2011 Festivals in Historic Wallace and the Silver Valley

Every year sees an amazing range of festivals that help make this the most fascinating small town in America! On this page, I present an enhanced version of the 2011 Wallace Chamber of Commerce Events Calendar. Many Silver Valley events are also included. Four of Wallace's festivals are large enough to warrant their own pages, complete with photos and forms.
Greg Marsh

always waiting for more 2011 calendar info
meanwhile reference 2010 calendar for recurring events

• Food Booths
• Live Music
• Crafts and Unique Vendor Booths
• Children's Games
• Free Depot Museum Tours
• Model Railroad Display
• Dinner Dance Friday Night
• 16 Classes & 50 Trophies
• Raffles
• Fun for the Entire Family!

Downtown Wallace Street Fair
featuring vendors from the Northwest
Antiques, Arts, Crafts, Music and Food

The Route of the Hiawatha Rail-Trail will be open daily from June 11 thru October 2, 2011. This opening is two weeks later than normal due to slow snowmelt from a phenomenal 2010/2011 ski season. The trail, trailheads, and facilities are open from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. During the peak season, June 27 thru September 5, the hours are extended to 5:30 PM (PDT).

Gyro Days Carnival and Lead Creek Derby in Wallace

Thursday is the start of the downtown Carnival that runs through Saturday night.

The Lead Creek Derby Raffle is based on the time it takes the Gyro Ball to float from Mullan to Wallace.
• 1^st wins $1000 worth of silver coins
• 2^nd - 6^th wins $100
• 7^th - 11^th wins $50
• 12^th - 14^th wins $25

• Thursday July 14
  • Family Bicycle Rides on Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, Route of Hiawatha, and other local trails. Fun Rides for all skill levels.
  • Historic Wallace Preservation Society hosts a "Meet and Greet" at the Red Light Garage, 5 to 8 PM
• Friday July 15
  • Pedestrian Fair, Tots on Trikes, Bicycle Safety Rodeo, Wallace
  • Time Trials, USCF sanctioned, Wallace to Silverton, evening
  • tricycle race for kids over 21, late evening
• Saturday July 16
  • tricycle race for kids under 6, 9:00 AM
  • Kids/Family Triathelon in Kellogg, 9:00 AM
  • Dobson Pass Hill Climb, USCF sanctioned, 11 AM
  • Downtown Criterium Races, USCF sanctioned, cash prizes, 4 - 7 PM
  • Downtown Bicycle and Food Vendors, all day
  • Live music, street dance, evening
• Sunday July 17
  • Downhill events at Silver Mountain

The Silver Spokes Wallace Omnium combines contestant placement in Time Trials, Hill Climb and Criterium to award CASH PRIZES and medals. This part of the Silver Valley wide event is being produced by the Friends of the Coeur d'Alene Trails. In order to keep the races affordable there are no late fees, and the cool event T-shirt is offered as an option for $20. However, preregister for the Omnium (3 races) and get the T-shirt for free. Preregister for 1 or 2 races and get the T-shirt for just $10. It is easy to preregister at USA Cycling. On-site Omnium and Time Trial registration will be at Samuels Park, 7th & Cedar Streets, 5:00 to 6:30 PM Friday, and beginning 90 minutes prior to the Hill Climb and Criterium on Saturday. Questions: stevepro65@gmail.com.

	open this lettersize Wallace Chamber poster as a pdf file in a separate window

SCHEDULE
• Thursday, August 11
  • Silver Summit Meet & Greet @ City Limits Pub 5:30-7PM. ALL ARE WELCOME.
• Friday, August 12
  • Registration at Corner of Cedar & 6th Street, Downtown Wallace, Noon to 4PM
  • FREE Gazebo Concert - Eileen Webber, Downtown Wallace 2PM
  • Hollywood Meets Wallace Walking Tour 4PM
  • Concert at Wallace High School - Bruce Gassman & Big Lou 6PM
  • Music at various downtown establishments 8PM - ???
• Saturday, August 13
  • Accordion Celebration Parade 9AM (Line-up at 5th & Cedar Street 8:30AM)
  • Polka dance workshop @ Wallace Inn 10AM - $5
  • Workshops 10AM, 1PM & 3PM. The workshop locations are: Brooks Hotel, D&G Bakery, Red Light Garage, Wallace Brewing Company, and Wallace Inn.
  • Open Stage @ Gazebo 10AM - 4PM
  • Concert @ Wallace High School - Bruce Gassman, Cory Pesaturo & Andy Mirkovich 6PM
  • Music at various downtown establishments 8PM - ???
• Sunday August 14th
  • Farewell Pancake Breakfast: 9AM-11AM at Wallace Elks Lodge - 419 Cedar Street. Come say goodbye to your new and old friends at the Farewell Pancake Breakfast. It's also an opportunity to support Cub Scout Pack 331. Suggested donation is $6 per person.

TICKETS & MORE DETAILS
• Ticket Prices: Friday night concert - $15, Saturday night concert - $20, Both Friday & Saturday night concerts combo - $30, Kids FREE entry to concerts with paying adult. Workshops - $5-$15 each, Package deal: All concerts and workshops - $55.
• ADVANCE TICKET PRE-PURCHASE NOW AVAILABLE! To pre-purchase concert tickets, contact Diane @ Historic Wallace Chamber of Commerce 208-753-7151. Full payment must be made at time of purchase. Non-refundable. Accepting Visa/MC, Check, Money Order or Cash.
• Accordion Festival Quilt Raffle Tickets are $1 each or 6 tickets for $5. All proceeds from quilt raffle go to Wallace High School Music Department. Quilt is on display at D&G Bakery at 519 Cedar Street in Downtown Wallace. Need not be present to win.
• Get your very own Official Historic Wallace Accordion Festival lapel pin for only $6 each! Contact Diane @ Historic Wallace Chamber of Commerce 208-753-7151. Bumper stickers, t-shirts & buttons will be available at festival and concerts!
• HOLLYWOOD MEETS WALLACE WALKING TOUR: Friday August 12 @ 4PM - What do the action movie “Dante’s Peak” and the “Big Burn” forest fire of 1910 have in common? They both swept through Wallace Idaho and dramatically changed this Idaho mining town. Those attending the Historic Wallace Accordion Festival are invited to learn about both events by signing up for the “Hollywood meets Wallace” walking tour. The one-hour tour will begin at 4 p.m. Friday, August 12, from the Registration Area downtown. Cost is $5 per person. (Tour limited to 20 people.) Local history buff Mike Feiler will lead participants on an easy walk through the downtown, pointing out surviving reminders of the devastating forest fire that burned more than half of the city over a century ago. He will also talk about the two movies – “Heaven’s Gate” and “Dante’s Peak” - that were filmed in Wallace. A Dante’s Peak buff himself, Feiler will show some of his personal movie memorabilia as he points out major filming sites, including the “mine shaft” where Linda Hamilton and Pierce Brosnan survived the exploding volcano, the church that collapsed, the fake interstate, and more. One lucky tour participant will win an authentic Dante’s Peak lobby poster.
• COME ONE, COME ALL! The Historic Wallace Accordion Festival parade will be at 9AM on Saturday, August 13th to help kick off a full day of Accordion Festival activities! The parade will be led by many accordion players, but will include any groups and individuals that would like to participate. Everyone is welcome to join! Line up is at 8:30AM in front of the Wallace Elks Lodge. Questions? Ask Anita at Price Tag Antiques (208) 556-1500 or Diane at Wallace Chamber (208) 753-7151.
• YOU, TOO, CAN POLKA! For only $5, you can learn to polka dance. Come to the Wallace Inn @ 100 Front Street at 10AM on Saturday August 13, and Silver Valley dance instructor Joni Damiano Bartel will teach you the polka!
• Vendors will be music-related companies who will be located inside Cam's & Rullman buildings.
• After concert jamming sessions will start at 8PM on Friday & Saturday at downtown establishments. The locations will be: 1313 Club, City Limits Pub/Wallace RV Park, Jameson Inn, Red Light Garage, Smokehouse BBQ, Wallace Inn.

Huckleberry Festival 2011 in Wallace

• Craft and food Vendors
  • Friday 11 AM to 8 PM
  • Saturday 10 AM to 8 Pm
• Great Kid Activities
• Live Music
• Huckleberry Hound & sheriff Campaigns
• Huckleberry Bake-Off

Wallace Chamber's Booth Registration and Information Form.

Grand Opening of the new exhibit of "Sacred Encounters: Father DeSmet and the Indians of the Rocky Mountain West"
at the Coeur d'Alene's Old Mission State Park
10:00 AM

Click to see 1000 pixel wide image of this watercolor by Nicholas Point, S.J., 1842, De Smet Collection, Washington State University Library, MASC, in a separate window.

Silver Summit 2011

The world's premiere Silver Investment Conference began in 2003 with a focus on the silver mines in northern Idaho, and their central place within the international silver mining industry. The early meetings held in Coeur d'Alene, with field trips into the Silver Valley, led to the discovery of the Center of the Universe in downtown Wallace. Since then, the Conference has grown to include all aspects of the international silver market.

In 2011, "the Silver Summit is hailed as the world's most comprehensive and personable resource investment conference. It's held every October at the historic Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington, uniting silver producers and investors for two days of serious conversation, "hand-on" exposure to silver mining and great fun. The Silver Summit is proudly affiliated with Cambridge House International, the premier forum for natural resource producers and investors."

Wallace Yuletide Celebration

This year's Christmas ornament features another of our historic buildings, the Coeur d'Alene Hardware Building. Originally called the Holley, Mason, Marks and Company, it was the first brick building to be built after the 1890 fire destroyed six-year old wooden Wallace. The Great Fire of 1910 spared this and many other brick buildings in Wallace. Now it is home to Price Tag Antiques.

Ornaments may be purchased for $8.48 (tax included) at
• the Chamber office
• Idaho Silver Shop
• A Hint of Whimsy
• Price Tag Antiques

If you would like to reserve yours for your collection or are looking for any previous ornaments, please call Rayma at 556-1171 (Idaho Silver Shop).

To purchase this year's cobalt blue long-sleeve T-shirt, or to see a comprehensive list of holiday events, go to Wallace Yuletide Lighting Festival 2011.