The presence of author Ernest Hemingway can be felt all through the Sun Valley area. During his time here, he was a regular at many of Ketchum’s dining and drinking institutions, penned novels and short stories in its hotels, and enjoyed visiting many places that are still in existence today, albeit as new businesses. To emphasize just how much Hemingway was a part of so many places in this town, The Community Library is now offering a free 12-stop Hemingway audio walking tour through Ketchum and Sun Valley, Idaho
Idaho BaseCamp: An Outdoor-Oriented Learning Oasis
Located halfway between Ketchum and Mackay up Trail Creek is Idaho BaseCamp, an oasis for both children and adults to explore the outdoors through education, workshops, and experiences, all while staying in one of the camp’s funky yurts or camped out in the maze that winds through the riverfront property. Founded in 1998 by Mathew Gershater, Idaho BaseCamp is an educational non-profit specializing in the building of one’s knowledge of environment, community and individual impact upon nature. In our modern world, connecting to nature has become even more of a priority, something that Gershater and Idaho BaseCamp recognize and seek to remedy through group and individual experiential and academic study. 5thGrade Outdoor Adventure Program While Idaho BaseCamp is a resource for people of all ages, the camp is particularly dedicated to educating our youth. Their 5th grade outdoor adventure program is free to every 5th grader in the Blaine & Cuter County School to make sure that youth in the area can have a chance to create a connection to Idaho’s wilderness and work on BaseCamp’s core values: personal responsibility, courage, and respect for all. Students spend three days and two nights at BaseCamp, starting the day with morning mindfulness in …
Grab a Seat: Where to Catch a Show in Sun Valley
Over the past few years, the Sun Valley area has burst to life with new and remodeled locations to experience one of the most vibrant cultural calendars in the West.
Here are just a few of the spots to catch your next show or performance in Sun Valley.
Oh, Kale Yeah! It’s Time for the Wood River Farmers Markets
Life rolls at a more relaxed pace in the mountains, and those minutes between when an event is supposed to start, and when it actually starts, is what we like to call “Ketchum-time.” There’s always some wiggle room…which means a little extra time on the trail, or for a lingering lunch with friends. Or, at least, so I thought. Turns out that “Ketchum-time” doesn’t apply at the Wood River Farmers Markets. “You should have been here earlier,” one farmer told me when I looked sadly at an empty bin labeled ‘broccoli.’ “Those sold within the first thirty minutes.” When it comes to supporting local producers—and eating the freshest, tastiest fruits, meats, and vegetables—the people of this Valley don’t mess around. It’s ‘be there or be square,’ and I’ve learned my lesson. Ketchum Farmers Market The Wood River Farmers Markets hold two markets each week through the summer. The first, on Tuesdays from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, is hosted at the River Run Parking Lot on Serenade Lane in Ketchum. Dozens of local vendors set up for four hours and offer locals and visitors the change to purchase locally-grown produce, meats, and dairy products alongside artisan crafts and flowers. Food …
What We’re Made Of: Company of Fools
The Company of Fools (CoF) theater group has been putting on world-class stage productions in the Wood River Valley since the group relocated to Hailey in 1996. Founded in Rusty Wilson’s unheated garage in Richmond, Virginia in May 1992, Wilson and original CoF members Vicki Bodin, John Glenn, Denise Simone, Robert Throckmorton and Joel Vilinsky took inspiration for their name from an essay by visual artist Cecil Collins, “The Vision of the Fool”. Collins describes the fool as embodying truth, joy, creativity and a childlike wonder of all that is magical and mysterious. The CoF went on to launch three productions in their four years in the garage before Wilson and Simone relocated to Hailey to continue their work on the stage of Hailey’s Liberty Theatre, the Fools’ home. In November 2012, the CoF merged with the Sun Valley Center for the Arts, becoming part of what is now the largest arts institution in the state of Idaho. And now, over 20 years later, the CoF is recognized for its award-winning theatre and arts education programming it has brought to the community. The group and the individuals who make it up have been consistently recognized for their contributions to the arts; …
This is The Sun Valley Museum of Art
Nothing is more synonymous with the art culture of Ketchum than the Sun Valley Museum of Art. With its constant rotation of art exhibitions, music, lectures and workshops, educational outreach and more, it has a presence in every part of the Valley in every aspect of art, serving more than 40,000 patrons every year. SVMoA, as it’s known to locals, was founded in 1971 as The Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities making it the oldest arts organization in the Wood River Valley and the largest in the state of Idaho. The Sun Valley Museum of Art has a long and storied history in Ketchum with the original campus of the Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities established on land deed by Bill Janss, owner of Sun Valley Company from 1964 to 1977. The property that is now home to the Sun Valley Community School was the original home of The Center; before that, it was the site of kennels for the Sun Valley Resort’s sled dogs. The Sun Valley Museum of Art has always provided a well-rounded experience of the arts, even in the early days offering art exhibitions, classes in photography, printmaking and ceramics, …
Ballet in Sun Valley, Idaho
When you think of Sun Valley, ballet is probably not at the top of your mind. We’re here to tell you why it should be.
Dance in the Mountains: From Classical to Cutting Edge
Sun Valley’s arts and culture scene used to be one of its best-kept secrets, but the word is starting to get out…and we couldn’t be happier about that. From venues like the Argyros Performing Arts Center and the Sun Valley Pavilion to festivals like the Sun Valley Center for the Arts’ Summer Concert series and Ballet Sun Valley, the Sun Valley area offers plenty of ways to immerse yourself in the performing arts. While music and theater have been a mainstay of the Sun Valley cultural scene for years, the opportunity to see professional dance used to be sporadic at best. But we’re happy to say that those days are long gone. Whether you’re in the mood for classical ballet or the cutting edge of choreography, you’ll find it here. Ballet Sun Valley The Sun Valley Pavilion, an outdoor amphitheater in Sun Valley’s village, was designed for live music. But a few pioneering individuals saw that the setting—with its open-air seating, stunning architecture, and undeniably magical ambiance—would be perfect for dance. In 2009, the Trey McIntyre Company, the former Boise-based contemporary dance company led by choreographer Trey McIntyre, performed a two-night engagement at the Pavilion. The company set the standard, showcasing what …
This is the Sawtooth Botanical Garden
Discover the Sawtooth Botanical Garden in Ketchum, Idaho where you’ll find several south-central Idaho biomes, a prayer wheel blessed by the Dalai Lama, a variety of classes and more.
Sun Valley 2019 Summer Concert Playlist
Get a taste for the musicians that will be playing shows in Sun Valley, Idaho this season with our 2019 summer playlist. Highlights include Ryan Bingham, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Jackson Browne and more. We hope you’l join us this summer for some great concerts!