Hailey, Idaho is a small town (pop. 8,000) in the Central Idaho Rockies that is proud to host a number of big events that attract visitors from around the county and the world. Below is a list of the major ones…
ARBORFEST (May)
Hailey, Idaho is celebrating Arbor Day bigger and better than ever! This year’s event on May 9th is the 4th annual ArborFest celebrating “Community, Art, Earth & Trees”. Activities include free tree seedlings, a visit from Smokey Bear, a bouncy forest, local art displays, musical performances and ArborFest MudRun!
IDAHO STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FIDDLE CONTEST (May)
Photos: Idaho Fiddlers
The best fiddlers and musicians of all ages in the state gather for this foot-stompin’, upbeat competition held at the beautiful Performing Arts Theater in Hailey.
HAILEY SKATEBOARD COMPETITION (June)
Photos: Visit ID, Hallmark Properties
The world-class Hailey Skate Park hosts an important stop of the Wild West Skateboard Contest Series. This national series features Jam format contests, gear and cash prizes, a massive raffle, DJs, music and artists, and lots of high energy. In order to be eligible for the Overall WWSC Series Title, competitors must compete in at least 4 of the 6 competitions.
SHEEPTOWN DRAG RACE/RIDE SUN VALLEY BIKE FESTIVAL (June)
Photos: Mountain Sports International, Daniel Dunn Photo
Is this crazy or what? The annual Ride Sun Valley Bike Festival ignites with the SheepTown Drag Race in Hailey, a comedic battle challenging the brave to race with flaming logs chained behind their bikes. Open to the public, participants gather at twilight outside the Powerhouse Bike Shop and Pub to sign up for a limited number of spots. Yep, it’s, ‘flame on’.
4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION: Hailey Days of the Old West
Photos: Carol Waller
Hailey, Idaho offers up perhaps the most quintessential hometown 4th of July celebration in the west. Each year Hailey Days of the Old West, July 2-5, plays host to the exciting Sawtooth Rangers Rodeo, a fun & unique parade on Main Street with colorful entries and plenty of horses, a shoot-out melodrama, a spectacular fireworks display, pancake breakfasts, lots of live music, antique markets and the new Draper Preserve River Festival. There is plenty to do and authentic entertainment for all ages. Renowned humorist Dave Barry even profiled Hailey’s 4th of July parade on his national blog in 2012.
SAWTOOTH RANGERS RODEO (July, August)
Rodeo is a proud tradition in the West and in Hailey, the Sawtooth Rangers have held an exciting professional rodeo, featuring some of the best riders and stock in the country, over the 4th of July weekend every year since 1947. In 2011 the City of Hailey invested over $3 million to build a new state-of-the-art rodeo arena and grounds at the entrance to the city to play host to the Sawtooth Rangers Rodeo as well as other events throughout the year, including the Idaho 5th District High School Rodeos and Gran Jaripeo (Mexican bull riding) events.
HAILEY ANTIQUE FAIR (4th of July weekend, Labor Day weekend)
Photos: Carol Waller
Nothing is more fun than browsing for unique treasures at a well-curated antique show, and the Hailey Antique Fairs have some of the best antique vendors and wares in the region. You will be sure to find that perfect one-of-a-kind something!
DRAPER PRESERVE RIVER FESTIVAL – (July 4th)
Photo: Carol Waller
After the City of Hailey’s July 4th parade, continue your Independence Day celebration with a stroll down to the Draper Wood River Preserve for some sun and family fun! The Draper Preserve RiverFEST has food, music, river activities, face-painting, educational nature programs and more. So, bring your friends and family down to the Preserve right after the parade.
WOOD RIVER STUDIO TOUR (August)
PhotosWood River Studio Tour
The event showcases more than 50 of the best visual artists working in the Wood River Valley via tours of their studios, including many Hailey artists. By showcasing the creative community within the Wood River Valley, the tour aims to inspire visitors to travel to the valley to experience first-hand the quality of locally produced art in this vibrant community, and the beauty of the valley’s natural environment. Art lovers, collectors, and those interested in learning more about art venture out on self-guided tours to see as many Studio Tour artists and their artworks as possible. The free event connects collectors with artists for engaging dialogue and an intimate glimpse into the life of the working artist. A public reception with the artist’s is also part of the weekend’s events.
KIWANIS CAR SHOW (August)
The Kiwanis Club of Hailey and the Wood River Valley hosts its’ annual Car Show at Roberta McKercher Park the first Saturday in August. There will be car entrants of antique, sport, modified, collectors and one of a kind. This is a family event fun for all ages. The event is free and all the car entry fees will go to the Kiwanis Club to support children’s events in the Wood River Valley.
TRAILING OF THE SHEEP FESTIVAL (October)
Photos: Carol Waller
For an authentic, inexpensive cultural heritage travel experience, check out the annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival, held each mid-October in the Wood River Valley of Idaho. Every year the popular Trailing of the Sheep Festival celebrates the 150+ year tradition of moving sheep from mountain summer pastures south through the valley to traditional winter grazing and lambing areas. This annual migration is Idaho living history and a weekend long festival that highlights the people, arts, cultures, and traditions of sheep ranching in Idaho and the west. This is not a reenactment, but a real slice of the American west. This unique cultural heritage Festival, rated as one of the Top Ten Fall Festivals in the World by msn.com, has international appeal, drawing thousands each year. www.trailingofthesheep.org
HAILEY TURKEY TROT 5K (November)
Photos: Hank Dart/Turkey Trot
Held on the morning of Thanksgiving each year, this great community event brings out over 650 participants to run, walk & stroll the beautiful 5K course through the Draper Preserve in Hailey. It’s very popular so make sure to register in advance to save your spot!
SUN VALLEY NORDIC FESTIVAL (February)
Photos: SV Nordic Festival
Nordic enthusiasts won’t want to miss the fun and excitement of the annual Sun Valley Nordic Festival , designed to showcase and celebrate Sun Valley’s well-deserved reputation as “Nordic Town USA”. This world-class event features over a week of activities, races, clinics and fun events, along with discounts on nordic passes, demos/rentals, lodging and dining. The event starts with “Ski The Rails”, which ends with a party in Hailey.
WOOD RIVER EXTREME SKIJORING (February)
Photo: Carol Waller
Fast horses and brave skiers combine for an action-packed weekend of skijoring excitement in Hailey. Come join the fun at the Wood River Extreme Skijoring Association’s annual races at Quigley Ranch in Hailey on President’s Day weekend. This family-friendly weekend event will also feature food booths, music, and more. Great spectator sport!
SUN VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL (March)
Photo credits: Sun Valley Film Festival
Hailey is proud to be an integral part of the annual Sun Valley Film Festival (SVFF), with film screenings throughout the weekend at its beautifully restored Liberty Theatre. The SVFF, recognized by USA Today as one of the “Great Places for a Film Festival,” rolls out the red carpet for filmmakers and movie lovers each March to celebrate the art of filmmaking and provide another great reason to visit Hollywood’s original ski Shangri-La. SVFF began in 2011 and has quickly become a filmmaker’s festival in a place steeped in cinematic history, with a proven knack for drawing industry heavyweights and independent talents to an intimate locale far from the Hollywood scene. The combination of cutting-edge programming and bona-fide insider access in a fun, relaxed atmosphere has made SVFF a rising star in the world of destination festivals. Each year SVFF screens more than 60-curated films followed by filmmakers Q&A sessions, as well as its popular free Coffee Talks with industry insiders, Screenwriters Lab and much more. Great parties, dinners, special events, and sunny spring skiing top off this spirited and inspired festival weekend in Sun Valley. www.sunvalleyfilmfestival.org
The Chamber of Wood River Valley:
tel 208-788-3484 |781 S. Main | Hailey, Idaho, 83333 info@valleychamber.org
