As evident with the snowfall in the mountains this week, winter isn’t packing it in quite yet. A final week of Sandpoint Winter Carnival events has been planned for outdoor adventurers, gamers, couples and families to wrap up the annual two-week soiree. Here’s what’s happening during the second and final week:
Thursday, Feb. 19
Matchwood ToastyFest
Matchwood Brewing Co., Evans Brothers Coffee and Toasty Mobile Saunas have teamed up to bring the Winter Carnival to the Granary District with ToastyFest. The celebration will be held from 4-8 p.m. at Matchwood and Evans Brothers (524 Church St.). Stop by the coffee shop for a warm and welcoming place to gather, sip and toast all day long. They’ll be serving a specialty toasted marshmallow latte. Enjoy craft beers and specialty cocktails at Matchwood, where DJ Lady Oda will spin the vibes from 4-6 p.m. Also on-site will be Toasty Mobile Saunas for those looking for a schvitz. They’ll also have a cold plunge pool available for the stout-hearted. Bring your own towel or rent one for $2. Maia Gaddess will give free 10-minute mini-massages throughout the evening and Jenna Bowers will provide free tarot sessions. Tendril Apothecary will also serve herbal teas and there will be Swedish fire logs to keep participants toasty.
Pegs on Fire cribbage tournament
Connie’s Lounge (323 Cedar St.) will hold a special cribbage tournament at 6 p.m., charging $5 to play.
A local pooch participates in a previous Eichardt’s K-9 Keg Pull. Photo by Woods Wheatcroft
Keg Crusher Night
Smokesmith Bar-B-Que (102 S. Boyer Ave.) will sell the last of its winter beers before they disappear for the season, including white stouts, rich porters and malty pours that pair well with smoky brisket. Plus, 10% of beer sales will be donated to Panhandle Special Needs Inc.
Winter Carnival ’80s Party
Break out your finest neon and get the hairspray going for a 1980s party at The District Bistro and Wine Shop (313 N. First Ave.). Starting at 5:30 p.m., rock your best retro look for a shot at prizes, with best single costume winning a $100 gift certificate and best couples costume winning dinner for two at The District.
Schweitzer events
Head up to the mountain for a variety of events. Info and lift tickets available at schweitzer.com.
Friday, Feb. 20
Live Music w/Justyn Priest Band
The 219 Lounge (219 N. First Ave.) will host fan favorite Justyn Priest Band. This Spokane group plays a mix of rock, blues and soul. No cover.
Abby Posner in concert
POAC’s Performing Arts Series invites L.A. musician Abby Posner for a special concert at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave.), starting at 7 p.m. Posner is known for pushing the boundaries of folk, roots, electronic and pop music, cementing her role as a “genre-fluid” performer extraordinaire. Tickets available at artinsandpoint.org ($20/adults, $10/youth).
Hot as Hell Happy Hour
Connie’s Cafe and Lounge will host live music with Jason Perry and happy hour drink specials from 4-6 p.m.
Live Music w/Wiebe Jammin’
A one-man band experience that blends sounds from across the musical universe utilizing a guitar and loop pedal. The music goes from 6-8 p.m. at Smokesmith Bar-B-Que.
Hogwire Winter Carnival Barn Dance
Hogwire is where country meets rock, with line dancing lessons starting at 7:30 p.m. ($5) and music starting at 8 p.m. ($5). It all goes down at The Hive (207 N. First Ave.).
Saturday, Feb. 21
Family Day on Cedar Street Bridge Public Market
Bring the family down to celebrate the second anniversary of new ownership and management at Cedar Street Bridge (334 N. First Ave.). There will be games, face painting, specials, a photo booth, hot cocoa bar and deals throughout the Bridge. The fun happens from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Live Music w/Kenny James Miller Band
Bask in old-school rock and blues, with a bit of soul and modern low country blues rock tossed in at the 219 Lounge. Music starts at 8 p.m.
Live Music w/Jackson Roltgen Duo
Coeur d’Alene roots singer-songwriter Jackson Roltgen blends Americana, folk, soul and country. He plays from 6-8 p.m. at Smokesmith Bar-B-Que.
Comedy Avalanche
The stand-up comedy troupe returns to the Panida Theater for one night only, bringing breakout comedian Brittany Lyseng, an established Canadian headliner who has been featured on Kevin Hart’s LOL Network and is the winner of the 2024 Seattle International Comedy Competition. Showtime at 8 p.m. and $25 tickets at panida.org.
Pickleball tournament
Check out Sandpoint’s James E. Russell Sports Center (2016 Pine St.) for this day-long pickleball tournament benefiting local firefighters in their stairclimb fundraiser supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Spokane is Dead Grateful Dead tribute concert
The Hive will host this Spokane Grateful Dead tribute band, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and the show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18.06 in advance at livefromthehive.com, or $20 at the door.
Sunday, Feb. 22
Eichardt’s K-9 Keg Pull
If you’re only able to attend one Winter Carnival event, this is it. The final — and favorite — event hosted by Eichardt’s Pub invites local dogs and their owners to race down the snowy course built right on Cedar Street in front of the Pub (212 Cedar St.), pulling kegs appropriate to their size. For a St. Bernard, it’s a full-size keg, but for a chihuahua it’ll be a beer can. The pooches race the clock for the best time and prizes, with all funds going to support the Better Together Animal Alliance. Registration starts at 10:15 a.m. and races begin at 11 a.m. Don’t miss this heartwarming event. Learn more at eichardtspub.com.
For all Winter Carnival updates, visit sandpointwintercarnival.com.
Want to support independent local journalism?
The Sandpoint Reader is our town's local, independent weekly newspaper. "Independent" means that the Reader is locally owned, in a partnership between Publisher Ben Olson and Keokee Co. Publishing, the media company owned by Chris Bessler that also publishes Sandpoint Magazine and Sandpoint Online. Sandpoint Reader LLC is a completely independent business unit; no big newspaper group or corporate conglomerate or billionaire owner dictates our editorial policy. And we want the news, opinion and lifestyle stories we report to be freely available to all interested readers - so unlike many other newspapers and media websites, we have NO PAYWALL on our website. The Reader relies wholly on the support of our valued advertisers, as well as readers who voluntarily contribute. Want to ensure that local, independent journalism survives in our town? You can help support the Reader for as little as $1.
TIMBER WARS: Six-part series, February-November 2022. GO READ IT»
WHERE ARE THE WORKERS?: Five-part series, September-October 2021. GO READ IT»
THE AMERICAN REDOUBT: Seven-part series, November-December 2017. GO READ IT»
STANDOFF AT RUBY RIDGE: 25 Years Later. Five-part series, August-September 2017. GO READ IT»
Curious about what media the locals use? Check our 2018 Local Media Survey. GO SEE »
Sandpoint in Pictures
Filmmaker Jimmy Matlosz of the Idaho Film Company has made a series of mini documentaries about influential Sandpoint locals, including the late Dann Hall and Erik Daarstad as well as icons Diane Michaels and Dan Shook. He is currently working on a series of interviews connected to the history of the Panida Theater. Jimmy is a 30-year veteran filmmaker who's work can be seen at dpmatlosz.com.
Meet the Reader
Ever wonder who makes the Reader happen? Here's a behind-the-scenes look pieced together by summer 2017 intern McCalee Cain in which Ben, Cameron and Lyndsie explain what exactly about the Reader keeps them coming back to their shabby (but well-loved) office each week.
