For the week of  Sept. 26 - Oct. 2, 2001

Thousand Springs Festival opens Saturday

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By ADAM TANOUS
Express Arts Editor

This weekend artists and art lovers, musicians and music lovers will trek to a 75-acre island, part of the Thousand Springs Preserve, on the Snake River, to participate in The Nature Conservancy of Idaho’s Ninth Annual Thousand Springs Festival. The festival, long a favorite of Wood River Valley residents, takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The festival will feature artists’ booths, live entertainment and environmental education opportunities. Several artists from this area will venture to the island south of Hagerman to set up booths and sell their work. Some of those artists include, R.C. Hink, Glenn Carter, Will Caldwell, Debbie Edgers Sturges and Ralph Harris. Glenn Carter, for one, has some new "animals" for sale. These are dinosaurs and llamas and zebras small enough that 3-year-olds can sit on them.

Live music will be featured throughout the weekend, ranging from Brazilian jazz to African drumming to American folk.

Children will be entertained by magicians and storytellers. There will also be horse and wagon rides around the island available.

The Nature Conservancy will have two booths in place where people can learn about the organization and some of its current projects. It has also organized live bird and reptile displays. For those inclined to exercise, nature walks will be offered.

Other highlights on or near the island include a historic dairy farm that was operational in the early 1900s, spring water that flows from 200-foot basalt cliffs into the Snake River, and an abundance of golden eagles and waterfowl living on the preserve.

Admission to the festival costs $7 for adults and $3 for children 12 and younger. For more information or directions to the festival, call 536-6797 or 837-4801.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.