It's official, the dog days of summer have arrived. With barely over two weeks left until the official close of the season, it's tempting to pack away those flip-flops and start digging out the dreaded down jacket. But wait. There are over two more weeks of summer left.
Grab the kids and get out and enjoy some of the best of the season before winter hibernation kicks in.
From raspberry picking at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden ($3 donation, open throughout the day) to mountain bike racing at the Sun Valley Resort (through Aug. 19, Dollar Mountain, 5:30 p.m., $25 admission), there are still plenty of healthy outdoor activities to indulge in before the white stuff arrives. Take advantage of the still relatively warm summer nights with the ERC's Shooting Star Sleepout, tonight, Aug. 14. Join other families to stargaze and enjoy the Perseid meteor showers (Central Idaho 4-H Camp, 17 miles north of Ketchum, $50 per family, dinner and breakfast included, 726-4333).
The soundtrack to summer in Sun Valley is a bevy of local and national live music acts, and there are still plenty to be heard. With five more nights of the Sun Valley Summer Symphony to enjoy, including the Family Concert this Saturday, Aug. 15, at 6 p.m., there's no excuse.
Keep the little ones dancing way past their bedtime every night next week. The partying starts Monday with the return of Hailey's Night of Music, featuring acts at nine locations throughout Hailey.
Next up is the penultimate Ketch'um Alive concert, Tuesday, Aug. 18, featuring the Matsiko Childrens' Choir (7.30-9 p.m. at Ketchum's Forest Service Park). Then boogie in the back alley to the tunes of Slow Children Playing at the Wicked Spud's Back Alley Party, 6 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 19. Come Thursday, if there's still some dancing left in those shoes head to the Ketchum Town Plaza for Plaza Night from 6-8 p.m. and enjoy the last of the long, beautiful summer evenings with some free live music.
Round up the perfect summer with a close-of-season Children's Carnival at the Labor Day Wagon Days parade, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 5. Great carnival fun to be had at Giacobbi Square with mini-train rides, astro-jump, a climbing wall and bungee runs, all for $10.
Before the last rays of summer sun disappear over Bald Mountain, hop on the River Run lift (9 a.m. to 3.30 p.m., adults $15, children $7, through Sept. 6), for a glorious ride to the top of the valley. Take a breath, take it all in and plan your runs for the coming ski season.
Owen Tuohy, 1, of Hailey, savors the last moments of summer as he picks raspberries at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden’s berry patch, south of Ketchum. Photo by Jennifer Tuohy
