Clearwater Valley Events I hope everyone enjoyed their Independence Day celebrations. Lots of flags, large and small, flying right side up around the valley this month. Many people from the Clearwater Valley flocked to Grangeville for the Border Days events. I even ventured to one Border Days event—the Twin Pines Trail fun run south of town. The run climbed steeply right through the forest from the start. Although I wasn’t the fastest, it felt good to be the oldest woman finisher. It was great to support the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) with my entry fee.

With the end of Border Days, the Clearwater Valley is packed with community events the rest of July in Clearwater, Stites, Kooskia and Kamiah. The weekend of July 12–13, Friday and Saturday, includes Stites Days, the Kamiah Fly-In and an outdoor concert at the Harris Ridge Holler.

This year’s Stites Days theme, “Reuniting the Past-Shaping the Future,” seems appropriate. Stites has undergone a bit of revival in recent years. With civic improvements in a new water tank and updated water and wastewater systems, as well as the construction of the picnic shelter and pocket park on Main Street, the city infrastructure has noticeably improved.

Business owners have also invested in Stites, too, with major expansions and remodeling at both Stites Hardware/Pleasant Valley Homes and the Silver Dollar Pizza and Pub in recent years, plus updates at Augello’s Tire. The town sure looks better than it did a decade ago.

Free hot dogs and a paint sale at Stites Hardware will kick-off the Stites Days celebration at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 11. On Friday, July 12, you can check out the car show at 4 p.m., buy walking tacos for only $5 at 5:30 p.m., then enter the horseshoe singles or Bingo in the park.

Saturday, July 13, kicks off with 8 a.m. breakfast burritos at the pavilion by the Clearwater Valley Class of 2025. Horseshoe doubles at 9 a.m. and the parade at 10:30 a.m. An egg toss begins at 11 a.m. followed by kids’ games and BBQ for lunch. A cornhole tournament begins at noon and a raft race begins at 2 p.m. The Clearwater Valley Grass Assassins riding lawn mower races end the day with time trials at 5 p.m. and races at 6 p.m. Although I have yet to witness a lawn mower race, I have heard it is fun to watch. Check out Clearwater Valley Grass Assassins Facebook pages for photos, videos and competition rules.

Meanwhile, in Kamiah, the Clearwater Valley Aero Club (CVAC) hosts their annual Kamiah Fly-In at the Kamiah Airport at 121 Airport Road. Free introductory flights for children ages 8–17 provide a thrill. It was fun to watch the excitement as kids emerged from the small planes after their trip. Seeing the valley from the air can give kids a new perspective and has inspired several to pursue a pilot’s license. The event runs from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with breakfast and lunch available for purchase. Vendor space is also available. Planes tend to fly smoother in cooler weather, and predictions are for hot weather all week, so the earlier the better.

Each participating child must have a parent/guardian with them to check in for the flight. Pilots with the Lewiston Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association fly the planes. Call Danyel at 208-935-8551 for questions about CVAC or the fly-in.

• The outdoor summer concert series continues at the Harris Ridge Holler (115 Ranta Road, Kooskia) this Saturday (July 13) with Jesse Dayne & the Sagebrush drifters. Check their website, www.theharrisridgeholler.com, for ticket information.
• The following weekend, July 20–July 21, head to Clearwater for Elk City Wagon Road Days. Saturday activities include a parade, quilt show, variety show, local history presentation, gospel hour, vendors, and food. On Sunday, learn about the history of the Elk City Wagon Road by traveling the route with local historians.
• The month ends with Kooskia’s biggest summer party, the annual Kooskia Days, July 25–27. There will be a logging skills competition, a cornhole tournament, a fun run, a farmers’ market, a street dance with live music, a beer garden, bingo, a family movie night, lawn mower races, parades, carnival games, pony rides, and the ping pong ball drop.

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