Spokane, WA

Nearly every year since our family moved to the Spokane area we have attended the annual Royal Fireworks Concert and Baroque Festival in Riverfront Park, Spokane, Washington.

There is a lot of fun for everyone in the family. This year was their 30th year holding the concert and festival. The concert is put on by the Allegro Baroque and Beyond a non-profit arts organization and free to the public. It is always held the last Sunday of July annually. The main events are held in the Lilac Bowl Meadow across from the Spokane Opera House.

About 3:00 p.m. the festival opens with crafts and wars and puts on combat classes on the green for the growing audience. At 4:00 King George II and hs court arrived. There is dancing, children’s games and a live chess tournament using real people as chess pieces.

We saw a Juggler, fairies and there is a lot of drama and comedy. The festival also holds a contest for children who want to dress up in 15th century costume and all the children win some little prize for their interesting period costumes, be they fairy, princess, king or knave. This was a fun event to watch with a lot of humor and duels. And 15th century jesting. The weather was fine and gaggles of geese flew over the river and crowds.

There were food booths and vendors with drinks, and other foods to sell. The crowds grew and blankets and chairs set up and people began eating an evening picnic lunch they had brought along or purchased food from the nearby vendors as the set up chairs or on blankets to watch the evening show.

At 7:00 the Baroque Ballet put on a performance with lovely young ladies dancing. At 7:30 a young lady did a special Christmas Carol dance followed by a fire juggler.

At 9:00 the Royal Concert on the floating dock struck up the 60 piece royal band with the worlds only live choregraphed fireworks display ending with the annual big event of the evening the Musick for the Royal Fireworks display from 1749 By Handel. As the band played fireworks were set off to the oooohs and aaaahs and delight of the crowd, ending a perfect evening. If you have never attended this event mark your calendars for next year as it is an event worth attending