“What to do in Spokaloo”
By Chip Roe (Current parent)
I don’t know when winter is officially over but for me it’s in March. March in Spokane is a great time of year! The snow has melted, The first robins have returned and spring bulbs have sprouted.
What could be better than the peaceful solitude of watching the Spokane river thundering over the falls swollen from melting snows with the scent of spring in the air and the first rays of sun warm enough to have us remove our jackets. Ahhhh what a feeling. St Patrick’s day is near and the first parade. Nothing like being snowed in all winter to make you completely soak up spring time. In Spokane however there’s nothing bigger letting us know it’s March than suddenly GO ZAGS posters showing up in windows and on billboards and business signs and cars and just about everywhere as March Madness overtakes the town. We Spokanite’s love our local sports. I have rarely seen a town that is so involved and supporting of so many different sports. We have Bloomsday the largest timed road running race sometimes with upwards of 65,000 participants. We have Hoop fest the largest 3 on 3 basketball tournament, The Spokane Shock arena league football team, the Nations most winning sports franchise. The Shock have been in existence five years and have won their division all five times making it to the League championship 4 times winning the arena cup three times. Then of course we have our own Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Gonzaga basketball programs have become nationally recognized icons and continue to be among the most popular college teams in the nation. The men’s program has had a historic run including 11 straight conference championships. The second most in NCAA history. We have 12 straight NCAA tournament appearances which is the 4th longest current streak in the nation. The men’s team has made it to the second round nine times, five sweet sixteen’s and one elite eight. meanwhile the woman’s program just completed their second undefeated WCC season coming off a sweet sixteen in last years tournament. This years NCAA 1st and 2nd round women’s’ regional championships are being held in the Spokane Arena and the Gonzaga women’s team will be among the competitors. While sports are big this time of year there are other goings on. March is Spokane’s wine tasting month. We have 16 local wineries and most of the tasting rooms are open the weekend of march 26th. California is the nations leading wine producer but most people wouldn’t know that Washington state is the second. in 1981 we had 19 wineries and that has grown to over 700 in 2010. The weather in eastern Washington mimics some of the best regions of Europe and actually Averages 17.4 hours of sunlight per day, about two hours more than in
California’s prime growing region. What could be better than having some friends over to enjoy some delicious locally produced wine and cheese while watching the Gonzaga men’s and women’s basketball teams take on the best in the country? it’s March! let the madness begin!
GO ZAGS!!!