - known in rodeo lingo as the Rough Stock - spectators will see some of the best riders in the Northwest competing in barrel racing, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding and the ranch bronc riding. The fun starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the event are available on the Newport Rodeo website, newportrodeo. com. Rodeo tickets sold through third-party sellers may not be accepted at the event; rodeoticket.com is the only official ticket supplier of the Newport Rodeo.
The Kalispel Tribe of Indians Pow-Wow: July 31-Aug. 2
The 49th Annual Kalispel Tribe Pow-Wow will take place from Friday, July 31, to Sunday, Aug. 2, in Usk, Washington, with Campers’ Night on Thursday, July 30. This celebration honors the traditions and culture of the Kalispel people and welcomes visitors from near and far.
The weekend kicks off with Campers’ Night, featuring a community dinner, a memorial for lost loved ones, time to set up camp and InterTribal dancing. Friday, a group of paddlers will return to the Pow-Wow Grounds after their multiple-day Canoe Journey, where they will be welcomed with prayers, singing and drumming.
A highlight of the weekend is the Buffalo BBQ on Saturday, which generally serves over 250 people and requires days of preparation. The Buffalo Fun Run also takes place, encouraging community health and fitness.
Dancing is central to Pow-Wow, with over 30 categories including traditional, fancy, jingle and grass. There will be multiple contest rounds, InterTribal dancing and Tiny Tot performances, along with a six-round Drum Contest highlighting rhythm and harmony.
The weekend features a Softball Tournament showcasing teamwork and sportsmanship. Stick Game brings individuals together to compete in the Main, 3-Man and Youth tournaments for friendly competition and engagement.
Pend Oreille County Fair and Rodeo: Aug. 20-23
The annual Pend Oreille County Fair at Cusick is a much-anticipated time of the year, both for participants and visitors. For participants, it is a time to show off their animals, vegetables or hobbies and see where they stand in relation to other entries.
For the visitors, the Pend Oreille County Fair is a great example of what a rural fair can be. There are a variety of animals to see, from chickens to llamas. There are displays of the best fruits and vegetables, canned goods, photography and spinning demonstrations. Magic shows, a car show, horse western games, live music and mutton bustin’ add to the fun. The Pend Oreille County Rodeo also takes place during the fair, starting at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug.
21 and Saturday, Aug. 22.
Entry day is from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug.
19, and new exhibitors are welcome. Animals entries must be pre-registered by Wednesday, July 15. The fairgrounds are located at 419152 S. Hwy. 20 in Cusick. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for youth 6-17 and youth 5 and under get in for free. You can find more information online at pocfair.com.
