Fun times ahead at Kootenai River Days

BONNERS FERRY — If you're looking for fun, look no further than the upcoming Kootenai River Days celebration.

Kicking off the fun on Thursday, July 18, is the Grapes and Barley Walk, a fun tasting event for those 21 and older. Tickets are $50 and the event offers to sip beer and wine at local  establishments. Tickets can be purchased at Riverside Auto, Under the Sun, Century 21 and Mountain West Bank.

Friday brings a packed day of fun with the Flying S water booth, a scavenger hunt from 2-7 p.m. by Beta Sigma Phi and the dunk tank by Rocket Mortgage at Georgia Mae Plaza. Northwest Sound will provide music from 4-6 p.m. and Gary Eller will be speaking at the Boundary County Museum.

Bring your instruments to a community jam session from 4:30-5 p.m. and come prepared to dance at the family street dance at 7 p.m. A feature program with Gary Eller is slated from 5:30-7 p.m.

Another full day of fun is on tap for Saturday as the Flying S water booth is back for a second day as is the dunk tank at the plaza. Both are all day.

The farmers market and street fair begin at 8 a.m. as does the Kootenai River run with entries taking place on raceentry.com. The Birdies for Brothers Golf Tournament begins at 9 a.m. and, at 10 a.m., music by Northwest Sound will fill the downtown. At 10 a.m., the Boundary Community Hospital cornhole tournament will be held.

The Bonners Ferry High School cheer team will be holding a car wash from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Umpqua Bank. Free face painting and bounce house fun will be taking place Saturday, also from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Auburn Crest Hospice will be offering free Italian sodas from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Innovia Foundation will be offering free cookies from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Beta Sigma Phil will be hosting a scavenger hunt from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At noon, the Azul Fire Belly Dancers will perform. From 3-8 p.m., the BFHS cheer team will be selling ice cream floats. Also at 3 p.m., the Kootenai River Days barrel races will be taking place at the Boundary County Fairgrounds.

Capping off the fun at 7 p.m. is the Jam Shack family street dance.

Throughout the week, from July 16-20, the community is invited to take part in "Chalk the Block with Teascarlet Fine Art, a five-day event of artistic expression through sidewalk chalk art. For the event, residents are invited to stop by the gallery, 6389 Kootenai St., grab some chalk and head out in search of a blank stretch of sidewalk to make some art.

For more information, go online to Bonners Ferry Chamber of Commerce at visitbonnersferry.org.