When we travel, we all have our tried-and-true activities, but why not spice things up with a one-of-a-kind experience? Get ready for a Sun Valley summer like no other because we’ve got a whole lineup of arts & culture events that you won’t find anywhere else! From our signature summer extravaganzas to offbeat and extraordinary experiences, it’s time to create your ultimate Sun Valley summer bucket list. So, throw caution to the wind, embrace the unexpected, and let the adventure begin. Don’t miss out on the chance to make memories that will last a lifetime – start planning your Sun Valley summer today! Sun Valley Wine Auction The 44th Sun Valley begins Tuesday, June 24th and concludes on Thursday the 26th. This event includes gastronomic adventures, Magnum Pig Roast, Vintner Dinners, River Ranch Wine Walk, and the Gala and Live Auction. Learn more at Sunvalleywineauction.org Ballet Sun Valley Saturday June 28th and Sunday June 29th will have The National Ballet of Canada debut in the valley at the Sun Valley Pavilion. Don’t miss this chance to catch a magical night of world-class dance, visit balletsunvalley.org. Sawtooth Valley Gathering The 10th annual Sawtooth Valley Gathering comes to Stanley June 19–22 for a weekend …
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Oktoberfest in Sun Valley: Raising a Stein in Honor of History
The Sawtooth Brewery presents the annual Oktoberfest celebration in the Ketchum Town Square every September.
How to Get to Sun Valley, Idaho
Nonstop flights to Sun Valley, Idaho from 6 major cities! Yes, you read correctly, Sun Valley does have an airport and it is served via United, Delta, and Alaska Airlines. While getting to Sun Valley is part of the adventure, new non-stop flights have made it easier than ever to visit this little corner of winter paradise. Fly to Hailey’s Friedman Memorial Airport or land a bit further out and take the beautiful drive to Sun Valley. Either way, we’ll be waiting to welcome you.
A Vegetarian & Vegan Guide to Eating in the Sun Valley Area
The definitive guide to dining out as a vegetarian or vegan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Sun Valley, Ketchum & Hailey, Idaho area.
Late Night in Sun Valley
Some say that Sun Valley is a sleepy town, but those folks are just the ones who go to bed early. What the area lacks in night clubs and velvet ropes it makes up for in pure, humble fun that keeps going after hours. Take a gander at this list of key locations. Just make sure you eat something before you go out. You know, to fuel the dancing. The Ketchum Crawl A typical evening starts out with a few drinks while eating some “real food,” from burgers and beers at Grumpy’s or Lefty’s to margaritas and baked potatoes at the Pio to cocktails and oysters at Michel’s Christiania. From there, it’s practically considered the law to start your late night at The Cellar for evening drinks, where you can enjoy one of their famous Moscow Mules in a copper mug, play some Buck Hunter or shuffleboard, and argue about whether you should head next to Whiskey’s on Main for some dancing or to catch a band. Once the band is done playing and the fat lady has sung, follow her onward to close the night at The Casino, Sun Valley’s legendary dive bar, where you can shoot pool, play darts, and make new friends …
Labor Day Weekend in Sun Valley, Idaho
The long Labor Day weekend has become a bit of a big deal here in Sun Valley, Idaho over the years. It’s a last summer hoorah as the kids begin to head back to school and the crisp temperatures of fall start to nip at our heels. With spirits running high and festivities plentiful, this is one long weekend that you won’t want to miss. To make the most out of the Labor Day weekend we’ve put together a list of all the best happenings. Wagon Days Rebecca’s Private Idaho Gallery Walk Free Movie on the Pavilion Lawn Sun Valley On Ice The Revivalists Find your next favorite Sun Valley Labor Day tradition this year! For the full line-up, head over to our events calendar. Events Calendar
Free Summer Music in the Wood River Valley
words and photos by Hayden Seder While there are always big-name concerts at some of Sun Valley’s larger venues—River Run Plaza, The Argyros, Sun Valley Pavilion—there are also numerous, free weekly concerts put on by some of the area’s favorite establishments with local musicians of all genres. Below are where to catch free tunes in the summer! Ketch’em Alive Arguably Ketchum’s best and best-attended free summer music event, Ketch’em Alive brings musical acts to Forest Service Park for an evening of lively tunes, dancing, and seeing friends every Tuesday from 6:30–8:30pm, June 17 through August 5. Pack a picnic or enjoy a variety of food and beverage options available for purchase from local onsite vendors. August 5: Andrew Sheppard Wylde Beet Tiny Deck Summer Concert Series Vegan restaurant The Wylde Beet on Main Street in Hailey is celebrating summer with their monthly Tiny Deck Summer Concert Series, where local musicians play free concerts on the restaurant’s patio. Plant-based food and beverages are available for purchase while you listen to tunes form 4pm to 8pm. Check their calendar listings for the most up-to-date info. August 8: Wildwoods (4–6pm) and Canyon Kids (6–8pm) Hailey Rocks Started as a similar event to Ketch’em …
Sun Valley: A Spiritual Vortex
There’s a certain magnetism to Sun Valley, a pull that draws in people from all walks of life. People come to vacation here for a few days and decide to move here. Celebrities, athletes, chefs, artists, and all manner of passionate people are drawn to this special place. The reason, according to Life Purpose Shaman, the owner of the Shaman’s Healing Sanctuary aka Crystal Healing Room in Ketchum, is a positive energy vortex at the center of Sun Valley which she discovered 25 years ago. Shaman has had 30-plus years of experience healing, including receiving mentoring from Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, and the Dalai Lama. Shaman explains how and why she came to Sun Valley and the impact of the vortex on the energy of our town and its inhabitants. What originally brought you to Sun Valley? Shaman: Over 25 years ago, I actually saw a vision of the energy and vibration that’s in Sun Valley. I am an intuitive, spiritual healer who connects with the vibration or frequency of the earth’s vortexes. Since I was very young, I’ve studied with many different shamans and healers and spiritual leaders because of my abilities. When I had this vision, …
What We’re Made of: Liberty Theater
Written by Hayden Seder Standing proudly on Hailey’s Main Street is the iconic Liberty Theater, a landmark in the area since it was built in 1938. In its almost 100 years of history, it has had many owners, seen a variety of performances come through, and been an entertainment mainstay to the residents of the Wood River Valley. History The original Liberty Theater was built in the early 1900s across the street from the present-day theater, which was built on the site of an old outdoor skating rink in 1938. It sold to new owners in the ’70s, and again, in 1994, to new locals Bruce Willis and Demi Moore. It was Willis who convinced his friend Denise Simone of the then two-year-old theater company Company of Fools (CoF), then located in Richmond, Virginia, to relocate to Hailey, Idaho, and use the theater as her company’s new home. Despite having never been to the area, Simone and her CoF cofounders were convinced, and promptly relocated to their new town and the theater they would call home for the next few decades. The company debuted with a performance of Nikolai Gogol’s Diary of a Madman, which performed to thirty people …
Why Sun Valley is the Original Mountain Town
Written by Hayden Seder The West is full of unique mountain towns, with storied histories, small-town charm, and retaining the kind of values that drew people to them in the first place. But few can compare to Sun Valley, which many argue is the “original” mountain town, and has been able to maintain so much of the original allure that made it such. A truly unique confluence of community, culture, and wilderness, Sun Valley is still the perfect mountain town that it was throughout its storied history, from its start as a mining town to becoming the country’s first ski resort. Photo courtesy of The Community Library Center for Regional History Mining History Though the Sun Valley area has been populated for thousands of years, from when Indigenous members of the Shoshone, Bannock, and Lemhi tribes migrated to the area, the Sun Valley we know today began to take shape with the discovery of gold in the West in the 1870s. European settlers and prospectors began to settle in the area, searching for gold (and ultimately forcing out the tribes that had settled in the area). By the early 1880s, the discovery of silver, lead, and other minerals had led …