Spokane, Washington

Spokane (pronounced "sp?-CAN" {{IPA|}}) is the county seat of Spokane County in the State of Washington. It is also known as the seat of the Inland Empire. Situated at the foot of a valley, midway between the rise and mouth of the Spokane River, it is 280 miles east of Seattle and 375 miles northeast of Portland. It is the commercial center of the eastern part of Washington and of the northern part of Idaho, and the distributing point for a great agricultural, lumbering, horticultural, and stock raising region. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 195,629, and recent projections place the metropolitan population at around 560,000.

Events and activities in Spokane

Spokane is home to a number of annual events that draw people from a large surrounding area.

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Hoopfest is the largest 3 on 3 basketball tournament in the world. It is held the last weekend in June, and boasts a variety of participants, from kids, teens, and adults to former college and NBA players, in their respective brackets.

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The Lilac Bloomsday Run http://www.bloomsdayrun.org/ is a 7.46 mile race for walkers and competitive runners. It is held the first Sunday every May.

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Spokane is also home to a National Historic Landmark hand-carved carousel, created in 1909 by Charles Looff as a wedding present for his daughter. The carousel still operates in Riverfront Park, downtown, where riders can participate in an old-time ring toss. The carousel continues to offer a free ride to the rider who grabs the brass ring.

Related Topics:
National Historic Landmark - Charles Looff - Riverfront Park

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The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture http://www.northwestmuseum.org houses a large collection of Native American artifacts as well as regional and national traveling art exhibits. Located in Browne's Addition, the Museum boasts a secluded setting just blocks from the heart of Downtown.

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The Spokane Symphony performs a full season of concerts and the Spokane Jazz Orchestra is the oldest performing jazz orchestra in the United States.

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