The Fierce Conditions of Now

By Dana DuGan

Fun times are ahead: social times, wildflower-scented times, and, naturally, musical times. The Wood River Valley gardens are challenged both by fierce weather conditions and short growing seasons. But this is what makes them so spectacular. Go see for yourself.

Garden Tour:

On Saturday, the Sawtooth Botanical Garden will host its annual Garden Tour in West Ketchum and Warm Springs neighborhoods. Each stop will feature an artist and musician and gardeners are on hand to answer questions. A picnic lunch will be available for purchase in the Britt garden. Tickets are $35 for members of the Garden and $45 for non-members. Call 726-9358, www.sbgarden.org.

The 2009 Gardens:

Kelle Weston and Parker Bryan, 360 W 1st St., West Ketchum
Lynn and Barry Welker, 531 N 3rd Ave., West Ketchum
Janet and Roger DeBard, 230 Graduate, Northwood
Geoff and Alison Rusack, 411 Northwood
Kathleen and James Britt, 319 River Run, Warm Springs
Lila and Jack Corrock, 210 Huffman Dr., Warm Springs
Lisa Vierling and Michael Stoneback, 1034 Warm Springs Rd. (8 mi. past lifts)

Scavenger hunt:

The Lee Pesky Learning Center’s 8th annual Scavenger Hunt will also be played this busy Saturday. The hunters will gather at 4 p.m. in Ketchum to scour the town for the carefully and ingeniously hidden clues. A dinner and auction honoring long-time supporter Sue Dumke will follow at 7 p.m. at The Community School in Sun Valley. Tickets are available for $150 each by calling (208) 333-0008, or visit their website

Jazz in the park:

On Sunday in the north valley, relax to Jazz at the Rotary Park in Ketchum (across from YMCA, on the river) from 6-8 p.m.

A night of music:

Monday, July 13 brings one of the City of Hailey’s premiere events, the second annual Hailey Night of Music. Sponsored by the Hailey Arts Commission, the Hailey Chamber and produced by Figgleaf Productions, the event will present 12 bands in 12 venues one night. It’s all free, it’s all live and it’s all fun. Last year was a huge festive hit and this year will be even more enticing.

Meanwhile, in Boise:

Moscow, Idaho native Josh Ritter will make his return to Boise for a special two-night engagement at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 14 and Wednesday July 15 at the Egyptian Theatre, 700 W. Main St.

The two-night stand will showcase Ritter in a pair of vastly different musical settings inside the historic downtown Boise theater.

Ritter will perform with his full band on July 14. Opening the show will be Blind Pilot, the Portland folk-pop duo that became national media darlings after touring the West Coast via bicycle (twice). Paste magazine says Blind Pilot “sounds a lot like what James Mercer of The Shins would sound like if he recorded a solo acoustic album. And there are trumpets, lots of trumpets. It’s quite wonderful.”

Ritter then performs a solo acoustic set accompanied by a string quartet from the Boise Philharmonic on July 15. In 2008, Ritter performed with the Boston Pops at Boston’s Symphony Hall, the first time a full orchestra had tackled Ritter’s music. Tickets are available in person at the Record Exchange, Boise Co-op and Egyptian Theatre box office at 208.387.1273; online at www.joshritter.com or www.musicfromstanley.com.

Tickets are $24 in advance or $26 day of show. A special two-night ticket is $40 and includes preferred seating, a limited-edition poster and download code for new Josh Ritter tracks.

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