By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff
It’s been 30 years since the first annual event once known as Jerryfest, which over the past three decades has morphed into SummerFest — an all-out seasonal party full of local, regional and national musical artists; games, food and camping; special events and camaraderie, which adds up to a one-of-a-kind good time at the Eureka Center.
“There is not another festival value that compares in the country,” said Eureka Center President John Edwards.
This year’s SummerFest kicks off Friday, June 28 at 2 p.m., with the first musical act scheduled to take the stage at 4 p.m. The festival concludes Sunday, June 30. In the meantime, there are more than a dozen artists and groups on the lineup, plus activities including an 18-hole Frisbee golf course, ping pong, corn hole, horseshoes, hula hooping, dance sessions, yoga and more.
Sandpoint SummerFest. Courtesy photo.
Musical offerings run the gamut, from the eclectic gypsy-jazz, reggae and soul-infused sounds of Cole & The Thornes to the indie, trance and psychedelic Django-inspired jazz of Banshee Tree to junkbox duo Hillstomp, indie folk group Heat Speak and techno from DJ Coral.
Those are just a few of the acts on the lineup, which also includes local and regional favorites like ’60s garage rock-infused blues and R&B outfit Fat Lady, Americana from Headwaters and Brenden Kelty & Friends and what’s SummerFest without some Grateful Dead, provided by Spokane is Dead, billed as “the Inland Northwest’s premier Grateful Dead/JGB tribute band” and fronted by longtime SummerFest alum Lucas Brookbank Brown.
Find more info about the full lineup at eureka-institute.org/ssflineup.
“I really feel that this festival feels like an amazing house party in the woods, with the friendliest crowd you could ever meet,” Edwards said, going on to applaud the professional sound and lighting provided by Mattox Farm Productions and the food from Eichardt’s, which has long been the festival’s purveyor of hot eats and cold beverages — both adult and otherwise.
“One thing that a lot of folks miss when they look at ticket pricing is that this is an all-inclusive event,” Edwards said. “That means you receive dinner Friday, breakfast Saturday, dinner Saturday and breakfast Sunday, and all your beverages (yes that includes beer and wine and a variety of non-alcoholic beverages). Parking and camping are also included.”
Attendees are invited to bring as much cold and pre-cooked food as they want, but must leave their camp stoves and pets at home. Find more important festival information at eureka-institute.org/ssfthingstoknow.
Tickets run from $150 plus fees for an all-weekend adult pass (for festival goers 16 years old and up), down to $30 plus fees for youths 10-15 years old on Friday only. Kids under 10 get in free. See all the ticket options and buy online at eureka-institute.org/ssftickets.
Edwards said that while the past two years of the festival have been by donation, SummerFest returned to a ticketed event this year in part to raise funds for the Eureka Institute’s Construction Basics Initiative program, which teaches leadership and construction skills to local youths from ages 13-18. The program’s most visible recent project was to build the SPOT Bus shelters around Sandpoint and Ponderay.
As a concert venue, the Eureka Center is hard to beat. Located at 6162 Eureka Road in Sagle, the property features a grassy, shaded amphitheater and includes the Main Stage and Forest Stage, which Edwards said “projects the best sound in Bonner County.”
“Families and particularly the kids love this festival. Bands seem to play some of their best sets in this setting (with most wanting to return),” he added. “People who have come, want to return. People who come for the first time, question why they have not attended in the past.”
Looking back on the longevity of SummerFest, Edwards said, “So much love goes into producing this festival. We have done it and continue to do it for our community. A huge thank you to all our sponsors, patrons and volunteers for their support over the years. We wouldn’t be still doing it if our community didn’t show up. We need you.”
As long-time attendee Joe Sweeny summed it up: “Sandpoint SummerFest is like fine wine, it just keeps getting better and better.”
Find everything you need to know about the 2024 Sandpoint SummerFest at eureka-institute.org/ssf.
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