If you’re visiting Spokane in the summer, head to the water to cool off. With the Spokane River running through downtown and along the western edge of town, plus the Little Spokane River up north, you're surrounded by natural waterways to satisfy your need for adventure. From rivers to lakes you can spend anywhere from a few hours or several days engaging in all sorts of water activities.

Since 1992, the second Saturday in June has been reserved for Spokane’s Pride Parade and Rainbow Festival. The annual celebration of the city’s LGBTQA community is an all-inclusive, family-friendly event drawing over 10,000 people. The festivities begin with the Pride Parade taking off at noon through downtown and ending up in Riverfront Park at the Lilac Meadows where the Rainbow Festival continues the party.

Celebrate Father’s Day in the city where it all began. Spokane quite literally invented the holiday, or local resident Sonora Smart Dodd did at least, making our town an extra special setting for commemorating the father figure in your life.

Every summer, Hoopfest descends on Spokane. The largest three-on-three basketball tournament in the world, this yearly athletic event has had a presence in the city since 1990. The massive basketball showdown takes place across 422 courts downtown with 14,000 games played by nearly 6,000 teams.

Every August the weekend before Labor Day, dancers and singers from native and first nations communities across the country gather together in Riverfront Park. For generations, the Falls were a traditional meeting place for large salmon (chinook) fishing and cultural exchange. While the chinook no longer travel to the falls due to waterway changes and commercial fishing, the Gathering at the Falls Powwow continues this legacy of cultural celebration by welcoming dancers and singers from more than 200 tribes and hundreds of diverse spectators every year.

One of the best things about Spokane is the diverse food scene, but there are only so many restaurants you can visit during your limited time in the city. Pig Out in the Park is a six-day food and music festival where you can taste the best food Spokane has to offer in one location. The much-anticipated event has been a summer staple since 1979. It all takes place Labor Day weekend at Riverfront Park with three stages featuring performances from national, regional, and local acts.

Signaling the end of summer is upon us is the Spokane County Interstate Fair beginning the Friday after Labor Day. For over 66 years now, the 10-day event has been a flurry of agricultural appreciation, performances, food on a stick, and thrill rides. Bring the whole family to cruise the midway games and wide variety of demonstrations and exhibits.