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Among the new components of Liberty Lake’s 2015 summer schedule is Barefoot in the Park, a combination of the Barefoot 3v3 Soccer Tournament and Liberty Lake Days. Among the festivities this year will be Bubble Ball (left) and footgolf (above).
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Cover Story: A Liberty Lake summer
5/28/2015 9:32:12 AM
Submitted photo
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By Treva Lind
Splash Contributor
Anyone looking for excuses to get outdoors this summer will find a land of plenty around Liberty Lake.
Traditional events return, joined by some freshly-launched fun. One addition will arrive in the sky: a city-funded Fourth of July fireworks show from the new ballfields area expected to coincide with the longtime favorite pyrotechnic display over the lake.
As usual, a bounty of free outdoor concerts and movies will fill calendars from June to early September, thanks to Friends of Pavillion Park presenting its 18th annual summer festival.
Different community groups also offer multiple weekend activities as the season stretches out. They bring entertainment, sports, a Saturday farmers market, the June 13 Liberty Lake Community Yard Sales and a popular shoeless soccer tournament partnering for the first time with the city for a community Barefoot in the Park festival July 24-26.
Barefoot in the Park expands on what the city previously did for Liberty Lake Days, said Michelle Griffin, parks and recreation coordinator. The three-day festival based at Pavillion Park brings back the classic car show along with family games, live music, vendors, petting zoo, talent show and much more.
Meanwhile, Friends of Pavillion Park's lineup this year has some 19 events. They include the Aug. 22 return of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks for "Cyrano de Bergerac," and a Sept. 5 Spokane Symphony performance in the annual Lud Kramer Memorial Concert. Outdoor movies range from "Big Hero 6" to "Return of the Jedi."
"We signed a new contract and extended for another three years with Spokane Symphony, so we're excited about that," said FOPP president Joe Frank. "For Montana Shakespeare, they're doing one show in Liberty Lake and another for the city of Spokane in Riverfront Park."
After the performance in Liberty Lake, the troupe performs "The Taming of the Shrew" Aug. 23 in Spokane.
On Aug. 15, FOPP brings a Pavillion Park concert by Dawes, a folk rock band that tours nationally. Another big concert each year, for Fourth of July, headlines with Spokane band Milonga, delivering musical traditions of Latin America, Spain and the Caribbean. A warm-up band starts at 6 p.m., and the entire evening's music ends before fireworks, which typically start near 10 p.m.
For both the Fourth and symphony events, a free shuttle to the park will run from the parking area near Liberty Lake Elementary.
New this year, FOPP has partnered with community groups to expand a few events, Frank said.
"We'll have ‘Pages to Pictures' working in conjunction with the Liberty Lake Library, as part of the summer reading series," Frank said. "The kids and adults will be reading the book, and then we will be showing the movie, and this year, those are ‘Charlotte's Web' and ‘Big Fish.'
"With the Liberty Lake Running Club, we're partnering with them to do a ‘Shoes and Cinema' event. The run is scheduled before the movie and as the run is ending, then we'll start ‘McFarland USA,' which is based on running."
The movie at Half Moon Park stars Kevin Costner as a coach of a California high school cross country team.
For the traditional Liberty Lake Loop run, organizers will seek to invite more cross country team members from nearby high schools to broaden community involvement, Frank said. FOPP also hopes to add a skate park competition soon, if the group finds someone with expertise to run such an event.
Most concerts and movies are at Pavillion Park, but a few events spread into neighborhood Rocky Hill and Half Moon parks. The schedule also has "Rock the Block" neighborhood concerts of typically smaller local bands. For more, see the list at www.pavillionpark.org and check out the schedule inserted in this issue of The Splash.
More Barefoot in the Park
Barefoot 3v3 Soccer Tournament & Festival organizer William Miller has successfully grown this event entering its third year, Griffin said. Miller approached Liberty Lake about partnering to expand the festival.
"We combined Liberty Lake Days with his tournament," Griffin said. "We're expecting some 5,000 people over the three days. His goal is to make it the Hoopfest of Liberty Lake."
On July 24, a "Friday Night Bash" for the festival is headlined by the Ryan Larsen Band. Music, dancing and a car show will run from 5 to 9 p.m. and the Red White and Brews 5K run, organized by the Liberty Lake Running Club, will start at 6 p.m. An inflatable amusement area for kids will also be a part of the events all weekend. Other Friday events include professional soccer player demonstrations, "Taste of Liberty Lake" and vendors in the park.
Barefoot in the Park on Saturday offers a petting zoo, Barefoot 3v3 Soccer Tournament play, games and contests, a golf cart show and shine, historical display, vendors, inflatable amusement area and the "Liberty Lake's Got Talent" show from 6 to 9 p.m. Friends of Pavillion Park will show "Big Hero 6" at dusk.
Sunday will bring continued action with more tournament play, vendors and kids' inflatables. People interested in performing for the talent show need to email audition videos to Griffin by June 30 at mgriffin@libertylakewa.gov. Griffin said the festival as of May 18 had room to add vendors, so those interested should contact the city.
Additionally, Griffin said this year's festival will introduce a new, fast-growing sport to the community: footgolf. Players get a soccer ball into designated holes on a portion of a golf course. City staff will install a footgolf course with special holes at Trailhead Golf Course for play from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. July 25.
The footgolf preview event will cost $5 to play 9 holes. To rent a ball, it costs $3, so people are encouraged to bring their own No. 5 soccer ball to play.
The city plans to give residents a preview of the sport, which doesn't interfere with traditional golf, and continue to offer it for special events depending on its success, Griffin said.
"Kids just love it," she added. "It opens the door for people who wouldn't normally go out on a golf course."
Meanwhile, the soccer 3v3 tournament at Pavillion Park involves players by age category who play barefoot and kick a special soccer ball made out of the same material as Crocs shoes.
"This is our third year, and we've pretty much doubled every year," Miller said. "We expect to have about 200 teams this year. We had teams from the Tri-Cities, Wenatchee, Montana and all around the Spokane area."
Five people can form a team, with three on the field as players rotate. Age groups start at 6 to 15, and then are divided by high school and adult groups. Men and women teams can enter in categories of either recreational or open, which draws more competitive players.
In a separate area, kids can play soccer for fun while wrapped in giant inflated body-wrapping bubbles, called "bubble soccer."
Tournament registration is similar to the Hoopfest format. People can go online to the event's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/Barefoot3v3, for information about registration that's open typically up until two weeks before the event.
Miller also plans a bigger push this year promoting Liberty Lake businesses and encouraging participants to visits shops and restaurants. On July 24 from noon to 5 p.m., businesses can be a part of a Liberty Lake Business Showcase. For that, participating companies can set up specials at their locations for tournament visitors, who get a stamp on a card to enter a prize drawing, Miller said. Examples might include a bank offering a barbecue, or a car dealership doing free tire checks, he said.
Free shuttles will run between the Liberty Lake Elementary area to Pavillion Park during the weekend. A loop on Saturday afternoon will also take riders to Trailhead.
Fourth parade and after-party
Fourth of July traditionally brings the community together to celebrate, starting with a noon parade at Alpine Shores. The day's festivities include outdoor games, concert in the park and fireworks.
Participants in the patriotic parade typically line up by 10:30 a.m. in the Alpine Shores neighborhood. Each year, kids and families decorate their bikes, scooters, or wagons in patriotic themes to complete the route.
Dave Graham, Fourth of July parade organizer, said this year organizers plan to add event public parking for trailers and groups, on the Knudsen property that is normally private. Other parking usually is available on neighborhood streets and at Liberty Lake Church, 704 S. Garry Road.
Last year, the Central Valley High School band marched in the parade. If enough players sign up this year, the group plans to return, Graham said. The neighborhood group also works to provide kids games, awards and other activities during the day.
Around 10 p.m., a community-funded fireworks show launches from a floating dock on the lake. The Liberty Lake Fireworks Fund receives donations at PO Box 430, Liberty Lake WA 99019.
This year, the city is adding its own Fourth of July fireworks show scheduled near where new ballfields were built at 23900 E. Boone. Oregon Western Display Fireworks is the company contracted to do the show, expected to start at about 10 p.m.
Farmers Market
The Liberty Lake Farmers Market offers its 14th season with a revised layout to incorporate the city of Liberty Lake's new Town Square Park. Organizers say about 25 vendors start in May and grow to as many as 50 each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Oct. 10.
Nine new vendors are joining long-established favorites. The additions include Autumn Creek Ranch, Fairfield Green House, Fannie's Ice Pops, Green Girls Goods, KC's Stir Fry Noodle, Peaceful Pastures, Step On This Stepping Stones, Tommy G's Espresso and Winterwoods Tea Company.
Throughout, customers can find locally-sourced fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, crafts, food and live entertainment at 1421 N. Meadowwood Lane. Last season, the market expanded into the field east, behind the CorkHouse Restaurant. Now that the field has been renovated into Town Square Park, the market will continue to use the new space and still use a portion of its original location.
Stay fit
The four-mile Liberty Lake Loop starts at 8 a.m. July 11. Participants for this traditional summer event should pre-register before June 29. A registration form is available in this issue of The Splash as well as at the Friends of Pavillion Park website.
The Liberty Lake Running Club also has an open invitation for people to join them at no charge any Thursday this summer, starting at 6 p.m. near Twisp Cafe, 23505 E. Appleway, for a weekly three-mile run or walk.
Meanwhile, the Liberty Lake Community Tennis Association offers free open clinics this summer. Sessions with drills and instruction run until Aug. 15 at different times for various groups. For more information, contact Kathy Whybrew (running club) at 954-9806 or Larry West (tennis association) at 255-9293.
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For more
FOPP Summer Festival
Barefoot in the Park
Farmers Market
Liberty Lake Loop
Barefoot Soccer 3v3
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Outdoor cinema
July 3 "Rio 2"
July 17 "Epic" (at Half Moon Park)
July 18 "How to Train Your Dragon 2"
July 24 "Cinema Paradiso" (at Rocky Hill Park, ties in with Italian Festival)
July 25 "Big Hero 6"
Aug. 1 "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb"
Aug. 8 "Rise of the Guardians"
Aug. 14 "McFarland USA" (at Half Moon Park, Shoes and Cinema event in conjunction with Liberty Lake Running Club)
Aug. 28 "Big Fish" (Pages to Pictures event in conjunction with Liberty Lake Library)
Aug. 29 "Charlotte's Web" (Pages to Pictures event in conjunction with Liberty Lake Library)
Sept. 4 "Return of the Jedi"
- Movies begin at dusk and are shown at Pavillion Park, unless otherwise noted.
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