The Festival At Sandpoint

Even though I've been in Sandpoint during the festival for the last four years, this summer was the first time I actually went to a show, and I fully expect I'll be back in years to come.

Organizers do a great job booking a variety of acts for the multi-weekend concert series, ranging from symphony orchestras to bluegrass, country, reggae, jazz, blues, zydeco, folk, and genres in between and beyond.

In most cases, the format is pretty straightforward: The doors open a couple hours before the show and it's first-come, first seated on the expansive memorial field lawn, with unobstructed bleacher seating at the back and people camping out in the park behind the field for a free listen.  Bring your own cooler, food, and beverages, or partake of the range of local food vendors and bar area for dinner and libations.

That's pretty much all there is to it.  It's hard to beat experiencing live music under the stars on a balmy North Idaho summer evening, and the Festival at Sandpoint gives you plenty of opportunities every year.