Celebrate harvest and history! Take a short, and scenic, drive west to the 5th annual Pend Oreille Harvest Festival, taking place this year at the Oldtown Visitor Center, 68 Old Diamond Mill Rd. (also known as Rotary Park), from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20. Unique in how it is curated, the Festival is only open to vendors who have a hand in making what they sell. Shoppers can expect amazing artwork, crafting, produce, and more! Club Rio of Oldtown will host a beer and liquor garden. In addition, enjoy live music, acrobatic performances, and food vendors. POHF is organized by the volunteers of the Pend Oreille Region Tourism Alliance. Get more info on the Facebook event page.

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COVID-19 Update: Get information, news and resources on the COVID-19 coronavirus response in Sandpoint and Bonner County on the COVID-19 Update Page.

Here's what's happening in September!

18 Doug Flückiger Art Exhibit Reception. Join the Pend Oreille Arts Council for an art exhibit reception from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Columbia Bank Community Plaza, 231 N. Third Ave. Doug Flückiger's graphite drawings are a sight to be seen. This self-taught artist creates images with graphite often mistaken for photography. POAC hosts the solo exhibit for Flückiger where guests can meet the artist, sip on refreshments, and contemplate the beauty of these nature-inspired images. Free and open to the public. ArtinSandpoint.org.

18 Winery Music. Pend d'Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St., hosts live music from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with Doug Bond and Marty Perron. This Sandpoint acoustic duo plays the guitar and mandolin, and sings their originals with passion. Come out and enjoy! Join us for local live music and our Friday night wine special - $8 glasses of Sangiovese, our wine of the month. Limited seating, no reservations; please respect social distancing. Free and open to the public. POWine.com.

18 Downtown Live Music. A&Ps hosts live music with the Miah Kohal Band at 9 p.m. Free and open to the public.

19 Head of the Pend Oreille Regatta. The Pend Oreille Rowing and Paddling Association hosts the 10th annual regatta when rowing clubs from the Northwest and Canada gather at The Mudhole in Priest River to compete in a 1.7K headrace and a 1K stake race. A great event for racers and spectators alike! PORPA.org.

19 Sandpoint Regatta. Welcome to 'The Whatever Floats Your Boat' fun time and fundraiser, starting at noon. Put together by locals, for locals, to celebrate being together again. This Sandpoint Regatta fundraiser will benefit the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce as well as raising funds for purchasing Personal Flotation Devices available to those who need it at our public beaches and boat launches at no cost. To register, visit SandpointChamber.org to download your PDF entry form for your team. Registration is $25 per person on your team. Race course will be from Bridge Street bridge to Cedar Street Bridge and back. Awards will be given for Overall Winner, Most Creative, and Most Epic Fail (could happen!).

19-20 Pend Oreille Harvest Festival. 5th annual event. See Hot Picks, above.

19 Get *Pine Street Woods* Plowed. Join Kaniksu Land Trust, Sandpoint Nordic Club, and Pend Oreille Pedalers to drink beer and raise money to keep the Pine Street Woods plowed this winter! Held from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Matchwood Brewing Company, 513 Oak St. We'll have beer specials, live music from Bare Grass, raffles, and special edition glassware for sale! Free and open to the public. Kaniksu.org. 208-263-9471

19 Ponderay Neighbor Day. Enjoy a family-friendly community carnival - Ponderay Neighbor Day - that is fun for all ages, held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Harbison Field (behind the Hoot Owl restaurant) in Ponderay. Free activities include kids crafts, pony rides, petting zoo, inflatables, carnival games, tastings, demonstrations, and live music. There will also be food and retail vendors on site. Free and open to everyone! Sponsored by the City of Ponderay. For more information, call 208-265-5468.

19-Oct. 25 Silverwood's Community Appreciation Weekends. Help out local food banks plus save on admission during the Silverwood Theme Park's Community Appreciation Weekends, held Saturday and Sunday only Sept. 19 through Oct. 25. For every general admission ticket sold, $4 will be donated to help local food banks. For each youth/senior ticket sold, $1 will be donated. SilverwoodThemePark.com.

19-Oct 10 3G Tour. Explore beautiful parts of the lake while seeing a variety of birdlife, private coves, towering cliffs, the Islands of Hope, and a view of the south end of the lake aboard the Shawnodese. Reserve a space and get more information at LakePendOreilleCruises.com.

19 Winery Music. Pend d'Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St., hosts live music from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with Benny Baker. Playing solo acoustic guitar, Baker creates an easy, fun energy as he brings us our favorite songs! Come in for an artisan pizza and your favorite glass of wine. Please respect social distancing. Free and open to the public. POWine.com.

20 Piano Sunday with Peter Lucht. Join Pend d'Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St., on Sunday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for a performance by Peter Lucht on the grand piano. He's a local favorite pianist and promises a pleasant Sunday afternoon. Share an artisan pizza or shrimp cakes and a glass of Sangiovese! Plus, it's $6 glasses of white wine every Sunday! Free and open the public. POWine.com.

*Here's what's happening this week through Sunday, September 27*

21-Oct. 4 Rock Creek Alliance Fundraiser. Do you love your lake? If so, stop by Idaho Pour Authority, 203 Cedar St., during business hours from Sept. 21 to Oct. 4 and help support the work of the Rock Creek Alliance in protecting Lake Pend Oreille. There will be some cool silent auction items for bid and an opportunity to learn more about how you can help. So, stop by, join our silent auction, kick in a few bucks to help the cause, and tip back a beer or two. Learn more about RCA at their website, RockCreekAlliance.org.

21 Self-guided Day of Peace Observance. The community is invited to a self-guided personal observance of a Day of Peace from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Every year on September 21, the International Day of Peace is observed globally. Come to the Community Peace Garden at the First Presbyterian Church, 417 N. Fourth Ave., for outdoor sanctuary in the center of Sandpoint. Enjoy the six-sided cedar Peace Pole which features the brief prayer "May Peace Prevail on Earth" written in 12 different languages. Write your own prayers or peace statements on ribbons and attach them to the ribbon hanger provided in the gazebo. FPCSandpoint.org or call 208-263-2047.

22-23 Waterlife Discovery Center. Waterlife Discovery Center, 1591 Lakeshore Dr. in Sagle, is staffed with Master Naturalists from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Exhibits are held on the ample deck. Bring a picnic to enjoy the beautiful grounds. This is a great science resource for parents who are homeschooling! Interpretive signs on the main grounds and wetland trail. Only one family unit at a time on the covered deck; frequent cleaning and masks are available. Sponsored by the Pend Oreille Chapter of the Idaho Master Naturalists. *Repeats every Tuesday and Wednesday through Sept. 29-30

25 'G-Dog' Outdoor Film Screening. The Longshot Cafe and Wine Bar on Highway 2 and Boyer hosts an admission-free screening of the film G-Dog at 7 p.m. G-Dog has won multiple audience awards at several film festivals, and the L.A. Times calls it "uplifting and inspirational." It was directed by Academy Award winner Freida Lee Mock and photographed by local filmmaker Erik Daarstad. G-Dog is a story about second chances - about the charismatic visionary Greg Boyle, a Jesuit priest who rescues kids from gangs by launching the nation’s largest, most successful gang intervention and rehab program, Homeboy Industries, now an international model. This free screening is a presentation of the Sandpoint Film Festival. Come catch this film under the stars!

26 Winery Music. Pend d'Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St., hosts live music from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with Kevin Gardner (of Spare Parts). He will be performing solo at the winery, and plays a broad variety of music. You won't want to miss this Saturday night show! Come in for a glass of wine and an evening of memorable music. Free and open to the public. POWine.com.

​26 Welcome Back to Dancing. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Sandpoint Community Hall. A Fox Trot lesson will be taught by a professional instructor, followed by general social dancing, refreshments, & door prizes. Covid 19 protocols will be observed, bring a dance partner if you don't wish to change partners. Face masks are optional. The cost is $9 for Adults and $5 for Teens. USA Dance events are alcohol and tobacco free.

26 10th Annual (Online) 100 Thousand Poets for Change. Join poets, musicians, and artists from around the world in a demonstration and celebration to promote peace, sustainability and justice, and to call for serious social, environmental, and political change. Email your poems, artwork, and photographs that will be displayed on the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force website to share with our community and our world in an online gallery exhibit. Your work will also be featured on the 100,000 Poets for Change website. Send (via email only please) original poems or artwork - as a JPEG - to [email protected]
mindspring.com by Saturday, Sept. 26.

27 Piano Sunday with Dwayne Parsons. Pend d'Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St., hosts Piano Sunday with Dwayne Parsons from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Parsons is a local favorite musician who brings a story to his music. Come in for a glass of wine, a pizza, and an entertaining performance! Free and open to the public. And don't miss the Sunday Special - $6 glasses of white wine every Sunday in September! POWine.com.

*Here's what's happening this week through Sunday, October 3*

29-30 Waterlife Discovery Center. Waterlife Discovery Center, 1591 Lakeshore Dr. in Sagle, is staffed with Master Naturalists from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Exhibits are held on the ample deck. Bring a picnic to enjoy the beautiful grounds. This is a great science resource for parents who are homeschooling! Interpretive signs on the main grounds and wetland trail. Only one family unit at a time on the covered deck; frequent cleaning and masks are available. Sponsored by the Pend Oreille Chapter of the Idaho Master Naturalists. *Repeats every Tuesday and Wednesday through Sept. 29-30

Through Oct. 15 Clark Fork Delta Cruise. Enjoy a unique opportunity to cruise up the spectacular Clark Fork Delta with views of spectacular cliffs, resident wildlife, and great photo opportunities aboard the Shawnodese. Reserve a space and get more information at LakePendOreilleCruises.com.
- Island & Eagle Watching Tour. Enjoy a scenic tour around the four Islands of Hope! See a bald eagle sanctuary and cruise in comfort on the salon-heated Shawnodese while enjoying the scenery. Reserve a space and get more information at LakePendOreilleCruises.com.

*CANCELED SEPTEMBER EVENTS*
- Schweitzer Fall Fest
- WaCanId
- SHS Class of 1970 50th Reunion
- CHAFE 150
- Scenic Half

Here is what's coming up in October!

3-4 Panhandle Preparedness Expo. Bonner County Fairgrounds, 4203 N. Boyer Rd., hosts the 5th annual Preparedness Expo from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Enjoy two days of preparedness workshops, talks, and vendor exhibits. Ticket prices are $3 for one day, and $5 for both days (save $1 by bringing an item to donate to the locla food bank). Learn more at PanhandlePrep.org.

3 Post-Quarantine Poker Chip Run. Over 20 locations are participating in all-day event, finishing at A&Ps at 9 p.m. for the draw. Visit the Facebook page for more information.

10 Harvest Fest. Sandpoint Farmers Market closes out the season with entertainment, food booths, activities, displays at Farmin Park. SandpointFarmersMarket.com. 208-597-3355

17 Evening In Support of Mike Victorino. Bonner County Fairgrounds hosts an Evening in Support of Mike Victorino from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. In August, Ponderay Detective Sergeant Victorino was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident near Lewiston, and has since been in Saint Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston where he has undergone brain surgery and will soon need to undergo additional surgeries. Mike also broke both collarbones. He has a long recovery ahead of him, and he and his family are going to need a tremendous amount of support. Mike is a 24-year veteran of law enforcement (serving Ponderay since 2001) and a veteran of the United States Air Force. He has served our community and country, and now our community is ready to serve him. The event includes silent and live auctions, live music, children's activities, raffles, plus dinner and a full cash bar by Sweet Lou's. Tickets are $10 (age 6 and older), kids 5 and under free. Ticket includes dinner, coffee, water, and soda. Tickets available for advance purchase at Ponderay City Hall, The Eagles, The Northwoods, and online at EventBrite.

22-25 Clue. On stage live at the Panida Theater, Clue is a mystery comedy taken from the pages of the screenplay with the same name, which was taken from the board game with the same name! Join in on the comic oddballs known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard as they race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor. Enjoy the great cast, who will have you wondering whodunnit from the front door opening until the last gunshot is heard! Presented by Panida Playhouse Players and Blue Sky Broadcasting. Tickets are $16 adult, $8 youth age 18 and under, at Panida.org or at the door.

24 Winter Welcome. The Sandpoint Nordic Club hosts an outdoor Winter Welcome event from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Pine Street Woods. Enjoy a walk around the wide trails with beer, local vendors, a silent auction, and socially distanced bonfires! This is your chance to reconnect with the Nordic community and see what we have in store for the ski season. Free and open to the public.

*CANCELED OCTOBER EVENTS*
- Scarywood

Here is what's coming up in November!

21-29 K&K Thanksgiving Fishing Derby. Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club's annual fall fishing contest. LPOIC.org.

27 Tree Lighting and Santa's Arrival Tree lighting ceremony at Jeff Jones Town Square and visit from Santa opens the holiday season in Sandpoint. DowntownSandpoint.com. 208-255-1876