Idaho travel: Take in some music in the mountains
Beat the sweltering heat of the Treasure Valley this summer and head to a music gathering in a much cooler mountain locale.
Here’s a look at several music festivals and concert series in the McCall and Sun Valley areas.
Summer Music Festival
The 39th annual Summer Music Festival at Roseberry has an exciting lineup planned for July 14-16 in historic Roseberry near Donnelly.
The three-day roots music festival is known for its eclectic mix of bands, and this year’s event is no exception.
The festival kicks off July 14 with a bevy of local bands jamming on the main stage — priming the pump for the days to come.
On July 15, it’s all about bluegrass music when Spring Fever Bluegrass Band and The Lil’ Smokies from Missoula, Mont., take the stage for their blistering acoustic sets.
On July 16, the lineup includes the Jeff Austin Band and the pulsing electronic reggae dub vibes of Jon Wayne & The Pain. Portland-based blues rocker Scott Pemberton will be performing as well.
Purchase tickets (single-day passes $25, two-day passes $40 and three-day passes $50) at www.thesummermusicfestival.com.
Heads up: There’s no camping at the festival site, so make reservations now if you plan on spending the night at a local hotel or campground.
Jug Mountain Ranch concerts
Jug Mountain Ranch concerts
Jug Mountain Ranch near McCall is starting a free concert series this summer in the Pavilion next to the Clubhouse Restaurant. The Supersize Music Series shows will run from 6 to 9 p.m.
Each show will be paired with beer and wine from local breweries and wineries, and you can order some of chef Jordan Boutry’s nuanced pub grub from the recently retooled Clubhouse menu.
The music lineup includes Lucky Tongue (July 6), Hillfolk Noir (Aug. 10) and Bread & Circus (Sept. 3).
Jug Mountain also hosts free live music (mostly local bands) on the Clubhouse patio on Wednesday nights starting at 6:30.
For more information, go to www.jugmountainranch.com.
The Huckleberry Jam
Tamarack Resort near Donnelly will once again be putting on The Huckleberry Jam music festival, slated for Aug. 11-13.
Jeff Crosby & The Refugees will start things off on Aug. 11, followed by Brandi Carlile on Aug. 12 and Michael Franti on Aug. 13.
Other bands performing this year include the Monophonics, Beats Antique, Lake Street Dive, Moon Hooch and Robert Randolph & The Family Band.
Two-day general admission passes cost $99 (plus a service fee and sales tax). Two-day general admission passes for kids 6-12 cost $39 (plus a service fee and sales tax). VIP and combined camping/RV/event passes are also available.
To buy tickets and reserve a campsite or RV spot, go to www.thehuckleberryjam.com.
Sun Valley sounds
Sun Valley Resort has a full schedule of concerts planned for this summer at two locations.
Shows at the Sun Valley Pavilion include Collin Raye (June 28), Foreigner (Aug. 20) and country superstars Vince Gill and Amy Grant (Aug. 30). To purchase tickets for the Pavilion shows, go to www.sunvalley.com.
The Sun Valley Center for the Arts will be hosting its popular summer concert series at the resort’s River Run Lodge. This year’s lineup includes Mavis Staples and The James Hunter Six (July 29), country legend Emmylou Harris (Aug. 8) and Lake Street Dive and Gregory Alan Isakov (Aug. 17). To buy tickets for the River Run Lodge shows, visit www.sunvalleycenter.org.
The Sun Valley Summer Symphony kicks off its season of free classical concerts at the Sun Valley Pavilion on Aug. 1 with Stravinsky’s “The Firebird,” which will be set to dance and puppetry.
Other noteworthy classical performances slated for August include the Edgar M. Bronfman String Quartet (Aug. 8) and Mahler Symphony No. 3 (Aug. 18). To see the complete lineup of concerts and show times, go to www.svsummersymphony.org.
Lodging on Weiser River Trail
Trailhead Guesthouse debuted in early May in blink-and-miss Midvale next to the Weiser River Trail.
The guesthouse, situated in an early 20th century building that once housed a bank and general store, features a private room with a queen-size bed and bath ($60) and several hostel-style rooms (ranging from $80 to $100) designed to sleep up to six people.
It’s not a bed-and-breakfast inn, but there’s a fully equipped kitchen (so you can cook your own meals) and a spacious common area with comfy couches and chairs — a great place to relax after riding bikes all day along the scenic recreational trail.
For reservations, call (208) 473-6292.
James Patrick Kelly, the Idaho Statesman’s restaurant critic, is the author of the travel guidebook “Moon Idaho.” The latest edition hit the shelves in March. Kelly also teaches journalism at Boise State University.
This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Idaho travel: Take in some music in the mountains."