If you’ve ever heard and felt the rumble of an approaching herd of horses, you’ll know what to expect for the CAR D’LENE CLASSIC CAR cruise through downtown Coeur d’Alene in a mighty display of horsepower and automobile artistry. Big, bad and blown Barracudas; chopped and dropped Chevy pickups; joyful jalopies; fiercely flamed Ford coupes and classic cars from the earliest Model Ts up to the 1980s in all shapes, sizes and states of completion.
Plan your evening according to the parade route: cars queue up past the Ninth and 10th Street staging areas, just shy of ROGER’S ICE CREAM & BURGERS, then begin rolling down Lakeside at 6 pm. They’ll gallop north on Fourth for a few blocks, then turn left on Wallace before heading south on Second to return to Sherman Avenue where the views against the backdrop of Lake Coeur d’Alene are spectacular.
Park outside the parade route — midtown near CAPONE’S BAR & GRILL, for example — and pack a camp chair or a blanket to claim your spot along the parade route. Or stake out a local restaurant where you can relax in style, beverage in hand, like at TITO’S ITALIAN GRILL, PITA PIT, CRICKETS RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR or COLLECTIVE KITCHEN PUBLIC HOUSE, all on Sherman Avenue.
Want a closer look? Saturday is the “Show & Shine” from 8 am-4 pm, with cars parked along Front Avenue between Third and Sixth, and on Sherman Avenue along with a few vendors from First to Eighth. Although both the cruise and Show & Shine are free to you, car owners chip in to participate, with proceeds benefiting local organizations like Disabled American Veterans, Hospice of North Idaho and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
New this year is a “pinup” contest by THE RETRO STUDIO (theretrostudiophotography) in three age groups, so bust out your poodle skirts, pencil pants and bright red lipstick: ages 0-12, 13-17 and 18+. Also new is an Elvis tribute concert at nearby McEuen Park (tickets $20). Visit cdadowntown.com/cardalane or call 208-415-0116.
Upcoming Events
Boulder Beach Opens
JUNE 9
Break out the swimsuits and sunscreen! The unofficial start of summer begins with the season opening of Boulder Beach at Silverwood. Silverwood Theme Park; 11 am- 7 pm.
Art Walk
JUNE 8
Stroll through picturesque downtown Coeur d’Alene and explore more than a dozen local art galleries and businesses with some of the top local and regional artists’ work on display. Free; 5-8 pm; go to visitcda.org for a map of locations.
Emerge’s Annual Pop-Up Show
JUNE 8
This one-night pop-up art show is electric and unique — featuring the work of 70+ artists and a wide variety of mediums from the visual arts, to music, poetry, dance and film. Free; the White House, 805 Sherman Ave.; 5 pm-midnight. Visit emergecda.com for more details.
